Harpur Trust commemorates 450 years since passing of founder and celebrates his legacy to Bedford

Trustees, committee members, headteachers and staff gathered at The Pilgrims Centre in Brickhill to hear a talk about Sir William Harpur’s life by Roger France, a historic building architect who is currently writing a book on The Harpur Trust’s history. This was followed by Chief Executive David Steadman, who described the impact The Trust has had over the past year.

David said: “It was fascinating to hear more about the life of a Bedford boy who made his fortune in London as a merchant tailor at the time of Queen Elizabeth 1st, and whose legacy is still improving the lives of thousands of people today across Bedford Borough through The Harpur Trust.”

Sir William became Lord Mayor of London in 1561, and in 1566, he and his wife Dame Alice made a gift of some land to support the education of “poor children” at what was then Bedford Grammar School, in St Paul’s Square. They also wished to use their funds to support some the most urgent needs of the community during that time, including dowries for “poor maids” and the relief of poverty.

David explained: “Sir William’s endowment was originally mostly farmland, in Holborn which was then outside London. As London grew, the land became the heart of the city and much more valuable. Today most of our assets are held in investments. Harpur’s gift was left to us in perpetuity, but we use the income that it generates each year to fund our work in the community. The way we work has evolved over the years, but our purpose hasn’t changed. Our mission is to nurture potential and improve people’s lives, directly inspired by Harpur.

“Last year we gave more than £1.2m to charitable causes in Bedford Borough, as well as funding towards school uniforms for children on free school meals going to secondary school. We also funded university bursaries for students in the borough from low-income families and continued to sponsor the HEART Academies Trust. We worked with local primary schools to improve education outcomes, and our schools provided bursaries so more children could attend.

“I am extremely proud of our roots and what we do to support the community today. If you look closely at our logo, you may see a weave design, signifying Harpur’s trade as a Merchant Taylor and the way we’ve become part of the fabric of Bedford today.”

Roger France focused some of his talk on the buildings of Bedford which have links to Sir William including:

The town hall building in St Paul’s Square, the former grammar school which houses a statue of Sir William on its front. St Paul’s Church where his father was a church warden and where Sir William Harpur is buried alongside his second wife Margaret. The Harpur Centre which was originally the site of Bedford Modern School. Trinity Arts and Leisure building, which was Bedford High School for Girls. The former Almshouses in Dame Alice Street, which provided accommodation for older people.

Find out more about The Harpur Trust at www.harpurtrust.org.uk