Headlands School pupils write to Buckingham Palace over Richard III’s bones

8:34am Thursday 14th February 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By Haydn Lewis, haydn.lewis@thepress.co.uk

Pupils at Headlands Primary School who have written a letter to the Queen about Richard III Pupils at Headlands Primary School who have written a letter to the Queen about Richard III

PRIMARY school children in York are urging the Queen to ensure Richard III’s remains are buried in the city.

Pupils at Headlands School, in Haxby, have been following the debate over where his final resting place should be after the announcement that the remains found under a Leicester car park were those of Richard III.

They have made their feelings clear in letters bound for Buckingham Palace.

Head teacher Sarah Wright, who took over at Headlands in January after being deputy head at Yearsley Grove School, said: “They are absolutely adamant he shouldn’t be buried in Leicester, where he was killed and lost his kingdom.

“They see it as quite selfish of Leicester to want to keep him there so they can turn him into a tourist attraction and make money out of him.”

Meanwhile staff and students at Barlby High School have joined the call for Richard III’s bones to be displayed at York Minster before he is buried at Leicester Cathedral.

History teacher Lousie Robson is leading the campaign for an official period of lying in state at the Minster, and has taken their suggestion to City of York Council.

Miss Robson said: “This would allow the people of the North to pay homage to a King who is still held in high regard in and around the Yorkshire area. It would also go some way to appeasing the thousands of people across the country, including Richard’s own descendants, who believe that the bones of the last Yorkist King of England should return to York.”

Miss Robson said the return of Richard to York, even only briefly, would be a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for children and residents to witness history themselves.

A petition to support the campaign is at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/45721 The Press reported yesterday that York Central MP Hugh Bayley was supporting an Early Day Motion in parliament to bury the king in York Minster.

He said: “The Leicester archaeologists got a licence to dig in return for promises that remains, if found, would be given a proper burial nearby.

“But no one knew at that point they would discover the body of a King so the normal terms for a licence for an archaeological need to be set aside.

“I want the Government to consider the merits of York alongside those of other places.”

Comments(16)

Pizzamen says...
9:19am Thu 14 Feb 13

Sounds more like a teacher on a mission than children genuinely concerned. No offence but I can't imagine groups of kids worrying about where he is going to be laid to rest. If it was Captain Price from the modern warfare games or some other "super hero" then I can see the interest.

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roskoboskovic says...
9:25am Thu 14 Feb 13

pathetic.dragging the kids into this media driven nonsense.mind you,at least they ll have heard of richard now because i doubt that todays history lessons cover him.

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NoMorePlease says...
9:29am Thu 14 Feb 13

"“They are absolutely adamant he shouldn’t be buried in Leicester, where he was killed and lost his kingdom"

I think that the head needs to get her history correct but the history teacher is probably not the one to ask!

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keepitshut says...
9:40am Thu 14 Feb 13

"They see it as quite selfish of Leicester to want to keep him there so they can turn him into a tourist attraction and make money out of him"

And you dont think York will?

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coldcoffee says...
11:05am Thu 14 Feb 13

The pizza chap and roskowhatsit are absolutely right. It's pretty sad exploiting schoolchildren in this way. This whole pointless and increasingly shrill campaign is in danger of making York a national embarrassment.

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imassey says...
12:15pm Thu 14 Feb 13

As a parent of one of the children in the picture, I would like the detractors above to know how excited she has been by both the story and the media coverage of their schoolwork (both by the Evening Press and Look North). OK, arguably, it's not a news story and just some media hype but at least it has got a group of children interested in a bit of history, if only for a short time, and given them a real-life scenario to complete some of their schoolwork to..

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bob the builder says...
2:23pm Thu 14 Feb 13

... teacher couldn't get on reality TV so chose to abuse the trust placed in her by the education system to manipulate children to have her 15 minutes.

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again says...
4:57pm Thu 14 Feb 13

Oh dear can't the Press get anything right?

The petition link given is wrong. It's not petition 45721, it is this one:

http://epetitions.di
rect.gov.uk/petition
s/38772

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A very busy mum says...
6:06pm Thu 14 Feb 13

It is great that Headlands is getting the children interested in this subject. I have kids at the school and this has got the children really engaged in history. The children and staff are really proud of their achievement in getting their actions on the TV.
Come on, don’t knock it!!

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sezzer says...
10:58pm Thu 14 Feb 13

Wow, some people are cynical - what a shame. This is a great story and nice to see kids geting excited about something other than x box games! Maybe as proud Yorkshire folk we should all care a bit more about it? As a parent, I know the school were contacted by Look North and the Press - it's a harmless bit of fun, which the kids have really enjoyed.

I thought he was killed at Bosworth , near Leicester in 1485 so why is the head wrong?

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www.yorkstories.co.uk says...
11:53pm Thu 14 Feb 13

Yes, it's a good thing if these children are interested in and inspired by this, but I'd be interested to know if there's been any attempt at presenting the other side of the argument. It's getting quite tedious seeing it presented as if the whole of York is desperate to have the kingly bones in the Minster. It isn't so.

'History teacher Lousie Robson is leading the campaign for an official period of lying in state at the Minster, and has taken their suggestion to City of York Council. Miss Robson said: “This would allow the people of the North to pay homage to a King who is still held in high regard in and around the Yorkshire area." '

Lying in state? Now? In the Minster? Paying homage?

Perhaps parents at the school can reassure us that other views are also being presented, at home if not by the establishment itself.

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sezzer says...
11:51am Fri 15 Feb 13

Yes, certainly. Headlands invited an archaeologist to speak to the children about Richard - giving both sides of the argument. Nobody wants to fall out with Leicester about this. The children were trying to look at Richard's point of view too; to think about what he wanted. They have been learning about persuasive writing so this was perfect for them. All children are encouraged listen to a balanced argument and hold a point of view based on their understanding and by being well informed. This is an unprecedented historical event and it's great that people of all ages want to engage in a debate. As we know news reports have to condense what is said so be reassured schools are not in the business of brain-washing young people.

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www.yorkstories.co.uk says...
7:44pm Fri 15 Feb 13

Thank you for your reply on this.

There's certainly much to think about, and having read even more today on the subject, including Cristina Odone's belief that Richard should be reburied in a Catholic church, I can see it has even more strands than were initially apparent.

On a lighter note, Headlands could maybe get someone nice to visit from Leicester, as the children seem to have been left with an extremely negative image of the place ...

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sezzer says...
8:50pm Fri 15 Feb 13

Perhaps, although the archaeologist was very balanced and complimentary regarding the work Leicester University and colleagues have undertaken throughout the whole process. It was following the discussion that the children formulated their own views. There was a strong debate surrounding Richard's/ Henry's role in the disappearance of the princes in the Tower and around the Tudor perspective of Richard (written by Shakespeare). The children have learnt that there are many perspectives to consider. They learnt he was very highly regarded in the North yet disliked and mistrusted in the South. The children certainly haven't been left with a negative view of Leicester. That being said, they are entitled to a view and it was very clearly expressed!

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ismoqed says...
12:55am Sat 16 Feb 13

It sounds a though the children enjoyed some lively and stimulating lessons and were made aware of the differing historical perspectives - a skill which possibly needs reinforcing in some more adult contributors to the debate.

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roseofyork says...
11:36am Wed 20 Feb 13

So Richard 111 is to be condemned for becoming a 'tourist' symbol.
Well we could do a lot worse than a young betrayed, disabled man, a rightful king fighting on the front line leading his knights in an act of bravado on which legends could be made.
We seem to have forgotten real courage and leadership.
He died with great bravery fighting a usurper with no claim to the English throne, leading a mercenary force funded with French gold.
He should receive full military honours as well.
Its time to peel back 500 years of the vilest of Tudor propaganda and give this young man - so completely identified with Yorkshire - the truth, burial and dignity he deserves.
Lets start with the re-examination of the alleged remains of the 'princes in the tower'. The DNA is now available to end the enigma of their identity. It must be done in all justice.
And lets not forget one 'little prince' who died at Bosworth. Richards own barely teenage illegitimate son. Cruelly beheaded after the battle for his lineage and father.
I think it wonderful that this school is giving its children such an interest in their own history and identity and a more worthy brave, honest and pious man and who overcame disablity, as a role model away from the gross celebrity culture we have today.
Hopefully this great education can be extended to other English children elsewhere.
Please bring him home.
Two other petitions.
http://www.thepetiti
onsite.com/961/861/6
72/return-king-richa
rd-iii-to-yorkshire/

http://www.thepetiti
onsite.com/244/828/1
08/king-richard-iii-
and-the-princes-in-t
he-tower/

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