Sir William Harpur (b.1496?; d. 27 February 1574) was a merchant from Bedford who moved to London, amassed a large fortune, and became Lord Mayor of London. In 1566 he and his wife Dame Alice left an endowment to support certain charities including education. The endowment became the Harpur Trust which supports five independent schools in Bedford today. 1496 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 27 is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Events April 14 - Battle of Mookerheyde. ... Merchants function as professionals who deal with trade, dealing in commodities that they do not produce themselves, in order to produce profit. ... Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, England. ... London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England and is the most populous city in the European Union. ... Michael Berry Savory. ... Events January 7 - Pius V becomes Pope Selim II succeeds Suleiman I as Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Religious rioting in the Netherlands signifies the beginning of the Eighty Years War in the Netherlands. ... Endowment may refer to many things: Finance Financial endowment; relating to funds or property donated to institutions or individuals. ... // Legal definitions A charity is a trust, company or unincorporated association established for charitable purposes only. ... The Harpur Trust is a charity for Schools in Bedfordshire in the United Kingdom. ... An independent school is a school which is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operation and is instead operated by tuition charges, gifts, and perhaps the investment yield of an endowment. ...

Career

The name Harper (or Harpur as it was always spelled from 1764 onwards) is mentioned around 1500 in connection with families from Bedford and Biddenham. We know little detail about the life of William. It seems likely that he attended the school in what is now Mill Street, Bedford, then School Lane. It is not certain whether he was a tailor. He was certainly a shrewd businessman. He went to London and was admitted to the guild of Merchant Taylors in 1533. There he would have come into contact with the leading citizens of the day. We know that in 1553 he was elected alderman for the ward of Bridge Without and, three years later, he was elected alderman of the more prestigious ward of Dowgate in preference to three other candidates, one of whom was Thomas Gresham. It had become the custom, after the dissolution of the monasteries, to appoint aldermen as governors to the royal hospitals. Harpur was treasurer of St Bartholomew's Hospital. He served as sheriff from 1556-1557, and became Lord Mayor of London in 1561. In 1562 he was knighted by the Queen. 1764 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1500 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... A tailor is a person whose occupation is to sew clothes custom-fit to individuals, and to repair clothes. ... A guild is an association of people of the same trade or pursuits (with a similar skill or craft), formed to protect mutual interests and maintain standards of morality or conduct. ... Events January 25 - King Henry VIII of England marries Anne Boleyn, his second Queen consort. ... An alderman is a member of a municipal legislative body in a town or city with many jurisdictions. ... Portrait by Anthonis Mor, c. ... The King Henry VIII Gate at Barts, which was constructed in 1702. ... Sheriff is both a political and a legal office held under English common law, Scots law or U.S. common law, or the person who holds such office. ... Events January 16 - Abdication of Emperor Charles V. His son, Philip II becomes King of Spain, while his brother Ferdinand becomes Holy Roman Emperor January 23 - The Shaanxi earthquake, the deadliest earthquake in history, occurs with its epicenter in Shaanxi province, China. ... Events Spain is effectively bankrupt. ... // Events The Edict of Orleans suspends the persecution of the Huguenots. ... Events Earliest English slave-trading expedition under John Hawkins. ... A statue of an armoured knight of the Middle Ages For the chess piece, see knight (chess). ... Elizabeth I, (7 September 1533–24 March 1603) was Queen of England, Queen of France (in name only), and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. ...

The endowment

It was at this time that he arranged Bedford’s endowment. On 30 September 1562 he bought 13 acres of land and 3 roods of meadow for £180 13s at Holborn, which was just a little way outside the expanding city, and therefore this was a good investment. On 22 April 1566 he and Dame Alice conveyed the purchase to Bedford corporation. September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 92 days remaining. ... Events Earliest English slave-trading expedition under John Hawkins. ... An acre is an English unit of area, which is also frequently used in the United States and some Commonwealth countries. ... A rood is an old English ( Anglo-Saxon) unit equal to quarter an acre, i. ... Holborn (pronounced ho-bun or ho-burn) is a place in London, named after a tributary to the river Fleet that flowed through the area, the Hole-bourne (the stream in the hollow). ... April 22 is the 112th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (113th in leap years). ... Events January 7 - Pius V becomes Pope Selim II succeeds Suleiman I as Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Religious rioting in the Netherlands signifies the beginning of the Eighty Years War in the Netherlands. ...

Later life

Harpur continued to lead an active life until he was over 70. He contributed to the purchase of a site for Gresham’s Exchange in 1565. He was regularly in attendance at the meetings of the Merchant Taylors. His wife died on 10 October 1569. William Harpur married Margaret Lethers in September 1570. He died in 1574 aged 77. He was buried, according to his wishes, in the churchyard of St Paul’s, Bedford. His wife put up a brass to him with the inscription: “Hereunder lieth buried the body of Sir William Harpur, knight, alderman and late Lord Mayor of the city of London, with Dame Margaret, his last wife.” The plaque is on the south wall of the church, making the word “hereunder” slightly incorrect. Dame Margaret herself remarried twice before dying in Bedford on 3 November 1596. Events The pencil is first documented by Conrad Gesner March 1 - the city of Rio de Janeiro is founded April 27 - Cebu City is established becoming the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines. ... October 10 is the 283rd day of the year (284th in Leap years). ... Events January 11 - First recorded lottery in England. ... Events January 23 - The assassination of regent James Stewart, Earl of Moray throws Scotland into civil war February 25 - Pope Pius V excommunicates Queen Elizabeth I of England with the bull Regnans in Excelsis May 20 - Abraham Ortelius issues the first modern atlas. ... Events April 14 - Battle of Mookerheyde. ... November 3 is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 58 days remaining. ... Events February 5 - 26 catholics crucified in Nagasaki, Japan. ...

Legacy

We know very little detail about the life of Sir William Harpur, but he rose from a humble background to become a highly successful man of business. The Harpur Trust continues today, supporting education as well as leisure activities for the people of Bedford. The five schools which are governed by the trust are Bedford School, Bedford High School, Bedford Modern School, Dame Alice Harpur School and Pilgrims Pre-Preparatory School. Bedford School is a public school for boys in Bedford, fifty miles north of London, England. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Bedford Modern School is a public school in Bedford, England. ...

The name Harpur is borne today by the estate office, a street in London, a street in Bedford, a local government ward, a hospital ward, a group of almshouses, the Harpur Suite (former assembly rooms by the Central Library), and a shopping centre. The Almshouse at Sherborne, Dorset The Almshouse at Woburn, Bedfordshire West Hackney Almshouses in Stoke Newington, London. ...

References

“The Harpur Trust 1552-1973” by Joyce Godber; White Crescent Press Ltd 1973; ISBN 0 9502917 0 6