J F Gravett (1948-1969)

Subjects: English & Latin

James Frank Gravett (Jimmy) in fact first arrived at the school as a pupil in September 1925, only a year or so after it had opened. When asked by Max Fuller what he liked best about the school in those days Jimmy replied without hesitation “To get away from it so that I could roam the countryside.” It was an answer that might have been expected, for Jimmy had a deep-rooted love of nature that coloured his whole life and was apparent to all who knew him, along with his sincerity in all his work, his quiet sense of humour, his enormous reservoir of knowledge, and, above all, his modesty.

After leaving school Jimmy taught for a while before going to Southampton University where he read English, French and Latin. After graduating he resumed his teaching career, first in London, and then in Southern India. He was still in India upon the outbreak of war in 1939 and joined the Royal Indian Army Service Corps. For once an army put a man in the right job because Jimmy was comfortable in the Indian countryside organising food supplies and transport and even buying and selling cattle. He rose to the rank of Major.

On returning to civilian life he taught for a while at St Mary’s R C School before joining the staff of WHSB in 1948 to teach English and Latin. Max Fuller recalls that when “Kim” was a set book for English Literature O-Level a pupil remarked that Mr Gravett knew more about India than Kipling. However, it was probably the teaching of Latin that gave him most satisfaction. For some years he was Treasurer for the Association for the Revival of Latin Teaching and gave demonstration lessons in Latin for teachers from all over the country.

He will also be remembered by many as the leading light of the School Livestock Society an innovative venture which brought bees, crowing cockerels and aggressive geese into the care of pupils. His announcement of retirement to Cumberland brought forth an anguished plea from one of the Society’s members “But you can’t leave, Sir”, and sadness that there would no longer be High School honey for tea.

James Frank Gravett: Born Worthing 13 May 1914, died Cockermouth 28 February 1977, aged 62.