Warwick Academy celebrates its 350th birthday tomorrow, with a direct descendant of its founder there to help blow out the candles.American David Estlack’s ancestor Francis Estlack was a Quaker minister who founded the school in 1662 after he fled to the Island from Devon, England, to avoid religious persecution.The school is thought to be the oldest in the western hemisphere.Mr Estlack and his wife Marilyn flew in to celebrate the school’s gala dinner at the Fairmont Southampton.The Texas residents have spent many years learning about the Estlack family history.“We came to Bermuda last summer to learn more about Francis’ time in Bermuda,” said Mrs Estlack. “A lot of family members have helped us to research our family history, by providing us with the research that they had done.“Someone showed us a picture of a school house with the Estlack name on it. We wanted to check in Bermuda to see if there was anything there.”They visited Warwick Academy but couldn’t find a building with the Estlack name on it.However the library looked a lot like the building they had seen in the picture.It turned out the library was the oldest building on the property, although there was a fire in its history and it was later rebuilt.It is most likely that Francis taught on the property, but not in any buildings that exist today.He became involved with the Quaker religious movement as a teenager.The Quakers, or Friends as they are often known, believed that they did not need clergy to hear the word of God that belief was considered blasphemous in 17th century England.“The Quakers were ostracised from society,” said Mr Estlack. “England did not want a new religious group coming in.“They had some rules that said if you don’t attend church or do your tithing [give the church a portion of your income], you would be penalised.“Francis was an outspoken Quaker minister. At one point soldiers dragged him from a meeting, beat him and tied him hand and foot so he could not move.“At another point he was absent from military service and was punished. He and his wife were also fined 20 shillings for being absent from church.”Francis and his wife left England thinking things would be better there. They spent 15 to 20 years on the Island.Their ten children including Mr Estlack’s direct ancestor Joseph were all born here.“It wasn’t better in Bermuda,” said Mr Estlack. “They were still being punished for being Quakers, but curiously the community allowed Francis to start a school and teach children and illiterate adults. He also taught in a wooden schoolhouse on Crow Lane in Pembroke.”Somewhere around 1675 when Joseph was just a year old, the family moved to the United States.They relocated in Newton Colony, now known as Collingswood, New Jersey, where Quakers were better tolerated.The Estlacks are now considering a trip to Devon in hopes of finding Francis’ birth certificate.Live entertainment and a silent auction form part of tomorrow night’s festivities.Cocktails are at 7pm and the dinner begins at 8pm.For more information e-mail Jane Vickers, jvickers@warwickacad.bm, Terri McDowell, tmcdowell@warwickacad.bm .Useful website: www.warwickacad.bm.