List of headmasters of St. Bees School

School House, the residence of headmasters since 1886.

The list of headmasters of St. Bees School includes the men and one woman who have held the headmastership of St. Bees School in west Cumbria (formerly the county of Cumberland). Under the statutes drawn up by the school's founder, Archbishop Edmund Grindal, the headmaster of the school was chosen by the Provost of the Queen's College, Oxford. ^[1] This state of affairs lasted until 1879 when a "new scheme" came into place and the board of governors had a greater say in the appointment. ^[2]

In the early days of the school the headmaster was the sole master, his school being a one-story stone building (now the school's main dining room). In the nineteenth century, St. Bees School began to expand thanks to the proceeds from mineral royalties, legally won in part by the efforts of Headmaster William Wilson, ^[3] and in 1844 the headmaster moved into the newly built south wing of the "Quad", the quadrangle of sandstone buildings which makes up the main and oldest part of the school. ^[2] In 1886, a purpose built home was constructed called the "School House", part of which today serves as a senior boys' boarding house. ^[2]

List of headmasters at St. Bees School

Rev. H. A. P. Sawyer (Headmaster 1903–1916).

List of headmasters at St. Bees School since 1583

Years	Name	Alma mater	References
1583–1593	Nicholas Copland, B.A.	-	[4]
1593–1612	William Briscoe, M.A.	-	[4]
1612–1630	William Lickbarrow, M.A.	-	[4]
1630–1679	Francis Radcliffe, M.A.	The Queen's College, Oxford	[4]
1679–1681	Bernard Gilpin, B.A.	The Queen's College, Oxford	[4]
1681–1686	Jonathan Banks, B.A.	Pembroke College, Cambridge	[4]
1686–1738	Rev. Richard Jackson, M.A.	The Queen's College, Oxford	[4]
1738–1755	Rev. Alan Fisher, B.A.	The Queen's College, Oxford	[4]
1755–1773	Rev. John James, M.A.	The Queen's College, Oxford	[4]
1773–1788	Rev. Robert Scott, M.A.	The Queen's College, Oxford	[4]
1788–1791	Rev. James Hutchinson, M.A.	The Queen's College, Oxford	[4]
1791–1811	Rev. John Barnes, M.A.	The Queen's College, Oxford	[4]
1811–1817	Rev. William Wilson, M.A.	The Queen's College, Oxford	[4]
1817–1830	Rev. Thomas Bradley, M.A.	The Queen's College, Oxford	[4]
1830–1841	Rev. John Fox, M.A.	The Queen's College, Oxford	[4]
1841–1854	Rev. Miles Atkinson, M.A.	The Queen's College, Oxford	[4]
1854–1879	Rev. George Henry Heslop, M.A.	The Queen's College, Oxford	[4]
1879–1903	Rev. William Taylor Newbold, M.A.	St John's College, Cambridge	[4]
1903–1916	Rev. Harold Athelstane Parry Sawyer, M.A.	The Queen's College, Oxford	[4]
1917–1926	Cecil William Kaye, M.A.	University College, Oxford	[4]
1926–1935	Edward Allen Bell, M.A.	Christ Church, Oxford	[4]
1935 (acting)	Robert Branston Brown, M.A.	Trinity Hall, Cambridge	[4]
1936–1938	Howard George Charles Mallaby, M.A.	Merton College, Oxford	[4]
1938–1945	Rev. John Sidney Boulter, M.B.E., T.D., M.A.	Keble College, Oxford	[4]
1945–1946	C.G.S. Harden, M.A.	St. John's College, Cambridge	[5] [6]
1946–1951	Henry Enfield Reekie	Clare College, Cambridge	[6]
1951–1963	James Cochrane Wykes, M.A.	Clare College, Cambridge	[7]
1963–1980	Geoffrey William Lees, M.A.	Downing College, Cambridge	[8]
1980–1988	Malcolm Tod Thyne, M.A.	Clare College, Cambridge	[9]
1988–1997	Paul Arthur Chamberlain, B.Sc.	University of Durham	[10]
1997 (acting)	Philip James Etchells, B.Sc., Ph.D.	University of Liverpool	-
1998–2000	Janet Dolton Pickering, B.Sc.	University of Sheffield	[11]
2000–2012	Philip J. Capes, M.A.	University of Exeter
2012–2015	James Davies	University of Sheffield	[12]
2017-2018	Jeremy Hallows	University of Sheffield	[13]
2018-2021	Gareth Seddon	Université de Lyon II	[14]
2021-2021	Roger Sinnett	University of Cambridge	[15]
2021-2024	Robin Silk	University of Cambridge	[16]
2024-Present	Andrew Keep	University of Exeter

Notes

1. The Story of St. Bees. p. 19.
2. The Story of St. Bees. p. 26.
3. Todd, John The Headmaster, the Provost and the Earl: the Affair of the St. Bees School Mineral Lease, 1812–1817 Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Volume LXXXIII Kendal 1983 pp163-171
4. The Story of St. Bees. p. 47.
5. "St. Bees School". Official Appointments and Notices. The Times. No. 50216. London. 9 August 1945. col B, p. 7.
6. Reekie, Henry Enfield (2008). Who Was Who 1897–2007.
7. Who Was Who, Vol IX 1991–1995, p.613 year=2010
8. Lees, Geoffrey William (2008). Who Was Who 1897–2007.
9. Thyne, Malcolm Tod (2008). Who Was Who 1897–2007.
10. Chamberlain, Paul Arthur (2008). Who Was Who 1897–2007.
11. Pickering, Janet Dolton (2008). Who Was Who 1897–2007.
12. "New Head Appointment". The Old St. Beghian No.181. January 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
13. "The New Headmaster". July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
14. "From The New Headmaster". July 2018.
15. "St Bees School to see its fourth headteacher, following successful developments and new ventures". February 2021.
16. "West Cumbria school to welcome new headteacher". June 2021.

Bibliography

• Special Committee, Old St. Beghians' Club (1939). The Story of St. Bees: 1583–1939. London: Buck & Wootton, Ltd.