St Francis Roman Catholic Grammar School

For the school of the same name in Quetta, Pakistan, see St Francis Grammar School.

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School in Hartlepool, County Durham, England

St Francis RC Grammar School

Location

Hartlepool

County Durham

England

Information
Motto| Cervus ad Fontes
(Latin for The Hart to the Font)
Religious affiliation(s)| Roman Catholic
Established| 1956
Founder| Father Francis Dunne
Closed| 1973
Gender| Boys
Houses| 4 houses
Final Headmaster| Canon Bell
Diocese| Hexham and Newcastle

St Francis RC Grammar School, also known as St Francis Xavier Grammar School,[1] was a Catholic grammar school for boys, in Hartlepool, County Durham, England. It opened on 17 September 1956[2] and was subsumed into The English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College along with St Joseph's Convent School and four more local Catholic schools in 1973.[3] It was run by the Xaverian Brothers.[3]

## Head Teachers[edit]

Headteacher | Start year | End year

|
|

Brother Anselm BA[4][2] | 1956 | undated
Canon John "Dickie" Bell.[3] | undated | 1973

## Teachers and Brothers[edit]

Teacher | Subject(s) | Additional notes

|
|

Father John Bell[3] | Latin | Became a Canon and Headmaster of both St Francis and later The English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College.
Brother Aiden[4] | RK |
Brother Ambrose[4] | Latin | history
Brother Brendan[2] | unknown |
Brother Chrysostum[3] | unknown |
Brother Cuthbert[4] | Maths and Football |
Brother Robert [4] | French |
Brother Osmund[3] | Geography |
Brother Oswald[4] | unknown |
Brother Plunkett[4] | history music ' |
Mrs Shirley Corcoran[3] | Biology | First full-time female teacher at the school.
Mr Wm. Lawford BSc[2] | physics |
Mr Chris Lawton[4] | Chemistry and Geography |
Mr Gilles Legal[3] | French & Russian |
Mr Patrick (Paddy) Alley. | Maths and Rugby |
Mr Ian Bewick | Art |
Mr David Hudson | Chemistry |
Father Fred Martin | English |
Mr Jack McCabe[4] | P.E. |
Father Frank McCabe | Latin |
Mr Derek Mylroi[3] | Geography |
Mr Patrick Naughton | English |
Mr Vin Shanley[5] | History | Later became Headmaster at St Michael's Roman Catholic School in Billingham as well as publishing several books containing "hilarious stories".
Mr David Turley | Maths |
Mrs Bell[4] | Dinner Lady |

## Houses[edit]

There were four houses within the school: Percy, Swalwell, Errington, and Thirkeld. In the same way as the later English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College would name its houses after the English Martyrs, the houses of St Francis Grammar School were named after the following:[citation needed]

### Percy[edit]

* Thomas Percy, the 7th Earl of Northumberland who was executed in York in 1572.

### Swalwell[edit]

* John Swalwell, who can be found on the list of abbots of Monkwearmouth-Jarrow Abbey as Master of Wearmouth in 1526 and Master of Jarrow in 1531.

### Errington[edit]

* Roman Catholic churchman, George Errington (martyr), executed at York in 1596.

### Thirkeld[edit]

* Roman Catholic priest, Richard Thirkeld, also executed at York in 1583.

## Sites[edit]

### Woodlands[edit]

* Wooler Road, the main site.[6]

### Normanhurst[edit]

* Grange Road. Now a pub known as 'The White House'.[7]

## Notable alumni[edit]

* John Darwin.[1]
* Jez Lowe.[8]

## Reunion Groups[edit]

* Over 150 members plus photos: http://www.schoolfriends.com.au/School.page/St_Francis_Xavier/10822/Details
* Over 100 members: http://www.friendsreunited.com/School.page/St_Francis_Grammar_School/411118/Details

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b (2008).Canoe woman Anne Darwin 'one of the greatest actresses in the world'.The Telegraph.
2. ^ a b c d The Catholic Church in Hartlepool and West Hartlepool, 1834-1964, A Souvenir of Progress. Glasgow: John S. Burns & Sons. 1965.
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Hall,G.(2005).Saints and sinners.The Hartlepool Mail.
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j (2007).Will you be mentioned?.The Hartlepool Mail.
5. ^ (2000).BIG LAUGHS DUE TO SMALL TALK .The Hartlepool Mail.
6. ^ ST FRANCIS GRAMMAR SCHOOL.Museum of Hartlepool.
7. ^ (2011).The White House, Hartlepool.The Telegraph.
8. ^ (2010).Wherever I go in the world, people tell me how impressed they are when they visit Durham, and I feel the same way..The Free Library.

* v
* t
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Schools in Hartlepool

Primary|

* Fens Primary School

Secondary|

* Dyke House Academy
* English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College
* High Tunstall College of Science
* Manor Community Academy
* St Hild's Church of England School

Further Education|

* Hartlepool College of Further Education
* Hartlepool Sixth Form College

Defunct|

* St Francis RC Grammar School

* v
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* e

Schools in County Durham

Secondary|

* Belmont Community School
* Bishop Barrington Academy
* Consett Academy
* Dene Academy
* Durham Academy
* Durham Johnston Comprehensive School
* Easington Academy
* Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College
* Framwellgate School Durham
* Greenfield Academy
* Hermitage Academy
* King James I Academy
* North Durham Academy
* Park View School
* Parkside Academy
* St Bede's RC School Lanchester
* St Bede's RC School Peterlee
* St John's Catholic School
* St Leonard's Catholic School
* Seaham High School
* Sedgefield Community College
* Shotton Hall Academy
* Staindrop Academy
* Tanfield School
* Teesdale School
* UTC South Durham
* Wellfield School
* Whitworth Park Academy
* Wolsingham School
* Woodham Academy

Special|

* Hope Wood Academy

Independent|

* Barnard Castle School
* Durham High School for Girls
* Durham School

Further Education|

* Bishop Auckland College
* Derwentside College
* Durham Sixth Form Centre
* East Durham College
* New College Durham

Defunct|

* Chorister School
* Fyndoune Community College
* Roseberry College
* Spennymoor Grammar School

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