The Maltonian Website - for Malton School

THE MASTERS
of
THE FREE GRAMAR SCHOOL OF ROBERT HOLGATE, ARCHBISHOP OF YORK,
In Old Malton.

By the Foundation Deed Archbishop Holgate constituted Thomas Norman the first Schoolmaster and directed that Norman and his successors should be called Master of the Free Grammar School of Robert Halgate, alias Holgate, Archbishop of York, in Old Malton, and by that name should sue and be sued in all actions. The Archbishop of York for the time being was empowered to nominate a Schoolmaster when that office became void by death, deprivation or otherwise within the space of twenty days after the avoidance of the schoolmastership; if the Archbishop failed to appoint a Schoolmaster, the Dean and Chapter of York were to have grant of the office; and failing this the Archdeacon of Cleveland with eight of the honest and best householders of the parish of Old Malton were to appoint; whilst in default of all these, thirteen of the best and most honest householders of the parish were at the time being to have the gift of the office.

It was further ordained that if the Schoolmaster was a common drunkard "became remiss or negligent in teaching of the School" or by reason of infirmity was unable to keep the School, The Farmer of the Grange House of Old Malton and twelve of the most substantial and best householders in the parish of Old Malton with two honest persons of the parishes Norton, Settrington and Appleton were directed to make a certificate declaring the default or offence and send it with two honest persons of Old Malton parish to the Archbishop of York whereupon the office of Schoolmaster should become vacant and the Archbishop could appoint another Schoolmaster. It was, however, required before the certificate was made that the Churchwardens of Old Malton and four honest persons of the Parish should before the priest and other honest persons give four admonitions to the Schoolmaster to amend the default or offence and that he should have failed to amend the default.

Apart from these provisions the Master was in a similar position to a vicar and was irremovable. There was no effectual supervision and this was probably the cause of a disastrous year which eventually overtook the School. It is perhaps a regrettable fact that what little is known of the history of the School is obtained chiefly from complaints regarding the Schoolmaster made at various times to the Archbishop of York and contained in letters and manuscripts at Bishopthorpe. It has been impossible to trace any records of the School from the date of the original foundation in 1547 or to compile a complete list of the Headmasters but from time to time their names appear in the letters and documents already mentioned and in the Parish Registers of Old Malton.

The First Schoolmaster, Thomas Norman, was the son of an Alderman of York and was Prior of Mattersey in the North of Nottinghamshire at the time of the dissolution of that House on the 3rd October, 1538, when, with four canons, he surrendered the House to Dr. William Petrie, one of the King’s Commissioners. Mattersey belonged to the Gilbertine Order which was the same Order as that to which Old Malton Priory belonged and of which the Archbishop was the Master (or Head) when the Monasteries were dissolved. The Revd. Norman was one of the more fortunate members of the Order and his appointment to the office of schoolmaster at Old Malton shows what happened at any rate to some members of the religious orders after the Dissolution. He was a relation of the lady whom the Archbishop married.

The next Schoolmaster of whom we know is Thomas Stockton who was buried at Old Malton on the 17th September, 1621.

On the 4th February, 1632, the then Master, John Ashmore, granted a lease of the Rectory of Yedingham, together with the right of presentation to the Vicarage and also some land at Ryton, to Tristrane Nettleton of Beswick, who was heir apparent to Archbishop Holgate’s sister.