| Established | 1906 |
|---|---|
| Closed | 31 August 2008 |
| Type | Private school |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Founder | Ben Walker |
| Location | The Towers Jesmond Newcastle upon Tyne Tyne & Wear NE2 3RJ England |
| Gender | Girls (1906–2007) Coeducational (2007–2008) |
| Ages | 3–18 |
| Houses | 5 |
| Website | La Sagesse official website |
La Sagesse was a Roman Catholic private school in the suburb of Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The school closed in 2008.
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In 1715, in La Rochelle, France, Marie Louise Trichet co-founded the Filles de la Sagesse (Daughters of Wisdom in English) which, after a rather rapid expansion, is now 300 years old and dispersed among 21 countries. The Daughters of Wisdom travelled the world and founded many schools. They travelled from France to England and established a school in Low Fell in 1906 before buying Jesmond Towers and converting it into a convent in 1912.[1]
Built in various stages through the nineteenth century, Jesmond Towers is a large gothic-looking building.[1] It was bought by Charles Mitchell in 1869.[1] Charles and his wife Anne, who he married in 1854, made the house their home.[1] The lounge was home to many great paintings which were collected by their son who was great art enthusiast.[1]
In 1890 Anne's sister, Emily, who was in a state of depression following the death of her husband, threw herself from the battlements of Jesmond Towers and is said to haunt the school to this very day: she is referred to as the Pink Lady.[1]
Following Anne Mitchell's death in 1899, Jesmond Towers was inherited by her son Charles William Mitchell until his death in 1903( see details of occupants in 1901 Census). Following his death the Mitchell family home soon became Pallinburn, formerley the Askew family residence near Ford,Northumberland and Jesmond Towers was sold to become La Sagesse in 1912.
The school became one of the top independent schools in Newcastle upon Tyne and ranked 350th on The Times Parent Power List. In 2007, boys were first admitted to the high school starting in Years 7 and progressing upwards.
In March 2008 the school announced that it would close on 31 August 2008.[2]
The school had continued to rent the building and the surrounding land from the Daughters of Wisdom who had trebled the rent.[2] The school had faced increasing competition from other local public schools (e.g. the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle, becoming fully co-educational) meant the school only had approximately two hundred pupils when it closed.[2]
Almost a year after its closure, the BBC announced that La Sagesse would be used as the new set for the Dumping Ground in the new children's television series, Tracy Beaker Returns. The renovation of the school was completed in 4 weeks.
In the past there were four houses named after monasteries in the North of England and each house had a colour,
Later, the houses were named after the mythological goddesses of wisdom in Roman, Greek and Egyptian culture:
During the 1960s and 70s, the school houses were named after the patron saints of the countries of the British Isles and France: