Raleigh and Drake’s names removed from school houses

A PRIVATE school has pledged to remove the names of Walter Raleigh and Francis Drake from its buildings in an “inclusivity” drive.

Parents at Exeter School in Devon were told that the Elizabethan naval heroes no longer “represent the values and inclusive nature” of the school.

Louise Simpson, the head teacher, said they had “less than positive connotations” in modern times.

She has announced plans to rename the school’s houses after nearby woodlands, castles or topographical features, The Sun reported.

Raleigh was one of the most celebrated explorers of Elizabeth I’s reign. He helped defend England against the Spanish Armada in 1588, serving as a naval adviser to the queen and helping to improve the design of ships – considered a significant factor in the success of the English fleet against the Spanish.

He was the first Englishman to travel around the globe as part of a mission against the Spanish. A year earlier he had launched an attack on the harbour at Cádiz sinking 37 ships, which forced the Armada to delay sailing by a year.

Raleigh was a colonialist who failed to establish a British settlement in North Carolina because of hostile relations with Native Americans.

He is believed to have brought back potatoes and tobacco from his expeditions and he is said to have popularised smoking at court.

However, his legacy has been reassessed over his involvement in the slave trade following Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. Drake took part in voyages with his cousin, Sir John Hawkins, which saw the capture of black African slaves. They also attacked Portuguese ships to steal their cargo of slaves.

Drake and Raleigh are among 10 house names being scrapped at Exeter School, which charges fees of up to £16,710 a year.

The other names include the philanthropists and benefactors Sir John Daw, Wilfred Townsend, Sir Charles Goff, Hugh Crossing and Elizabeth Dowrich.

The school is facing a backlash from parents and alumni over the plans.

One ex-pupil told The Sun: “Instead of erasing the school’s history, the mature thing to do is let the pupils think for themselves. Woke cancel culture like this just makes people question the head’s suitability for the job.”