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ELBOROWE, Richard jun

16?? - 1707


Richard Elborowe had a similar life to Lawrence Sheriff - but even more enigmatic. Richard was born in Rugby but the date is not known. His father, also Richard, was a leading member of the town. In 1662 the younger Richard was sent to London as an apprentice to a member of the Goldsmith's Company and became a freeman of the City of London in 1670. He appears to have been successful and left legacies to several London churches and hospitals.

It is about 1688, when his father died, that he returned to Rugby. He re-built his father's old house in Sheep Street, the Red Lion, and lived in some style. He became a trustee of Rugby School in 1698. In the year before he died he built a charity school for 30 children, boys and girls of 8-13 years old and 6 almshouses for widows, on land between High Street and Sheep Street. These were a valuable complement to the facilities of the Sheriff school and almshouses which were for boys and men only. His will endowed his charity with land and property in Newbold and Rugby.

In 1830 the school was absorbed into the National Schools Society. By 1856 the old buildings had become overcrowded and a new school was built in Hill Street and the Almshouses moved to the adjoining St John Street, both west of Newbold Road. The school became a Church of England Primary School for Boys in 1937.

Richard junior died in 1707 and was buried in Rugby St Andrews churchyard on the 15th November.