Our History
The Harpur Trust was founded more than 450 years ago by Sir William Harpur, a local man born to humble beginnings who made his fortune as a merchant tailor and became Lord Mayor of London in 1561.
The Royal Charter pictured above granting permission for a Grammar School in Bedford in 1552, from which the first Harpur Trust school was born, which later became Bedford School.
In 1566 Sir William and his wife Dame Alice created an endowment to support the education of ‘poor children’, and to meet the most urgent community needs of the time, including dowries for ‘poor maids’ and the relief of poverty.
The endowment itself was originally mostly 13 acres of farmland in Holborn, then outside London. As London grew it became part of the city and much more valuable. Today, most of our assets are held in investments. By law we must preserve Sir William’s endowment in perpetuity, but we use the return that it generates each year to fund work that is still inspired by Sir William Harpur’s vision.
These ideals have evolved over the years and have shaped the three charitable objects we work to today:
- The promotion of education.
- The relief of those who are sick or in need, hardship or distress.
- The provision of recreational facilities with a social welfare purpose.
If you look closely at our logo, you will notice a weave design within the H, signifying Harpur’s trade and the way in which we’ve become part of the fabric of Bedford.
You can find out more about our history by watching the video below.
