John Langhorne (Giggleswick School)
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John Langhorne (born Crosby Ravensworth, Westmorland, England 1808 and died Giggleswick, North Yorkshire, England 1881) was the mathematical master at the The Free Grammar School of King Edward VI of Giggleswick for thirty years in the mid-nineteenth century.
The Free Grammar School of King Edward VI of Giggleswick is now known as Giggleswick School which was founded in 1512.
He was the son of Mary Caruthers and John Langhorne (1761-1839) of Dalebanks, Cumbria.
The following account of his life is given in a newspaper article published in 1897:
“The Langhornes of Haber
To the Editor of the Westmorland Gazette
Sir, - Having read in your last week’s issue the announcement of the sale of Haber, Crosby Ravensworth, by consent of Mr. W. Langhorne, of Giggleswick, it may perhaps interest some of your many readers to mention (if you will allow me to so) that Haber has been in the possession of the Langhornes , an old Westmorland family of yeomen, for generations. It was the birthplace of Mr. John Langhorne, who for 30 years was mathematical master at the Free Grammar School of Giggleswick. He was educated at the schools of Shap and Sedbergh; from the latter place he was appointed master at Beetham, near Milnthorpe; after a few years passed at Beetham he was promoted to Giggleswick, commencing duty the same year as the Rev. G.A. Butterton, who he faithfully served to the limit of his ability, and was in return honoured by the friendship and correspondence of his superior until his life’s end. The task of the new masters was no “easy one;” the school was free to all provided they were respectable; poverty was no debar; the pupils were young men (not boys drawn from refined homes as all pupils at this Eton of the north now are,) anxious to improve by cultivation of their abilities their position in life; that is many cases a great disregard to school discipline was evinced, an any attempt to enforce it was resented. It tonwas to Haber that Mr. Langhorne retired when his duties at Giggleswick ceased, employing himself in agricultural pursuits, though his classical and mathematical studies were ever a source of pleasure to him and the welfare of the school ever a bond of interest to him and Dr. Butterton, both taking a keen interest during the time its affairs were being arranged by the Charity Commissioners during the sixties; occasionally receiving visits from old pupils, some of whom spoke of the rigid discipline he strove to maintain in his department of the school, as having been of great service to them in their successful careers. Upon one occasion the late Dean of Chester, the Rev. J.J. Howson, D.D. honoured Mr Langhorne by calling upon him. Mr. Langhorne died in the year 1881 and was laid to rest in the God’s acre under shelter of the beautiful church of Crosby Ravensworth. Adjoining Haber is High Dale Banks, the original home of the Langhornes, a most secluded retreat, now in the possession of Mrs. Ewbanke, of Borrenthwaite, on Stainmore, disposed of to her by her relative, the Rev. Thomas Langhorne, D.D. founder of the now noted school of Lorretto, in Scotland. There is an historical incident connected with Dale Banks. Many years ago a remnant of the Royalist army, while on the march from Kendal to Carlisle, made a raid upon Oddendale, an adjoining hamlet, and plundered Dale Banks, consuming and carrying away whatever food and stores they could find. A little further away a monument was erected by a local sculptor to the place where King Charles’s army rested and refreshed themselves by a large pool of water called Black Dub. – I am, sir, etc.,
18th October 1897"
The name of the author has been effaced, but the initial J is clearly visible and it is likely that this was written by his son, John Langhorne headmaster of King's School, Rochester.
The Dalebanks property had originally been purchased by James Langhorne's great great grandfather also called James Langhorne. John Langhorne (1808 - 1881) was one of five brothers and one sister. His brother Thomas Langhorne (1758 -1812) had a son also called Thomas Langhorne (1797 - 1881) who is described in the account above account and was the founder of Loretto School, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Langhorne is also referred to in "A History of Giggleswick School", published in 1912. This recounts that John Langhorne "managed the School Accounts from 1839-1845, but they were found to be "so inaccurate and confused" that Mr Robinson had to enter them in the book afresh." (page 123). This may have been because "in 1840 the... the number of boys in the High School learning Writing and Arithmetic under Langhorne was greater than one man could efficiently attend to". (page 126). Langhorne departure is described thus: He resigned "almost immediately" (page 150) at the replacement of headmaster Dr Butterton by Rev John Blakiston in about 1859.
