Hugh Wright
Encyclopedia
Hugh Raymond Wright is an English schoolmaster and educationalist who was chairman of the Headmasters' Conference
for 1995–1996.
, Bath, from 1949 to 1957 and The Queen's College, Oxford
, where he was a Bible Clerk and graduated BA and later MA in Literae Humaniores
.
, from 1961 to 1964. From 1964 to 1979, he taught at Cheltenham College
, where he was Head of Classics from 1967 to 1972 and housemaster of Boyne House, 1971 to 1979. His first appointment as a headmaster came at Stockport Grammar School
, from 1979, and in 1985 he became head of Gresham's School
, Holt
, remaining there until 1991. Finally he was Chief Master of King Edward's School, Birmingham
, from 1991 to 1998.
He was elected Chairman of the Headmasters' Conference
in 1995, a year before it became the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, having previously chaired its North West District from 1983 and its Community Service Sub-Committee from 1985 to 1990.
In Birmingham in the mid-1990s, Wright worked with Tim Brighouse, the city's chief education officer, to develop a partnership between King Edward's and the state sector of education, commenting "We are looking at a new era of public-private co-operation reinforcing the community base. We are talking about one-off initiatives, not grandiose schemes". He chaired a group called the 'Children's University', providing Saturday schools, and a summer literacy scheme for eleven-year-olds was held at King Edward's in 1997.
He is a member of the East India Club
and gives his recreations in Who's Who
as "music, theatre, hill walking, wildfowl, gardening, Rugby football".
Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference is an association of the headmasters or headmistressess of 243 leading day and boarding independent schools in the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and the Republic of Ireland...
for 1995–1996.
Early life
The son of the Rev. Raymond Blayney Wright and his wife Alice Mary Hawksworth, Wright was educated at Kingswood SchoolKingswood School
Kingswood School, referred to as 'Kingswood', is an independent day and boarding school located in Bath, Somerset, England. The school is coeducational and educates some 950 children aged 3 to 18. It is notable for being founded by John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, in 1748...
, Bath, from 1949 to 1957 and The Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, founded 1341, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Queen's is centrally situated on the High Street, and is renowned for its 18th-century architecture...
, where he was a Bible Clerk and graduated BA and later MA in Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores is the name given to an undergraduate course focused on Classics at Oxford and some other universities.The Latin name means literally "more humane letters", but is perhaps better rendered as "Advanced Studies", since humaniores has the sense of "more refined" or "more learned",...
.
Career
His first post was as an assistant master at Brentwood SchoolBrentwood School (England)
Brentwood School is an independent school in Brentwood, Essex, England. Educating boys and girls in a British public school tradition. Brentwood School is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
, from 1961 to 1964. From 1964 to 1979, he taught at Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College is a co-educational independent school, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.One of the public schools of the Victorian period, it was opened in July 1841. An Anglican foundation, it is known for its classical, military and sporting traditions.The 1893 book Great...
, where he was Head of Classics from 1967 to 1972 and housemaster of Boyne House, 1971 to 1979. His first appointment as a headmaster came at Stockport Grammar School
Stockport Grammar School
Stockport Grammar School is a co-educational independent school in Stockport, England, founded in 1487 by the 1482 Lord Mayor of London Sir Edmund Shaa.The school motto is "Vincit qui patitur" – He who endures, conquers....
, from 1979, and in 1985 he became head of Gresham's School
Gresham's School
Gresham’s School is an independent coeducational boarding school in Holt in North Norfolk, England, a member of the HMC.The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a free grammar school for forty boys, following King Henry VIII's dissolution of the Augustinian priory at Beeston Regis...
, Holt
Holt, Norfolk
Holt is a market town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The town is north of the city of Norwich, west of Cromer and east of King's Lynn. The town is on the route of the A148 King's Lynn to Cromer road. The nearest railway station is in the town of Sheringham where access to the...
, remaining there until 1991. Finally he was Chief Master of King Edward's School, Birmingham
King Edward's School, Birmingham
King Edward's School is an independent secondary school in Birmingham, England, founded by King Edward VI in 1552. It is part of the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham, and is widely regarded as one of the most academically successful schools in the country, according to...
, from 1991 to 1998.
He was elected Chairman of the Headmasters' Conference
Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference is an association of the headmasters or headmistressess of 243 leading day and boarding independent schools in the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and the Republic of Ireland...
in 1995, a year before it became the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, having previously chaired its North West District from 1983 and its Community Service Sub-Committee from 1985 to 1990.
In Birmingham in the mid-1990s, Wright worked with Tim Brighouse, the city's chief education officer, to develop a partnership between King Edward's and the state sector of education, commenting "We are looking at a new era of public-private co-operation reinforcing the community base. We are talking about one-off initiatives, not grandiose schemes". He chaired a group called the 'Children's University', providing Saturday schools, and a summer literacy scheme for eleven-year-olds was held at King Edward's in 1997.
Other appointments
- AdmiraltyAdmiraltyThe Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
Interview Board Panel, 1982–95 - Church of EnglandChurch of EnglandThe Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
Advisory Board of Ministry (formerly Advisory Council for the Church's Ministry), 1982– - Chairman of National Steering Committee for Children's University, 1995–2001
- Member of Bloxham Project Committee, 1993–1998, and Trustee, 1998–2006
- Chairman of Governors, Kingswood School, Bath, 1998–2006 (and governor, 1995–1998)
- Member of Governing Bodies Association Committee, 2000–03
- Member of Chaplaincy Team, Shepton Mallet Prison, 2001–
Publications
- The Origins of Christianity and the Medieval Church (1980)
- Auden and Gresham's in Conference Common Room, Vol. 44, No. 2, Summer 2007
Private life
In 1962, Wright married Jillian Mary McIldowie Meiklejohn, and they have three sons.He is a member of the East India Club
East India Club
The East India, Devonshire, Sports and Public Schools' Club, usually known as the East India Club, is a gentlemen's club founded in 1849 and situated at 16 St. James's Square in London...
and gives his recreations in Who's Who
Who's Who (UK)
Who's Who is an annual British publication of biographies which vary in length of about 30,000 living notable Britons.-History:...
as "music, theatre, hill walking, wildfowl, gardening, Rugby football".