RGS - Key Persons
From that moment on, he was rarely on dry land and his life is a glorious litany of naval and military valour. Most famously, he served as Lord Nelson's second in command during the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
There are some who say that his political, diplomatic and military judgement far outshone that of Nelson and there is certainly notable bias amongst locals as to who really won the Battle of Trafalgar.
The following month, Collingwood was raised to the peerage as Baron Collingwood of Caldburne and Hethpool.
In 1809, as his health began to decline drastically, Collingwood was eventually granted his request to be relieved of his command and return home. However, he died characteristically on board ship as he sailed to England in March 1810.
He was laid to rest beside his close friend Nelson in the crypt of St Paul's Cathedral.
Job Titles:
- Learning Support Assistant
Job Titles:
- Head of Year 7 ) BSc, Sunderland, DPhil, Newcastle
Ebenezer R. Thomas (1922-48) was appointed as headmaster in January 1922 and served for 26 years.
‘ERT' led the school during the period following the Great War and through the Second World War, stewarding many of the massive changes which we can still see today. He strengthened the sixth form from a very weak position with exam results improving enormously. He appointed teachers of great distinction, including the Theakstone brothers, brought up in St.Petersburg, and pre-revolution students at Moscow University.
Music at the school developed positively after Dr Thomas appointed Arthur Milner as Head of Music in 1927 and drama began its development after the school theatre was built in 1930.
Frank J. Budden (staff 1959-80) clearly had a huge impact on the teaching of mathematics and wider school life during his 23 years of service at RGS. He joined us in 1959 before making Head of Department three years later. His valete for The Novocastrian noted his dedication, integrity, and absolute enthusiasm for mathematics.
Budden studied Mathematics at Kings College, London, graduating in 1939. His talent was already evident then and he was awarded the Lubbock Memorial Prize. After serving during the Second World War he became a teacher. His first role was teaching maths and music at Ripon Grammar School
Maths became a popular subject at RGS under Budden's leadership, with high numbers taking it at O Level. His reputation in the field extended much further than our walls as Budden was a member of Council of the Mathematics Association during his time teaching. He led the British team in the International Mathematical Olympiad, both in 1971 and 1973 - nine of our RGS students competed in the IMO over the years. He published a number of books, including An Introduction to Algebraic Structures (1975). Budden himself presented a copy to the RGS Library and it is now preserved in our Archive.
Not only was he an exceptional mathematician, he was an incredibly talented musician yet with no formal training. A choir leader, conductor and instrumentalist, he was involved in music at all of the schools he taught at, including RGS. Here he led the madrigal choir and a small orchestral choir.
Job Titles:
- Learning Support Assistant
John Scott, 1st Earl of Eldon (1751-1838), was younger brother to William Scott. John Scott was also educated at the RGS, after which his father thought of apprenticing him to the family business. However, William intervened, having himself already obtained a fellowship at University College, Oxford and subsequently it was decided that John should further his studies there.
He entered University College in 1766 with the intention to take holy orders but progressed rapidly with his legal studies, obtaining a fellowship and graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1770.
Two years later, John eloped with Bessie, the daughter of a Newcastle banker: a colourful and romantic story in itself. After entering parliament in 1782, Scott was appointed Solicitor-General, knighted, and promoted to Attorney-General. Entering the House of Lords in 1801 (the same year as his brother William) as Lord Eldon and Viscount Encombe, he ascended the Woolsack as Lord Chancellor of England.
Joy Knowles (née Patterson, 1927-2019) joined RGS in 1952. She taught the youngest students in the Junior School, educating generations of Old Novos from their earliest days in school.
Knowles also taught PE and established a Gym Club for Junior School pupils. For eleven years she ran a popular Sixth Form Scottish Country Dance Club.
In 1955 she married fellow RGS teacher Jeff Knowles (staff 1956-81). They were both heavily involved in running various school camps in the 1950's and 1960's, including the Eigg Survey Camp.
During her later years at RGS she was appointed Senior Assistant in the Junior School. She retired in 1984.
An obituary for Joy Knowles can be found in Issue 107 of the ONA Magazine.
Job Titles:
- Head of PHSE and Wellbeing
Job Titles:
- Head of Learning Support and SENDCo
Job Titles:
- Performing Arts Administrator
Job Titles:
- Assistant Head of Careers
- Careers Coordinator, Medical ), BSc, Imperial College London, MA, Northumbria
Job Titles:
- Head of Year 13 ) BA, Aberystwyth
Job Titles:
- Marketing & Communications Manager
Job Titles:
- Performing Arts Centre Technician
Job Titles:
- Procurement & Office Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Head of Learning and Teaching
Job Titles:
- Specialist in End User Computing
Job Titles:
- Head of Year 8 ) BA ( JtHons ), MPhil, University of Wales, Bangor, MA, Aberystwyth
Job Titles:
- Apprentice Network Engineer
Job Titles:
- Head of Exams ), BSc, Newcastle
Job Titles:
- Head of Careers & HE ), BA, Lancaster
Job Titles:
- Head of Year 9 ) MA, MPhil, Trinity College, Cambridge
Job Titles:
- Head of Year 11 ), BA, Stirling, MA, Queen 's University of Belfast
Job Titles:
- Outdoor Pursuits Instructor
Job Titles:
- Head of Facilities and Estates
Job Titles:
- Caretaker Supervisor / Facilities Co - Ordinator
Job Titles:
- Head of Year 10 ) BSc, Newcastle
Job Titles:
- Compliance Officer & Clerk to the Governors
Job Titles:
- Careers Coordinator, Non - Medical ), Staatsexamen, Albert - Ludwigs - Universitat Freiburg
Job Titles:
- Junior School Receptionist
Job Titles:
- Development Manager ( Digital )
Job Titles:
- Senior School Receptionist
Job Titles:
- Development Manager ( Editorial ) :
Job Titles:
- Head of Junior School Music ), MA, Glasgow
Job Titles:
- Head of PSHE and Wellbeing ), BA, Sheffield
Job Titles:
- Head of Year 12 ) BA, London Metropolitan
Job Titles:
- Learning Support Assistant
- Learning Support Assistant and Exams Assessor
Job Titles:
- Head of Projects
- Support:
Job Titles:
- Head of EPQ ) BA, MA, Newcastle
Job Titles:
- Head of Digital Technology and Computing ) BA, Leeds, MEd, Newcastle
Job Titles:
- External Affairs Administrator
Job Titles:
- Learning Support Assistant
Job Titles:
- Head of Digital Strategy ), BA, Exeter
Arthur Sutherland attended the RGS at Rye Hill from 1878 until 1883. He went on to take over the successful family business B.J. Sutherland & Co. Ltd. Between 1916-1917 he served as Sheriff of Newcastle; then between 1918 he was appointed Mayor of Newcastle. In 1920 he was knighted. He became a governor of RGS from 1919 and chairman of governors from 1935 until his death in 1953.
He was, by far, the most munificent benefactor the school has ever had. His numerous gifts to the school included: the rifle range and armoury (1915, now gone); the Memorial Organ (1923), given in memory of the 138 Old Novos who fell in the Great War; the swimming baths (1930); the gymnasium (now replaced); the old Junior School and the staff common room; even the cost of obtaining the school's Coat of Arms in 1931. Even Sutherland Park, originally leased from the family company was then purchased by the school with the help of a low interest loan.
He was the last private owner of Dunstanburgh Castle which he donated to the nation in 1929 and amongst many other properties, he owned Close House in Heddon and Mansion House in Jesmond.
Thomas Horsley (1462-c.1545), was a corn merchant who served as Mayor of Newcastle five times during the reign of Henry VIII. He was a hugely powerful man, influential in establishing Newcastle as the wealthy town which it subsequently became.
In 1525 he made his will, endowing money for the establishment of a free school in Newcastle on his death and that of his wife, thus founding the Newcastle upon Tyne Royal Grammar School in 1545.
William Scott, 1st Baron Stowell (1745-1836), was born in Heworth, the son of a coal tradesman.
He was educated at the RGS and then later at Oxford University but it wasn't until 1776 when Scott was in his thirties that he devoted himself to the study of law. His rise to success was rapid and within 12 years he had received a knighthood and had become Advocate-General. Among his other achievements were his parliamentary seats at Downton and Oxford University, as well as his Fellowship of the Royal Society, membership of the Privy Council and Judge of the High Court of Admiralty.
In 1821 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Stowell of Stowell Park in Gloucestershire.