Your History: A Ludlow Headmaster

“A fine Scholar but a man of a quarrelsome nature and great want of tact.” This was the verdict on Rev Arthur Willis, Headmaster of Ludlow Grammar School, 1838–51.

Willis inherited a thriving school with a good reputation for training boys for places in top public schools, which attracted boarders from a wide area. At this time the school had 25 day boys and 40 boarders. During his tenure Willis spent many years energetically and doggedly pursuing the lawsuit in Chancery against the Town Corporation concerning their administration of the town’s charities of which the school was one.

The final settlement resulted in significantly improved financing of the Grammar School for which Willis deser ves credit. However, his quarrelsome nature then turned to petty disputes with the school trustees and opposition to the Usher, John Williams, who taught the younger boys in Lower School. He considered Williams incompetent with some justification.

Things came to a head in May 1850 when the older boys in Upper School, whom Willis taught, created an effigy of Williams which they hung above his chair, greeting his appearance with taunts and jeers. Efforts by Willis’ class to take down the effigy were resisted by the older boys and a ruckus ensued. Discipline broke down and the school split into rival factions encouraged by both masters. One parent withdrew their son from the school because of the atmosphere of “envy, hatred and malice, and all uncharitableness.”

This all contributed to a serious decline in the school, which by 1850 had only 5 boarders and 12 day boys.The trustees dismissed Arthur Willis: he refused to go and took them to court. He won his case – the trustees appealed but before judgement Willis, already seriously ill, died. A result for the Trustees, perhaps not in the best of ways!
Article supplied by Rosalind Caird
Image: Ludlow Grammar School
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