Durham School, tracing its history back to Langley in 1414 and earlier, has had a number of Headmasters (but, to date, no Headmistresses).
1414 to 1541
This incomplete list comes from The Durham School Register, 1991.[1] The list is derived from The Account Rolls of the Receiver General which show that two chaplains, the forerunners of the Headmasters, were paid, one for the Langley Grammar School (which became Durham School) and one for the Langley Song School (which became the Chorister School). They do not make it clear which chaplain was for which school however, so two names are often given here.
1414 - William Browne
1416 to 1419 - John Claiton John Arteys (or Ortas
1424 to 1435 - John Arteys
1438 to 1439 - John Arteys Robert Sotheron
1453 to 1461 - Robert Sotheron Robert Grene
1464 to 1466 - Robert Sotheron John Spicer
1466 to 1467 - Robert Sotheron Nicholas Kelchith
1467 to 1479 - Robert Sotheron Hugh Forster
1479 to 1480(?) - James Eversleet William Dosse
1484 to 1497 - Thomas Todd William Dosse
1504 to 1511 - John Hochonson (or Hotchinson) William Dosse
1511 to 1512 - Thomas Sanderson
1512 to 1513 - Thomas Sanderson William Watson
1513 to 1519 - Thomas Sanderson Edward Watson
1520 to 1521 - Thomas Sanderson George Fowberry
1523 to 1529 - William Cokey George Fowberry
1529 to 1535 - William Cokey Ralph Todd
1537 to 1541 - William Cokey Henry Stafford
1541 to 1844
This list comes from The Durham School Register[2] supplemented as indicated.
After the
Dissolution in 1541, Henry VIII reconstituted the school.
... to 1546 (or earlier) - Henry Stafford
1546 (or earlier) to 1558 - Robert Hartburn
1158 to 1568 - Thomas Reve
1568 to 1579 - Robert Cooke
1579 to 1593 - Francis Kaye
1593 to 1596 - James Caufield (after his resignation the school was, for some months, in the charge of the undermaster, R. Bolton)
^Knighton, C.S.
"Ingmethorpe, Thomas (bap. 1564, d. 1638)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Sep 2004). Retrieved 7 August 2010. In 1610 he was appointed headmaster of Durham School but he gave offence to his employers, the dean and chapter, by speaking in a sermon with 'biting invective' against one of their number, Archdeacon Tunstall (VCH Durham, 1.379). Ingmethorpe was called before the chapter on 9 July 1612, and was imprisoned until 13 June 1613 when he made his submission to the charge. The following Christmas he resigned from his headmastership, and spent the rest of his life at his rectory of Great Stainton, where he ran a small private school.
^Courtney, W. P.; rev. A. I. Doyle.
"Rud, Thomas (1667/8–1733)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004). Retrieved 9 August 2010. In 1710 Rud returned to Durham School until 1711, when he was instituted to the vicarage of
St Oswald, where he catalogued the library left to it by a predecessor, John Cock.
^Vian, Alsager; rev. M. C. Curthoys.
"Elder, Edward (1812–1858)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004, online edn, Oct 2005). Retrieved 7 August 2010. Elder, Edward (1812–1858), headmaster, the son of John William Edmund Elder, was born in Barbados on 1 October 1812. ... He was a tutor at Oxford until 1839, when he became headmaster of Durham Cathedral grammar school. The school was in a sorry state, but was transformed during Elder's headmastership, ultimately acquiring the standing of a public school, helped by the move to a new site in 1844.
^Malden, John (1996). Let Durham Flourish. Durham City: The Friends of Durham School. p. 8.
ISBN0-9528670-0-1. The School moved from Palace Green to its present site in 1844.
^Malden, John (1996). Let Durham Flourish. Durham City: The Friends of Durham School. pp. 8&9.
ISBN0-9528670-0-1.
^Hughes, C.E.; rev. Richard Smail.
"Holden, Hubert Ashton (1822–1896)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004, online edn, Oct 2009). Retrieved 7 August 2010. Henry Holden (1814–1909), classical scholar and headmaster, was born at Birmingham on 7 July 1814, the second son of Henry Augustus Holden (1785–1870), a clergyman, and his wife, Mary Willetts Holden. ... Holden was headmaster of Durham Cathedral school from 1853 until 1882, then vicar of South Luffenham, Rutland, from 1881 until 1898.
^"School News". Times [London, England]. 7 March 1997. The Governors are pleased to announce that Mr Neil Kern has been appointed Headmaster of Durham School, following the retirement of Mr Michael Lang. Mr Kern is at present a Housemaster at Repton School and will take up his post on September 1, 1997.