La Sagesse School
| La Sagesse School | |
|---|---|
 The school in 1964 with a group of nuns sitting in front of the entrance | |
| Location | |
The Towers, Jesmond , , NE2 3RJ England | |
| Coordinates | 54°59′55″N 1°36′22″W / 54.9985°N 1.6062°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private school |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1906 |
| Closed | 2008 |
| Local authority | Newcastle City Council |
| Oversight | Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle |
| Department for Education URN | 108539 Tables |
| Headteacher | Linda Clark[1] |
| Gender | Girls |
| Age range | 3–18 |
| Capacity | 262[1] |
| Website | www |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
| Official name | La Sagesse School, Jesmond Towers |
| Designated | 17 December 1971 |
| Reference no. | 1024954 |
La Sagesse School was a 3–18, Roman Catholic, private school for girls in Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England. It was established in 1906 and closed in 2008. It occupied Jesmond Towers, a Grade II* listed building[2] and was located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle.
History
Jesmond Towers was built to a gothic design in the early 19th century.[3] In 1869 it was bought by Charles Mitchell and his wife, Anne, who made it their family home.[4] Their son, who was a great art enthusiast, displayed important paintings in the lounge.[3] 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 building: she is referred to as the "Pink Lady".[3]
Following Anne's death in 1899, her son, Charles William Mitchell, inherited the house and, following Charles William's death in 1903, the Mitchell family moved to Pallinburn, near Ford, Northumberland. Jesmond Towers was acquired by the Filles de la Sagesse (Daughters of Wisdom in English) in 1912.[a][3]
The school established its own board of governors and rented the building from the Daughters of Wisdom. However the school faced increasing competition from other local private schools (e.g. the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle particularly once the Royal Grammar School began admitting girls in all years in 2008) and when the Daughters of Wisdom decided to treble the rent in 2008, the governors decided to close the school.[5]
In 2009 Freddy Shepherd (a Newcastle United F.C. shareholder) acquired the site for development and in 2013, sold the house to Jeff Winn, a solicitor, who secured that part of the site as part of a joint purchase with David Wilson Homes.[6][7][8]
Notable alumnae
- Gillian Allnutt (b. 1949), poet[9]
- Jo Beall (b. 1952), academic[10]
- Joanna Pickering, actress, writer, activist and model[11]
- Linden Travers (1913–2001), actress[12]
- Denise Welch (b. 1958), actress and television presenter[13]
- Susan Williams (b. 1967), junior minister[14]
Notes
See also
References
- ^ a b "La Sagesse School". Get information about schools. GOV.UK. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
- ^ Historic England. "La Sagesse School, Jesmond Towers (1024954)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Convey, Sheila (2011). "The Ghost of La Sagesse". Otherworld North East. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
- ^ Graham, Hannah (24 October 2016). "Look around refurbished Jesmond Towers – once La Sagesse school, now a luxurious family home". The Chronicle. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
- ^ "Independent school to close down". BBC News. 27 March 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
- ^ "Millionaire solicitor reveals plans for Jesmond Towers". The Journal. 31 July 2013. Archived from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
- ^ Lowdon, John (25 October 2016). "Jesmond Towers". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
- ^ Robson, Ian (25 December 2015). "Inside the luxury La Sagesse housing development on site of former Jesmond school". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- ^ Allnut, Gillian (6 August 2005). "The exile's return". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
- ^ "Beall, Dr Jo, (born 1952), Professorial Research Fellow, London School of Economics and Political Science, since 2018". Who's Who 2021. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- ^ Joanna Pickering, Alumna (Mathematics), University of Stirling, Computing Science and Mathematics, retrieved 15 July 2017
- ^ Bergan, Ronald (2 November 2001). "Obituary: Linden Travers". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
- ^ Weatherall, Nicola (27 February 2013). "La Sagesse to close this summer". The Chronicle. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
- ^ "Baroness Williams of Trafford". Gov.uk. Retrieved 4 August 2019.