IN your item "The way we were" on September 10 you indicated that Archbishop Holgate's Grammar School, now Archbishop Holgate's School, York, was founded and endowed by Holgate in 1547.

The foundation of the school is taken to be the October 24, 1546, when Holgate received letters patent for the foundation of three free schools at York, Old Malton and Hemsworth, where he was born, from Henry Vlll.

This foundation date is recorded on school headed notepaper.

The document to which your item refers took some additional time to complete and was not executed until January 1547.

Your readers may be interested to know that Robert Holgate, 59th Archbishop of York, died in London on November 15, 1555.

There was a festal Evensong in York Minster on that date this month to mark the anniversary.

A memorial plaque, which has been provided to the school by members of the York Archbishop Holgate's Association and London Archbishop Holgate Society, was dedicated and consecrated in his memory.

Under the terms of Holgate's will a hospital was founded and endowed in Hemsworth which flourishes today.

Both the school and the hospital are truly fitting memorials to a great man.

Chris Neumann,

Membership Secretary York Association,

Membership Secretary and Treasurer London Society,

The Rowans,

Holme-on-Spalding Moor.

Updated: 10:32 Thursday, November 24, 2005