Henry Girdlestone

Rev. Henry Girdlestone, M.A. (5 July 1863 – 29 June 1926), often referred to as Canon Girdlestone, was head master of St Peter's College from 1894 to 1916 and of Melbourne Grammar School from 1917 to 1919.

History Girdlestone was born at Penkridge, Staffordshire, the eldest son of Eliza Jane Girdlestone, née Webb and Henry Girdlestone, a Church of England clergyman. He grew up at the rectory of Bathampton and was educated at Bath College and Magdalen College, Oxford University, where he graduated BA and MA and rowed for Oxford. In 1888 he returned to Bath College as a tutor, and was briefly a private tutor to one of the Lords Ashtown. In 1891 he entered holy orders in the Diocese of Bath and Wells and was ordained in 1892. He was a member of the University of Adelaide council from 1901 and for most of his time in Adelaide actively involved with the Adelaide Rowing Club and its president 1913–15.

He resigned as headmaster in 1916, saying that the job should be that of a younger man (large of frame, he had continually to fight a tendency to overweight), and retired to his home in Balhannah, T. Ainslie Caterer filling the vacancy. He consented however, to take charge in 1917 of Melbourne Grammar School, whose headmaster, Richard Penrose "Lofty" Franklin (November 1884 – 12 October 1942) had volunteered for war service, and relinquished the position on the return of Lieut. Franklin in 1919.

He retired with his family to England in April 1920 by the liner SS Osterley, and lived at "Hillcote" Lansdown, near Bath, where he died, and was buried at Lansdown cemetery.

Family Girdlestone married Helen Joanna Crawford (died November 1946) on 17 September 1900. Helen was a daughter of W. Crawford, Adelaide manager of the Union Bank. They had two children: Peter Crawford Girdlestone (1902– ) (Helen) Neste Girdlestone, later Mrs Donald Murray (1905– )