Richard Ashworth (headmaster)

Richard Ashworth (16 April 1869–25 December 1928) was an English headmaster, known for his role as the first headmaster of The Latymer School on Haselbury Road in Edmonton, London, from 1910 to 1928. He began his career as a teacher in Tottenham, later becoming headmaster at several schools in the area before moving to Edmonton.

Richard Ashworth was born on 16 April 1869 in Victoria Terrace, Tottington, a village near Bury in south Lancashire.^[1] He grew up in an industrial area that was recovering from the economic difficulties caused by the American Civil War and the subsequent cotton famine.^[2] His father, Robert Ashworth, worked as a calico printer^[1] and part-time farmer, while his mother, Alice Ashworth, was a power-loom weaver.^[3] He had two younger siblings, a brother named Joseph, born in 1871, and a sister named Lilian, born in 1877.^[4]

Ashworth's early education is not well-documented, but at the age of twelve, he attended the New Jerusalem School in Ramsbottom, run by the Swedenborgian Society.^[3] The school focused on subjects like mathematics and science, which Ashworth pursued with interest.^[3] At sixteen, following the death of his grandfather, Ashworth received a modest inheritance which helped support his further education.^[3] He worked as a pupil-teacher while studying, and in 1887, he received a Queen’s Scholarship to Homerton College in London.^[5]

After completing his training at Homerton College, Ashworth began his teaching career in Tottenham.^[5] He first worked at Seven Sisters School, a typical "board school" with separate departments for infants, girls, and boys.^[5] At the age of twenty-one, he took on the role of teacher at the school, where he began to gain experience in the classroom.^[5] In 1892, at the age of twenty-three, Ashworth became second master at Lancastrian School, a large school located in one of Tottenham’s poorer areas.^[5] The school faced significant challenges, including high truancy rates and a difficult social environment, with many children living in poverty.^[5] Despite these challenges, Ashworth was known for his dedication and his efforts to improve the attendance and discipline of the students.^[5] During this time, Ashworth continued his own education, completing a B.A. from the University of London in 1899.^[5][6]

In 1900, Ashworth was appointed headmaster of Woodlands Park Boys’ School in Tottenham.^[5] Under his leadership, the school saw rapid growth, with the number of students increasing significantly. Ashworth’s management and teaching methods were praised in annual inspections, and the school’s success reflected his effective organisation, enthusiasm, and commitment to both his staff and students. He remained at Woodlands Park until 1904.^[7]

After four years at Woodlands Park, Ashworth became Head of a new Pupil Teachers' Centre which was being set up in the 'Cedars' on Tottenham Green.^[8] This was one of five such centres in Middlesex, established to address the issue of overworked and misused pupil teachers in elementary schools who were given little opportunity for formal education. The aim was to balance academic studies with training in teaching methods.^[8] The Centre offered free two-year scholarships, with successful students proceeding there after attending a Higher Grade School.^[8] Under Ashworth's care, the Centre expanded rapidly, and its students achieved remarkable successes. Inspectors praised Ashworth and his work in their 1908 report, recommending a higher salary.^[8] However, the educational philosophy shifted, leading to the proposal for the abolition of such centres. The Tottenham Centre was closed down in July 1910. The official note marking its closure included a tribute to Ashworth's work.^[8]

Ashworth's appointment as headmaster of the new Edmonton Latymer School followed the closure of the Tottenham Pupil Teachers' Centre.^[9] Edmonton, a town of over 60,000 people in 1910, needed secondary education.^[10] The new school was planned to replace the old Edward Latymer's school on Church Street, which was described as having fallen on "evil times" and being a "deplorable wreck." The new Latymer School was conceived as Edmonton's Secondary School.^[11]

Ashworth was appointed headmaster on 22 May 1910, at the Guildhall, Westminster.^[12] He secured the post against considerable opposition, only succeeding on the third ballot.^[12] His appointment was facilitated by influential friends, notably Benjamin S. Gott, the Secretary of the Middlesex Education Committee,^[13] who reportedly made the initial overtures for Ashworth to move to Edmonton. Gott's influence was considered crucial due to the numerous candidates for the position.^[10]

The new school building, intended initially for 150 pupils, opened on 26 September 1910, with 25 pupils (8 girls and 17 boys) ranging in age from 9 to 18.^[14] Eleven pupils held scholarships (including two from Essex), and seventeen paid fees.^[15] Ashworth's first monthly report, dated 18 October 1910, written in his own hand, noted that the standard of admission must be "seriously raised," replacing an erased remark stating "The pupils are bright" with the more cautious appraisal, "The pupils on the whole are hopeful material."^[15] He appointed key staff, including Jane Davies as Senior Mistress and James North as Senior Master, and praised their abilities and zeal in his early reports.^[15]

Ashworth established a distinctive school culture, fostering a "Latymer spirit" emphasising mutual trust, appreciation, and a corporate identity.^[16] He introduced the Latin motto Qui Patitur Vincit ("He who endures, conquers").^[17] Morning assemblies were central to his leadership, featuring readings (including R.L. Stevenson's Vailima Prayers), sermons focusing on character, tenacity, cheerfulness, and service, and the reading of class lists.^[18] Ashworth was known for his command of English diction and his ability to bring subjects like French to life during unexpected classroom visits.^[19]

He had a "disconcerting habit" of making unexpected visits to various areas of the school, bringing notable energy.^[20] He valued proper conduct and courtesy, sometimes using re-enactments to demonstrate correct manners.^[21] While capable of severity, he used corporal punishment rarely, preferring encouragement over censure, especially with staff and pupils.^[22] He strongly supported his staff, praising them publicly and privately, and delegated tasks trusting their competence.^[23] Ashworth made an effort to know all pupils and their parents by name, offering support when needed.^[18]

Under Ashworth, the school grew from its small beginnings. He implemented strategies to increase enrolment, including the introduction of a preparatory department for younger pupils (ages 8-10) and offering financial assistance (scholarships, maintenance grants) and school meals.^[24] By December 1912, enrolment was approaching the initial capacity of 150, and by 1913, the school was full.^[25]

The outbreak of World War I in 1914 impacted the school under Ashworth's direction.^[26] Male staff enlistments led to replacements by women teachers.^[26] The school faced acute overcrowding as pupil numbers rose significantly, reaching 268 by September 1917 and 289 by October 1918.^[27] Despite these challenges, Ashworth guided the school community in extensive philanthropic activities during the war, raising money and entertaining soldiers, driven by his aim of fostering character through altruism.^[27] He also used the war context to publicly advocate for his liberal educational views, arguing against lowering the school leaving age and promoting character formation over vocational training.^[28] He consistently sought salary increases for his overworked staff throughout the war, though applications were sometimes vetoed by the Middlesex Education Committee.^[27]

Post-war, the demand for places continued to grow due to the school's increasing academic successes.^[28] Expansion became urgent, leading to debates over funding, with Ashworth navigating the conflict between the Board of Education's desire to use Latymer Foundation funds and local opposition advocating for these funds to support scholarships.^[29] Ultimately, using increased income from Foundation property, Ashworth oversaw major extensions completed in 1926 and 1928, increasing capacity to 900 pupils.^[29] The expanded school was officially opened by the Duke and Duchess of York in October 1928.^[29][30]

The rapid growth and changing economic conditions resulted in a more diverse student body, including many from poorer backgrounds unable to stay for the full course.^[31] Ashworth noted that this influx of "raw juniors" and fewer "seniors" presented challenges to maintaining the school's academic profile and tone in later reports.^[31] He faced criticism from rival schools in Edmonton and encountered difficulties with the Middlesex Education Committee regarding funding for resources and perceived administrative pressures.^[32] Ashworth, described as not primarily an organiser, increasingly relied on his deputy, James North, to manage the administrative complexities of the large institution, finding his methods suited for a small school inadequate for the larger one.^[33] The strain of managing the school's rapid growth and administrative pressures was significant, contributing to his declining health; he had experienced a nervous breakdown around 1920.^[31]

Ashworth married Caroline Lydia Joselyne on 2 August 1896, at St Magnus and Martyr church in Lower Thames Street, London.^[5][34] The couple had no children.^[5] Caroline supported his work, frequently attending school events and remaining connected to The Latymer School.^[20] Ashworth resided in Tottenham and later Edmonton.^[35]

In his later years, Ashworth took up golf and driving a motor car, but found both stressful, which colleagues speculated may have contributed to his declining health.^[33] He joined the Edmonton Latymer Lodge as a Freemason in 1928, a step possibly taken amidst increasing professional strain and anxiety.^[33]

On 25 December 1928, Ashworth died of pneumonia at the Bank Hotel in Porthcawl, Wales, after contracting a chill during a train journey for a holiday.^[31] He initially seemed to recover but suffered a fatal relapse on Christmas morning.^[31][36] He was buried at Edmonton Cemetery, his plot chosen so he could face The Latymer School. Benjamin S. Gott, upon observing Ashworth's funeral cortège, reportedly remarked, "If ever a man spent his life doing good, that man did."^[10]

Ashworth became a legendary figure in Edmonton's educational history, and his influence, often referred to as the "Ashworth tradition" or "Latymer spirit," continued after his death.^[37] Former pupils revered him, feeling he had instilled in them a "hallmark of quality." His colleagues idolised him, overlooking his faults.^[37] Many who worked under him went on to become headteachers themselves, establishing schools influenced by his principles.^[37]

Ashworth's legacy is associated with establishing The Latymer School's ethos, promoting co-education, expanding access to secondary education in Middlesex, and focusing on character development alongside academics.^[38] He is remembered for his unique personality, communication skills, and dedication to his students and staff.^[39] The school's reputation grew significantly under his leadership, changing from indifference to widespread respect in the local community.^[40]

His contributions are commemorated at The Latymer School through a house named after him^[41] and the Ashworth Memorial Library, a war memorial library that also features his picture.^[42][43] His tenure is documented in Joseph Acton Morris’s book A History of The Latymer School at Edmonton, which draws on first-hand accounts to detail his leadership.

• Morris, Joseph Acton (1975). A History of The Latymer School at Edmonton.