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Dame Allan’s Schools Development Manager, Mrs Katherine Leonard said: “The Wilkinsons made a deep impact on Dame Allan’s and a generation of boys. Both Fred and Margaret were long- standing supporters of bursary awards and it was heart- warming to learn that Margaret wanted to help pupils come to Dame Allan’s through her legacy to the bursary fund.”
Despite leading her own teaching career - Margaret was Deputy Head of Durham High in the 1980s - Margaret was committed to her role as Headmaster’s wife. She was very involved in Dame Allan’s and was a known figure to the boys. Margaret and Fred visited the school Scout troop’s camp every year without fail and Margaret would insist on getting stuck in, whether that was in a kayak or setting off down a rope aerial runway! Along with her husband, Margaret would host staff at their home for a summer tea party which was held in their beautiful garden. They hosted a similar annual event for the prefects and Margaret would re-tell with delight the story of the time embarrassed Sixth Form boys had to tell her that the family’s elderly dog had had an accident on the carpet! Fred was an ardent supporter of the Direct Grant scheme and was very saddened when it ended, meaning that children from less affluent backgrounds would struggle to come to Dame Allan’s. He was therefore particularly enthusiastic about developing the new Assisted Places scheme at the Schools and widening access. After Fred’s passing, Margaret wrote a book about his life, Just Fred, which she sold at the most recent Allanian Dinner, kindly donating proceeds to the bursary fund at Dame Allan’s. That Margaret remembered the bursary fund in her will, taking a final chance to make a difference to something so important to Fred, is typical of her and a testament to her love for the Schools. Margaret remained in touch with many former Dame Allan’s staff until her passing, a group warmly referred to as ‘The Gallery’. As well as meeting The Gallery for lunch on a regular basis, Margaret also returned to the school for many events and dinners. Even with declining physical strength in later years, Margaret made it her business to attend as many Allanian events as possible to show her support for the school. Residing in Gosforth, she had a very strong faith and was an active member in her church. During her last few months, she was cared for in a care home near her sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren in Guildford.
It was Fred and Margaret’s son, James, who facilitated this legacy donation, as well as sending on a box bursting with memories, such as Allanian Magazines, Speech Day programmes, and photographs, from the 1930s onward. James said: “Our parents were deeply committed to Dame Allan’s from the day we arrived as a family in Newcastle in 1970. Fred, as Headmaster and Margaret, as the Headmaster’s Wife, were fully engaged with the school, its staff, the boys and the wide range of activities of the school. They undertook this full engagement as a couple. Our mother’s contact with the school continued long after our father’s passing in regular meetings with staff and old boys. “It is further testament to our parents’ deep commitment to the school and to a lifetime of hard work and endeavour in the teaching profession that they made provision for bursary awards for Dame Allan’s pupils in mum’s will - supporting the school and its pupils meant so much to them.” Margaret’s contribution to the bursary award fund has also been very gratefully received, and will go towards supporting future pupils to access a transformational Dame Allan’s education.
If you or a family member would be interested in leaving a legacy donation to Dame Allan’s Schools, please contact Katherine Leonard at ke.leonard@dameallans.co.uk or call 0191 275 1513.
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