Rugby (Town in Warwickshire England)

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

a town in Warwickshire, England; 83 miles N. W. of London and 30 E. S. E. of Birmingham. At the foot of the hill on which it stands the Swift gave John Wyclif's ashes to the Avon; close by, at Ashby and at Dunchurch, the Gunpowder Plot was hatched; the battlefield of Naseby was visited by Carlyle from its school house in 1842, a few days before Arnold's death; it is within a drive of Stratford-on-Avon, Coventry, and Kenilworth. It is the center of a great hunting district and the seat of a worldfamous public school. The school was founded in 1567 by Lawrence Sheriff, a grocer and a staunch supporter of Queen Elizabeth, by a gift of property in Manchester Square, London. After maintaining its position for some time as a good school for the Warwickshire gen try and a few others, specially under Dr. James and Dr. Wool, it became of national reputation under Dr. Arnold, who in raising his school, raised at the same time the dignity of his whole profession. Since his the school has never lacked able teachers, remarkable for independence of mind. When Arnold died in 1842, Archbishop Tait succeeded him, having as coadjutors Lord Lingen, Dean Bradley, Principal Shairp, Thomas Evans, Theodore Walrond, Bishop Cotton. He in turn was succeeded by Dean Goulburn, who had as one of his assistants the future Archbishop Benson. The Crimean War reduced the numbers of the school to 300, and Dr. Goulburn resigned in 1857. He was succeeded by the future Bishop of London, Dr. Temple, who remained 12 years. He made a brilliant record, and added fame to Rugby's reputation. Having collected enough money to rebuild the chapel, to erect a gymnasium and to build new schools, Dr. Temple was succeeded by Dr. Hayman. To him succeeded Dr. Jex-Blake, who inaugurated a still greater building era. When he resigned in 1887 he left behind him a school unrivaled in its appointments. He was succeeded by Dr. Percival. Of illustrious Rugbeians may be named the poets Landor, Clough, and Matthew Arnold; Dean Stanley, who had the rare privilege of recording the work of his great headmaster in biography; Judge Hughes, who did the same equally felicitously in "Tom Brown's School Days"; Dean Vaughan, Lord Derby, Lord Cross, Mr. Goschen, Sir R. Temple, and York Powell the historians, Justice Bowen, Sir W. Palliser, J-Cyc feathers on the sides of its neck, and fre- Professor Sidgwick, C. Stuart-Wortley, Arthur Acland, and many others famous in British affairs. Pop. about 25,000.