Ryhope Grammar School, also known as Robert Richardson Grammar Technical School, was a grammar school which existed in

Ryhope Ryhope ( ) is a coastal village along the southern boundary of the City of Sunderland, in Tyne and Wear, North East England. With a population of approximately 14,000, measured at 10.484 in the 2011 census, Ryhope is 2.9 miles to the centre of ...

, County Durham, from 1911 until 1969. It amalgamated with ''Ryhope Modern School'' to become a comprehensive school in 1969 and closed in 1988.Ryhope homes plan may go to Government – Local – Sunderland Echo
/ref> Notable alumni include opera singer Thomas Allen and television producer Chris Cowey. Past pupils are called ''Old Ryhopeans''.

History

Ryhope Grammar School was built by Durham County Council in 1910 and opened on 16 September 1911. It was named ''Robert Richardson Grammar School'' in honour of local councillor Robert Richardson, who fought a campaign to have a grammar school built in Ryhope. Former ''Ryhope Public Elementary School'' pupil Ralph Williams was appointed as headmaster, welcoming a first intake of 74 boys and 81 girls. Built on a four-acre site on the outskirts of Ryhope, the new school offered "every convenience, an excellent playing field and electricity throughout." A charge of £1 10 shillings per term was made to each pupil to cover tuition costs, use of apparatus, books and paper. Ryhope Grammar School proved an immediate success. Within a year it was over-subscribed. "The school is well-disciplined and efficiently organised. Pupils are of good behaviour and staff are well chosen and highly capable," a report by education inspectors stated. Several Old Ryhopeans fought in the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. Among these was Norman Pigg, the school's first sports champion, who was awarded the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, ty ...

, the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC ...

with two bars and three mentions in Dispatches. Fourteen Old Boys died in battle. Pigg lead a fund-raising campaign to commemorate the fallen after the war, with an organ and plaque being erected in the school hall in 1924. Ryhope Grammar School became one of the first schools in the country to offer Advanced Courses – the fore-runner of A Levels - in 1918, allowing pupils to study until the age of 18 and move on to university degrees. In the early 1930s, when ''Seaham Harbour Grammar School for Girls'' opened, Ryhope ceased to be co-educational. The school closed for several weeks following the outbreak of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

in 1939, re-opening on a part-time basis with 21-minute lessons. It became one of the first schools in the country to form an

Air Training Corps The Air Training Corps (ATC) is a British volunteer-military youth organisation. They are sponsored by the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Air Force. The majority of staff are volunteers, and some are paid for full-time work – including C ...

unit, and hundreds of Old Ryhopeans fought in the conflict. A total of 34 died in the six years of war. New examinations -

O Levels The O-Level (Ordinary Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education. It was introduced in place of the School Certificate in 1951 as part of an educational reform alongside the more in-depth ...

and A Levels - were introduced after the war and pupil numbers increased from 432 in 1947 to 586 by 1959. In 1962 the school once again opened its doors to girls and, in 1969, it amalgamated with ''Ryhope Modern'' to become a comprehensive school. The school made headlines in the 1970s, featuring on national television, with productions of the rock operas

Tommy Tommy may refer to: People * Tommy (given name) * Tommy Atkins, or just Tommy, a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Tommy'' (1931 film), a Soviet drama film * ''Tommy'' (1975 fil ...

and Stardust. Ryhope Grammar School, by now known as Ryhope School, closed in July 1988. Today modern apartments and houses stand on the site, and only the old sports field remains.

Notable alumni

* Thomas Allen - Opera singer * Harry Barnes - Labour politicianThe almanac of British politics – Google Books
/ref> *

Mervyn Brown Sir Mervyn Brown (born 24 September 1923) is a British retired ambassador and historian of Madagascar. Career Brown was educated at Murton, where his parents lived, then Ryhope Grammar School and St John's College, Oxford. He served with the ...

- Diplomat * Chris Cowey - TV producer ( The Tube) *

John Jennings John Jennings may refer to: Politicians * John Jenyns (1660–1717), MP * John Jennings (Burton MP) (1903–1990), British Conservative Party politician * John Jennings (American politician) (1880–1956), U.S. Representative from Tennessee, 1939 ...

- Conservative politician * Angus McIntosh - linguist and academic * Richie Pitt - Footballer *

Ronald Radd Ronald Radd (22 January 1929 – 23 April 1976) was a British television actor. He is perhaps best remembered for originating the role of Hunter in the television thriller series '' Callan''. In 1971, he was nominated for a Tony Award for ''Ab ...

- Broadway and TV actor

References

{{Coord missing, Tyne and Wear Defunct schools in the City of Sunderland Boys' schools in Tyne and Wear Defunct grammar schools in England Educational institutions established in 1911 1911 establishments in England Educational institutions disestablished in 1969 1969 disestablishments in England