George William Kinman

George William Kinman (25 December 1862 – 27 July 1927) was Headmaster of Hertford Grammar School from 1905 until his death in 1927. He also headmaster at Dolgelley Grammar School, Chairman of the Ware Education Committee, and a Major in the British Army.

Family life George William Kinman was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England on Christmas Day 1862, the eldest son of a Silversmith George Kinman and his wife Martha Turner. In 1889 Kinman married Rosa Maud Lavington at St George, Hanover Square, London. The couple had one daughter, Phyllis, who died in 1926.

Education George W. Kinman was educated at Sheffield Collegiate School and at St John's College, Cambridge. A Goldsmith's Exhibitioner, he graduated BA in 1887 with a Second Class in the Classical Tripos, and MA in 1895.

Dolgelley Grammar School From 1894 to 1903 Kinman was Head Master of Dolgelley Grammar School in North-West Wales. Due to insufficient funding at the time the school was unable to compete with the County School, which received county council funding. By 1901 the school had just 4 pupils and after Kinmans departure in 1903 the remaining pupils were transferred to the County School and by 1912, with the sale of the schools land, Dolgelley Grammar School ceased to exist.

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Kinman is mentioned in the 1949 edition of the school magazine for King Edward VII School, Sheffield: George William Kinman who won a Goldsmith's Exhibition at St. John's College, Cambridge from the Collegiate School. Later he was for many years the Head Master of Hertford Grammar School, and also Chairman of the Ware Education Committee. The Head Masters of both schools reported that the scholarship scheme had "been completely successful".

He was also Assistant Master at St. James School in Jersey and Hereford House in Brighton and was senior resident instructor at the Army College, Farnham

Hertford Grammar School In 1903 he was appointed Head Master of Ware Grammar School (by Chairman of Governors Richard Croft), and when that school was amalgamated with Hertford Grammar School in 1905, Major Kinman became Head Master of the now Richard Hale School, a position he maintained until his death in 1927.

Educational Philosophy Kinman's educational philosophy was explained by Rev W.D. Penning, writing in the Hertfordshire Mercury after the Major's death: In January 1905, Johns went to Hertford Grammar School (now the Richard Hale School, Hertford) where the headmaster was Major Kinman. Some of his experiences here went into his book BIGGLES GOES TO SCHOOL. In Pamela Shields' book "The Private Lives of Hertfordshire Writers" which includes William Earls Johns, Pamela writes The headmaster, Major Kinman, was the inspiration for Colonel Horace Chase, head of Malton House School in 'Biggles Goes to School'

Alfred Russel Wallace Alfred Russel Wallace also attended the Hertford Grammar School until he was withdrawn in 1836 after financial difficulties in his family. In 1910 George William Kinman wrote a short biography on Wallace entitled A Great Hertfordian in which he placed Wallace on the English Olympic team, "if Olympic contests were of an intellectual character." Two letters from Headmaster George Kinman to Wallace's son William, are kept in the Natural History Museum

The first, dated 19 July 1916, reads, I shall be very glad indeed to have the pictures mentioned in your letter, whether Dr Wallace painted them himself or not. Perhaps you will kindly inform me as to this. On the back of the letter William wrote "Two large paintings on canvas & rollers representing scenes in the Malay Archipelago which A.R.W. had done to illustrate lectures." The second letter from Kinman to William is dated 2 October 1916 and says, I feel sure you will excuse my long delay in acknowledging the receipt of the pictures.....From your letter I did not think that the pictures were quite such an acquisition as they are. I am hanging them in one of the new class rooms which we intend to fit up as a Geography room – The colours of the walls shows them off admirably and apart from the interest of the subjects they appear to me of considerable artistic value.

In Memoriam On 31 December 1927 an obituary in The Old Hertfordian Magazine Editorial for George Kinman reads, The School had lost a Head Master of outstanding character and ability, and we, scholars and old boys, a self-sacrificing manly friend. Major Kinman had ruled and directed the School for the past 21 years, and had eagerly and hopefully looked forward to being still active Head Master when the School moved to its new buildings [finished in 1930]; the members of this Association, most of whom are probably " K's " boys, were ready to share his joy at that event. That cannot now be realised. We are left, nevertheless, with the duty of ensuring that the future life of the School be enriched with all the splendid ideals implanted and fostered by the Major during his 21 years of hard conscientious work.