There is probably no person associated with Lindisfarne College who better exemplifies the values and virtues of the College than Jamie Francis. Jamie has been involved with Lindisfarne for almost his entire life, first as the son of the Rector, then as a schoolboy, Head Boy and finally as a member of staff. Jamie’s association with the school is so strong that he was described by long time board member, Mr. Jim Syme as “THE Old Boy”. During his tenure as teacher, Head of Department, Deputy Rector and Sports Co-ordinator Jamie served the school with his hallmark dedication and selflessness and is remembered by legions of boys for his innovative teaching and commitment to their wellbeing.

Jamie attended Heretaunga Intermediate School before moving to Lindisfarne in 1962. He was a multi-talented sportsman who earned regional representation for Hawke’s Bay for rugby and cricket and was captain of the school teams in those sports as well as tennis and athletics. He captained the Hawke’s Bay secondary school rugby team and also held athletics titles for the Hawke’s Bay/Poverty Bay competition for two years. Jamie’s skill as a full-back saw him selected as a junior All Black triallist as well as playing for New Zealand universities.

His sporting prowess was not limited to the main sports, however, as the school Chronicles of this time show. He was an accomplished tennis player and still plays tennis regularly. He has been a single handicap golfer as well as playing squash, badminton and basketball to a high level. In addition, Jamie has coached sport in almost every discipline and countless boys have benefitted from the hours he spent as coach, referee, and supervisor of overseas and national tournaments and tours. The extensive knowledge of sport and sport management he acquired through his involvement as a player and coach helped Jamie enormously in his role as Director of Sport at the College. Jamie started at Lindisfarne when he was appointed Head of Geography in 1975.

Many boys, including the current Deputy Rector, remember Jamie’s innovative approach to the teaching of geography and the way that he made the subject come alive for them. It was a real loss to the teaching world when Jamie moved on to the post of Deputy Rector in 1981. One of the most onerous responsibilities of this role is to provide relief for teachers who are ill or away on courses and Jamie was well known for putting his own name down to do numerous reliefs rather than imposing on staff members. Another example of Jamie’s dedication to the school is the amount of time he put into the Lindisfarne College Old Boys’ Association. He was president of the association from 1997 - 2000 and his encyclopaedic knowledge of old boys was frequently called on by others. Jamie also seemed to remember everything about current students and when seeing a boy around the school, he always knew what sport he played or whether he was in a winning debating team.

Many of the old boys who have got in touch with the school through this project have remembered the genuine concern and interest that Jamie Francis displayed towards them. Since retiring at the end of 2013, Jamie has taken his trademark enthusiasm and commitment into other areas. He became a volunteer guide with the Art Deco Society in Napier; a role which dovetailed perfectly with his extensive knowledge of the area and its geography. More recently Jamie has trained as a Justice of the Peace and will be shortly taking up the role of Vice President of the local body. In the spirit of service that he epitomises, Jamie comes to school every year to certify documents for school leavers. Jamie’s family has always been of paramount importance to him and retirement has allowed him to spend more time with wife, Ali and offspring Simon, Kim and Tessa and their families.

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Article added: Wednesday 06 November 2019