Page images
PDF
EPUB

but afterwards by his will, dated April 2, 1656, directed that the lands purchased with this money should be wholly appropriated to the scholars.

In 1765, as no scholars had been elected since 1752, the College filed a bill in the Court of Chancery against the burgesses of Wisbech, praying that the arrears due to the College might be paid, and that the trust of Mr Holme's will might be carried out into execution.

A scheme was drawn up by the College, and confirmed by the Court of Chancery.

In 1768 it was decreed that the annual income of the estate should be applied to the maintenance of two poor scholars for 7 years at Magdalene College, Cambridge,—“the most able and learned scholars of the said school, born in the town of Wisbeche, who shall have been brought up there by the space of three years, and whose friends' and parents' estates shall not be wholly sufficient to maintain them as scholars in the said University." The appointment of the scholars is vested in the capital burgesses and the master.

The balance of arrears due to the College, after payment of the costs, was invested in the 3 per cents, and subsequent accumulations have considerably raised the value of these scholarships. When there are two scholars, each receives one half of the annual income, and when either of the scholarships is vacant, the proceeds are added to the fund for increasing their value. The income from the estate and the funded property is now about £240 a year.

CHESHIRE,

CHESTER.

THE CATHEDRAL GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1544, A.D.

THE Grammar-school, or as it is called, the King's school of the city of Chester, was founded by King Henry VIII. at the dissolution of the abbey of St Werburgh, and designed for twenty-four scholars to be appointed by the dean and chapter.

There are two exhibitions to Cambridge and two to Oxford from this school, in the gift of the dean and chapter. The statutable value of each is £5 per annum until obtaining the degree of B.A. and £6 per annum for three years longer until taking the degree of M.A.

Dr Oldfield founded an exhibition for a native of St Michael's parish, Chester, in either the university of Oxford or Cambridge. The present value of this exhibition is £80, or upwards, per annum,

MACCLESFIELD.

THE FREE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1502, A.D.

SIR John Percyvale, Knight, sometime Lord Mayor of Lon and who was born "just by the town of Maxfield," founded a school there, that "gentil mens sonnes and other good mennes chil in Maxfield, and the countrie thereabouts, might be taught gram &c.:" and by his will, bearing date the 25th Jan. 1502, he dire that lands of the yearly value of £10 should be purchased for endowment.

In 1552, upon the petition of the inhabitants of the town, some other persons, the school was re-founded by King Edward' and called “The Free Grammar-school of King Edward VI.” ▾ also gave certain lands and houses for the more ample endowment the school.

In 1774 the governors of the school obtained an Act of Parliam whereby they were enabled to extend the range of instruction given the school, and "to render the said foundation of the most general u and benefit, as the state of the revenues of the said school will admit

At the time of passing this Act the revenues of the school estat were £170 per annum: the revenues now exceed £1500 per annun The governors have, from the increased revenues, instituted ta Exhibitions, (and propose to found another) tenable for three years Oxford or Cambridge, of the yearly value of £50 each, for scholar from Macclesfield School.

COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND.

ST BEES.

THE FREE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1583, A.D.

EDMUND GRINDALL, a native of Hensingham, in the parish of St Bees, at that time Archbishop of Canterbury, obtained from Queen Elizabeth letters patent for founding a grammar-school in Kirkby Beacock, otherwise called St Begh's, to be called "The Free Grammarschool of Edmund Grindall, Archbishop of Canterbury," for the instruction of youth. For the government and ordering of the school, and the management of the endowment, he drew up statutes and ordinances in the same year, and appointed seven governors.

The

Provost of Queen's College, Oxford, is one of them, and the nomination of the master of the school is invested in him. The statutes require that the master shall take care that "with the knowledge of the tongues, his scholars may also learn their duty towards God and man."

In 1585, a second patent was granted by Queen Elizabeth in conSrmation of the former granted to the Archbishop, especially directing that his statutes and ordinances should from time to time for ever thereafter be observed and kept inviolable.

In 1604 King James I. granted to the governors of the school and heir successors, considerable property for augmenting the original ndowment, and the grant was confirmed by an Act of Parliament.

In 1629, William Hinchbarrow, the then master of the school, ddressed a petition to the Bishop of Chester, in which he complained hat “none of the founder's godlie statutes had bene observed for six or een years," and implored his lordship to help to reform the abuses nd mismanagement of the school.

In the year 1842 the statutes of the school were revised, and coniderably extended under a decree of the Court of Chancery, and a new scheme was then settled by a master in Chancery and confirmed y the chancellor's order, whereby it was decreed :

That out of the money accumulated from the revenues of the school, sum of £8000 should be expended in the building new schools and house for the head master, and that the old buildings should be epaired, and thereafter form a boarding establishment, where 60 boys natives of Cumberland and Westmoreland), should be boarded as foundation scholars." That the head master should have a stipend of £300 per annum, a house rent and tax free, and be permitted to ake 30 boarders.

That the second master's stipend should be £250 a year, with partments in the foundation building.

That the first and second masters' assistants should each have a tipend of £100 per annum. The usher, writing-master, and teacher of foreign languages were also liberally provided for under the scheme, s well as the matron and servants for the foundation department.

The school has gradually increased under the new system, and the Doys attending daily average about 180.

The school revenues are derived from colliery, quarry, land, and manorial rents, and from the dividends of funded property, the prin cipal of which now amounting to nearly £26,000, is in the 3 per cent. Consols.

Abp Grindall founded two scholarships and one fellowshi Pembroke College, Cambridge, also two scholarships and one fe ship at Queen's College, Oxford, for poor scholars from St School. (See p. 221.)

1587. Sir Christopher Wray founded a scholarship of £4 annum at Magdalene College, Cambridge, for a native of Westr land or Cumberland, who had been educated at St Bees' School. p. 330.)

There are also exhibitions at Oxford which may be held by sch from St Bees' School.

DERBYSHIRE.

REPTON SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1556, A. D.

SIR John Port, of Etwall, Knight of the Bath, bequeathed cer estates to his executors for the foundation of an hospital at Etwall a free grammar-school at Repton. After his death in 1557, hospital and school were established and continued by the licence Queen Mary, under the direction of the Harpur family, until year 1621, when the superintendence of the school and hospital conveyed to the Earl of Huntingdon, Lord Stanhope and Sir Thom Gerard, Bart. the three several descendants of Sir John Port's th daughters, the right heirs of the founder.

In 1621, on the petition of the co-heirs, the hospital and scho were made a body corporate by the style and title of "The Mast of Etwall Hospital, the Schoolmaster of Repton, Ushers, poor me and poor scholars ;" and in consequence of that settlement, the estat were conveyed to the corporation. The endowment when the chart was granted was £350, but from the improved state of its revenue it now exceeds £3000 per annum.

The superintendence of the school and hospital is hereditary in th noble families of Hastings and Chesterfield, and of Sir William Gerard (the representatives and co-heirs of Sir John Port's three daughters), who have the power of regulating the corporation, and electing the master of the hospital, the schoolmaster, and the usher.

Repton School is not limited with respect to the number of scholars. Those on the foundation are required to be not less than seven years of age nor more than twelve at the time of their admission.

There are two Exhibitions from this school for students at Oxford or Cambridge, which are tenable for three years if the Exhibitioners are resident. They are confined to the scholars on the foundation, and the value of each is £50 per annum.

CHESTERFIELD.

THE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1594, A.D.

THE Grammar-school of Chesterfield was founded by Godfrey Foljambe, Esq. of Watton, in that parish, and endowed with a payment annually out of his estate at Attenborough, in the county of Nottingham. The school was built upon the site of the chapel of the Gild of St Helen.

1851. An exhibition was founded as a testimonial to the late Venerable Archdeacon Hill, vicar of Chesterfield, for a scholar proceeding from the Grammar-school there to any English university. "Archdeacon Hill's Exhibition" is somewhat more than £10 a year.

DERBY.

THE FREE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

THE Free-school at Derby, according to Mr Lysons, existed as early as the twelfth century, and is one of the most ancient endowments of the kind in the kingdom. Walter Durdant, Bishop of Lichfield, in his charter speaks of the school at Derby as the gift of himself and William de Barba Aprilis.

In 1554, Queen Mary granted a Charter by which the school was given to the corporation, with an endowment for the support of the master and usher.

In 1609, Jane Walton, widow of the Rev. John Walton, B.D. Archdeacon of Derby, gave, among other benefactions, £100 to the Master and Fellows of St John's College, Cambridge, for the maintenance of scholars there, from Derby School, or in default of such, from Derbyshire. (See p. 314.)

In 1654, Mr Francis Ash, citizen of London, founded ten Exhibitions at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, each of the value of £10 per annum. Scholars educated at the grammar-schools of Derby and Ashby-dela-Zouch have a second preference. (See p. 365.)

« PreviousContinue »