Dunstable Grammar School

Dunstable Grammar School was a grammar school in the market town of Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England. Opened in 1888, it was closed in 1971.

Dunstable Grammar School buildings, now used by Ashton Middle School

Foundation

Dunstable Grammar School was established by the Trustees of the Almshouse Charity created by the Will of Frances Ashton. Hence the inscription on the building which says:

Dunstable Grammar School Founded A.D. 1728 By Mrs. Frances Ashton Built A.D. 1887.

Construction

New school buildings were constructed in 1887 on the northern side of Dunstable for the Trustees of Frances Ashton's charity, and in 1888 the school opened with 49 pupils. The first headmaster was L. C. R. Thring, of the Thring family of Uppingham which included the educationist Edward Thring (1821-1887), headmaster of Uppingham School. By 1917, the school had grown to 67 boarders and 100 day boys. A school library was built in memory of the former pupils who died in the Boer War and the Second World War, and a memorial in the library commemorated the names of the sixty-two boys who gave their lives, including Ashton Edward Thring, the only son of the school's first headmaster.^[1] and the Victoria Cross winner, Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Henderson.^[2]

Closure

The school remained in its purpose-built home from 1888 until 1971, when it was closed with the coming of the new comprehensive system of education. The remaining schoolteachers and pupils moved to a new school at the opposite end of the town, the Manshead Upper School.

Use of the buildings

The original Grammar School building was modernised and since 1973 has housed the Ashton Middle School, for children aged nine to thirteen.

Notable former pupils

Mike Bannister, commanded the final Concorde commercial flight from New York to London, 24 October 2003
Nigel Benson, author, Dunstable in Detail is a standard reference for the town and includes details about the Grammar School
Gary Cooper, (known as Frank Cooper while at school), actor and starred in many Hollywood films, e.g. High Noon (1952)
Graeme Paul Knowles, Dean of St Paul's from 2007 to 2011
Sam Kydd, actor who appeared in many films and on TV (e.g. as Mr Walton in the UK soap-opera Crossroads)
Kevin McCloud, TV presenter, Grand Designs
Geoffrey Moore CBE, Chairman of Vauxhall Motors from 1979-81 and President of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) from 1981-82
Norman Morris (1920-2008), professor of medicine and humanitarian who revolutionized maternity care in the UK
Khawaja Nazimuddin, second Prime Minister of Pakistan (1951-1953), visited his old school dormitory in 1952
Philip Needham, Chief Executive of the ADAS Group from 1995-2000
John Reason, Rugby Union correspondent for the Daily Telegraph from 1964-94
William Willis, Liberal MP for Colchester from 1880-5
Pilot Officer Alec George Wainwright, Royal Air Force, Battle of Britain Pilot, Killed in Action 21 January 1941
Roger Parrott, actor - The King's Speech, as Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain.

References

↑ Dunstable School at Lost Generation Website Support Materials
↑ History at dunstableschool.co.uk (G. G. Henderson appears on the memorial)

External links

Schools in Bedfordshire¹

Middle	Alban Ashton Beauchamp Etonbury Goldington Harrold St Gregory's RC Westfield

Secondary	All Saints Academy Ashcroft High School Bedford Academy Bedford Free School Biddenham International School Cardinal Newman RC School Castle Newnham School Cedars Upper School The Chalk Hills Academy Challney High School for Boys Challney High School for Girls Denbigh High School Harlington Upper School Hastingsbury Business and Enterprise College Houghton Regis Academy Icknield High School Lealands High School Lea Manor High School Manshead School Mark Rutherford School Putteridge High School Queensbury Academy Redborne Upper School St Thomas More RC School Samuel Whitbread Academy Sandy Upper School Sharnbrook Upper School Stockwood Park Academy Stopsley High School Stratton Upper School The Studio School Luton UTC Central Bedfordshire Vandyke Upper School Wootton Upper School

Independent	Bedford Girls' School Bedford Modern School Bedford Preparatory School Bedford School Rabia School Rushmoor School St Andrew's School

Special	The Chiltern School Grange Academy Ivel Valley School Oak Bank School Ridgeway School St John's School Weatherfield Academy Woodlands Secondary School

Sixth form and FE colleges	Barnfield College Bedford College Central Bedfordshire College Kimberley College Luton Sixth Form College Shuttleworth College Stella Mann College

Former	Bedford High School Dame Alice Harpur School Dunstable Grammar School

¹includes schools in Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Luton.

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