Saint John Fisher (c. 19 October 1469 – 22 June 1535) was an English Catholic bishop, cardinal, and theologian. John Fisher was also an academic, and eventually served as Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. The painting on this page, ‘Fisher, Bishop of Rochester’, by Jacobus Houbraken after Hans Holbein, shows his image.
John Fisher went on to introduce scholarships into education, working closely with Erasmus. and had a passion for education for all. He was appointed the Bishop of Rochester at the personal insistence of Henry VII and was the priest for Margaret Beaufort, Henry’s wife. John Fisher later became the personal tutor of their son Henry VIII.
When Henry VIII famously tried to divorce Queen Catherine of Aragon, John Fisher became the Queen’s chief supporter. As such, he appeared on the Queen’s behalf in the legates’ court, declaring that he was prepared to die for faith. John Fisher refused to condone Henry’s later marriage to Anne Boleyn. As a result, he was condemned to forfeit all his personal estate and to be imprisoned.
John Fisher was executed by order of Henry VIII on 22nd June 1535 for refusing to accept the King as Supreme Head of the Church of England, over the Pope.
St John Fisher is the patron saint of our school because of his passion for education and his close links to Rochester and Chatham.
