List of masters of Gresham's School explained

This is a list of the Masters (later Headmasters) and Ushers (later Second Masters) of Gresham's School, Holt.

Masters, 1562–1900

• 1571: Master Robinson
• 1574–1582: Master Harrison
• 1585–1602: Christopher Williams
• 1602–1605: Rev. Richard Snoden MA^[1]
• 1605–1606: Rev. Francis Catlyn MA^[1]
• 1606–1639: Thomas Tallis MA^[1]
• 1639–1640: Rev. Nathaniel Gill^[1]
• 1640: Thomas Tallis (again)^[1]
• 1640–1644: Sir Thomas Witherley^[1]
• 1644–1646: John Fenn^[1]
• 1646–1659: Rev. Francis Wright MA, fellow of Merton College, Oxford^[1]
• 1659–1660: Rev. William Hickes MA, previously Master of Oundle^[1]
• 1660–1665: Rev. Henry Mazy MA^[1]
• 1665–1667: Rev. John Goodman (acting Master)^[1]
• 1667–1692: Rev. Thomas Bainbridge MA^[1]
• 1692–1697: Rev. William Reynolds MA^[1]
• 1697–1702: Edward Reynolds^[2]
• 1702–1715: Rev. William Reynolds MA^[2]
• 1715–1729: Rev. David Duncombe MA (d. 1729)^[2]
• 1730–1760: John Holmes - writer of textbooks on grammar, rhetoric and astronomy^[1]
• 1760: John Knox^[1]
• 1760–1787: James Smith^[1]
• 1787–1806: Thomas Atkins^[1]
• 1806–1807: Rev. Mr Babington (acting Master)^[1]
• 1807–1809: Thomas Atkins (again)^{[1] [3]}
• 1809–1857: Rev. Benjamin Pulleyne, or Pullan MA, fellow of Clare College, Cambridge^{[1] [4]}
• 1858–1867: Rev. Charles Allen Elton MA BD, fellow of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge^{[1] [5]}
• 1867–1900: Rev. Reginald Jolliffe Roberts MA^{[1] [6]}

Headmasters, 1900 to date

• 1900–1919: George William Saul Howson MA, formerly of Uppingham, reforming headmaster^[1]
• 1919–1935: J. R. Eccles MA^[1]
• 1935–1944: Philip Staniforth Newell MA^[1]
• 1944–1955: Martin John Olivier MA - previously of Rossall, later head of Guthlaxton College, Wigston Magna^{[1] [7]}
• 1955–1982: Logie Bruce Lockhart, international rugby footballer^{[1] [8]}
• 1982–1985: Dr Timothy Phillips Woods MA DPhil^{[1] [8]}
• 1985–1991: Hugh Wright MA, later Chief Master of King Edward's School, Birmingham (1991–1998) and Chairman of the HMC^{[1] [8]}
• 1991–2002: John Hardy Arkell MA, formerly head of Wrekin College^{[1] [8] [9]}
• 2002–2008: Anthony Roy Clark MA, - formerly head of St. Andrew's College, Grahamstown, South Africa^{[1] [8]}
• 2008–2013 : Philip John - formerly head of King William's College, Isle of Man
• 2013–2014 : Nigel Flower (acting headmaster)
• 2014– : Douglas Robb MA MEd

Ushers

• 1602–1606: Nicholas Stephenson^[1]
• ? to 1621: John Watson^[1]
• 1627–1632: Thomas Cooper^[1]
• 1632–1638: Nicholas Davie^[1]
• 1638: Thomas Cooper (again)^[1]
• 1638–1639: Henry Luce^[1]
• 1640: Henry Luce (again)^[1]
• 1640–1643: Timothy Cutler^[1]
• 1643–1644: Thomas Cooper (again)^{[1] [10]} - hanged in 1650 as a Royalist rebel
• 1658–1660: Henry Mazy^[1]
• 1661–1665: John Goodman^[1]
• 1689–1692: Thomas Kellway^[1]
• 1692: William Chambers^[1]
• 1692–1695: Thomas Garrett^[1]
• 1695: William Rowland^[1]
• 1696–1697: Thomas Turner^[1]
• 1697–1704: Thomas Plumstead^[1]
• 1705–1708: John Reynolds^[1]
• 1708: John Fox^[1]
• 1708–1713: William Selth^[1]
• 1713–1714: John Spurling^[1]
• 1714–1715: William Chaplyn^[1]
• c. 1718: John Brooke^[1]
• c. 1725: John Holmes^[1]
• 1729: Edward Read^[1]
• 1770s: Christopher Stangroom^[1]
• 1796–1801: David Kinnebrook^[1]
• 1810–1811: Reverend Robert Davies^[1]
• 1811–1813: Peter Barney^[1]
• 1813–1821: Daniel Carr^{[1] [11]}
• 1821: James Sturley^[1]
• 1821–1828: Thomas Beckwith^[1]
• 1828–1843: William Robert Taylor^[1]
• 1843–1851: John Slann (first Second Master)^[1]

Thomas Beckwith used the title "undermaster" in 1821.^[12]

Second masters

• 1843–1851: John Slann (last Usher)^[1]
• 1851: William Allen Rudkin^[1]
• 1851–1857: John Hubbert Kent^[1]
• 1858–1860: J. Rodney Phillips^[1]
• 1860: Berney Wodehouse Raven^[1]
• 1860–1862: Charles Frederick Furbank^[1]
• 1862–1863: Frederick Roy Dowson^[1]
• 1863–1864: George W. Anstiss^{[1] [13]}
• 1864–1865: Henry David Jones^[1]
• 1865–1866: William Henry Hooper^[1]
• 1866–1867: Matthew Walter Tunnicliffe^{[1] [14]}
• 1867: William Remington Backhouse^[1]
• 1867: John Robinson Wells^[1]
• 1867–1869: Robert Stokes^[1]
• 1869–1871: Robert Campbell Conolly^[1]
• 1871–1872: John Lowndes^[1]

Notes and References

1. S. G. G. Benson, Martin Crossley Evans, I Will Plant Me a Tree: an Illustrated History of Gresham's School (James & James, London, 2002)
2. [Lewis Radford|Lewis B. Radford]
3. Atkins was dead by 1820: see Urban, Sylvanus, Gentleman's Magazine volume XC, for January to June 1820 (London, John Nichols & Son, 1820) Obituary, p. 477 online: "May 5 In Great Ormond street, the relict of Mr Atkins, formerly Master of Sir John Gresham's Grammar School, at Holt, in Norfolk."
4. Benjamin Pullan was educated at Wakefield Grammar School, was elected a Cave Scholar on 19 January 1805, was Senior Optime in 1808, and was described as "Master of Holt Grammar School, Norfolk, in 1837". (Peacock, Matthew, 'The History of Wakefield Grammar School', Milnes, 1892, p. 182)
5. Burke, Edmund, Annual Register for 1858, p. 511 (London, Rivington's, 1859): [Promotions, July 1858] "Rev. C. A. Elton to be Head Master of the Gresham Grammar School, Holt, Norfolk."
6. Roberts, Rev. R.J., M.A., Head Master, Holt Grammar School: from The Teachers List (1872) p. 216
7. "Mr. Martin Olivier" in Gloucestershire Echo, Tuesday 11 April 1944, p. 4: "Mr. Martin Olivier, who has been for 20 years on the staff of Rossall School, has been appointed head master of Gresham's School, Holt, Norfolk, at present evacuated to Newquay, Cornwall."
8. Who's Who 2003 (A. & C. Black, London, 2003)
9. Born 10 July 1939 (Birthdays in The Independent dated 10 July 1999, accessed 9 January 2009
10. http://eagle.cch.kcl.ac.uk:8080/cce/bishops/DisplayBishop.jsp?ordTenID=418 CCED
11. Notice in Norwich Mercury newspaper dated 8 December 1821:"D. CARR Begs leave respectfully to inform the inhabitants of Fakenham, and the Public in general, that after the Christmas Vacation, he intends opening a BOARDING and DAY SCHOOL, in that Place, for the reception of YOUNG GENTLEMEN... D. CARR has spent six years and a half as Sub-Master in the Holt Grammar School, under the Rev. B. Pullan; and a year and a half as one of the Masters in the Norwich grammar School, under the Rev. E. Valpy, by whom he was also formerly instructed. NB Letters addressed to D. Carr, Holt, will receive immediate attention."
12. Sara Slinn, The Education of the Anglican Clergy, 1780-1839 (Boydell & Brewer, 2017), p. 159
13. 'Ecclesiastical News' in Liverpool Mercury, Saturday, 13 February 1864; Issue 4997
14. Matthew Walter Tunnicliffe of St John's College, Cambridge, graduated BA 1866; second master of Holt Grammar School, Norfolk, 1866-67; curate of Ringstead, Norfolk, 1867-69, of Elmley, Yorks, 1869-71; Vicar of Earlsheaton, Yorks., 1871; died 1891: from Leeds Grammar School Admission Books, from 1820 to 1900 (Thoresby Society, 1906) p. 139