The Free and Royal Free Schools in Windsor
The 1705 Trust Deed
“Tis proposed (if subscription will allow) to do for ye poor children of Windsor the followeth,
- That they may read, write, cast accounts, and be well instructed in ye principles of Religion.
- That they be furnishe’d with Bibles and Common Pr, Books
- That they be be cloath’d in some sort or other.
- That they be plac’d out in the world afterwards 40 boys and 30 girls.”
(The above is on a separate piece of parchment from what follows. It would seem likely that it was a notice displayed to call a Meeting. It is in different handwriting from the rest of the document).
“1705”
“Whereas there is a considerable number of Children in this town and Parish of New Windsor who have little or no education given them, through ye povertie of their Parents; ‘Tis now agreed and resolv’d upon by ye Inhabitants (with whom ye Dean and Canons have likewise expressed their readinesse to concur) in setting up a Charity School for that purpose: And accordingly We, whose names are underwritten do subscribe for promoting so pious and useful a work in the manner following”:
(The above is written in a italic hand)..
©Windsor Local History Group transcription by John R Townend
Subscribers List & Detail
| Queen Anne | (1665-1714) | Daughter of James II and last Sovereign of the House of Stuart, 1702-14. |
| H.R.H. Prince George | (1653-1708) | The Queen’s consort, brother of King Christian V of Denmark. |
| Northumberland | (1665-1716) | George Fitzroy, Youngest illegitimate son of Barbara Palmer by King Charles II. Duke of Northumberland, KG 1684, Constable of Windsor Castle & High Steward of the Borough of New Windsor, 1701-02. Colonel of the Royal Horse Guards 1702. |
| C. Northumberland | (? -1714) | Catherine Lucy, widow of Thomas Lucy of Charlecote and daughter of Robert Wheatley of Bracknell. Married (clandestinely) George Fitzroy (above) 1685. |
| The Mayor, Bailiffs and Burgesses | The Mayor in 1705 was Samuel Gilman Apothecary. Held office four times d.1730. | |
| The Bailiffs were: | ||
| > William Sumner (1667-1728) | ||
| > Tailor. His son John (1705-1772) became Head Master of Eton. | ||
| > Richard Reeve Cornchandler d. 732. | ||
| The Burgesses were the Benchers and Aldermen (town council) 28 or 30 of the more responsible inhabitants. | ||
| St. Albans | (1670-1726) | Charles Beauclerk, illegitimate son of Charles II by Nell Gwynne. Created First Duke of St. Albans 1684. Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire 1714-26. |
| D. St. Albans | (d.1742) | Diana second daughter of Aubrey de Vere 20th Earl of Oxford and his second wife Diana Kirke. Married Duke of St. Albans 1694. |
| E. of Ranelagh | (1641-1712) | Richard Jones 3rd Viscount and Ist Earl of Ranelagh, pupil of John Milton, Paymaster General. Convicted of misappropriating £72,000. Expelled from House of Commons 1703. Founded a Free School at Cranbourne in 1709. No obvious Windsor connection. |
| Fitzharding | (1650-1712) | John Berkeley, 4th Viscount Fitzharding of Berehaven (Co. Kerry), MP for Windsor 1695-1710. |
| Richard Topham | MP for Windsor during period 1697-1713. | |
| G. Lyttelton | (1640-1717) | Major George, 12th Son of Sir Thomas Lyttelton Bt Co. Worcester. |
| Elizabeth Lyttleton | His wife. | |
| Jane Roughty | Not identified. | |
| Hen. Proctor | Understeward or Recorder of Borough, 1659-1661. | |
| J. Bruch | (1675-1712) | Apothecary, son of Matthias Bruch. |
| Thos. Dawson | (1676-1741) | Vicar of New Windsor 1703-41. Son of George Dawson (Vicar of Sunninghill). Author of Memoirs of St. George the English Patron and of the most Noble Order of the Garter, published 1714. |
| Wm. Paull | (d.1711) | MP for Windsor in 1701-13. |
| T. Reeve | (d.1737) | Sir Thomas Reeve. Married Annabelle sister of Richard Topham. Knighted 1733, Lord Chief Justice 1736. Bequeathed £100 to the School. |
| Eliz. Hale | (d.1731) | Elizabeth wife of Dr Richard Hale Esq. who died in 1728 and bequeathed £500 to the School. |
| Lend. Wooddson | (1658-1717) | Leonard Wooddson, son of Mr John Wooddson (Clerk to Mayor Bayliffs and Burgesses) Married Jane Lloyd in 1687. |
| Leon Wetherley | (d.1714) | Lionel. Little else known. |
| Mr Randue | (1642-1724) | Theodore Randue. Housekeeper at Windsor Castle. Borough Alderman and Chamberlain. Left £500 “to buy or build a house for the School“. |
| Mr Peisley | (d.1716) | William Peisley. Understeward, or Recorder 1690-1716. Freeman of the Borough 1699 |
| Mr Goldwin | (1667-1719) | John Golding, son of John Golding and Ann Towers. Organist at St. George’s Chapel. |
| Mr Fishbourn | (d.1710) | Richard Fishbourn, one of the King’s loyal subjects 1683. |
| Mr Wm Davis | (1666-1720) | William, son of John Davis, Apothecary, Mayor of Windsor 1714-15. |
| Mr Scott | (d.1710) | Robert Scott, Haberdasher. Freeman of the Borough. |
| Mr Hook (Gov.P.K.) | (1622-1707) | Captain Edmund Hook of Bramshott Co. Hants. Governor of Poor Knights, Windsor Castle 1703-07. |
| Mr Gilman | The Mayor of Windsor (see above). | |
| Mrs Foot | Wife of Topham Foot a Freeman of the Borough. | |
| Mr Lockett | Possibly David Lockett of Maidenhead (married at St. George’s 1699). | |
| The Dean & Canons of St. George’s Chapel | Dr Gregory Haskard, d.1708, Dean 1684-1708. | |
| Robert Young d.1716 Canon 1673-1716. | ||
| Maurice Vaughan (1660-1722) Canon 1695-1722. | ||
| Edward Jones (1653-1737) Canon 1684-1737. | ||
| Samuel Pratt DD (1657-1723) Canon 1697-1713. | ||
| John Hern DD d.1707 Canon 1690-1705. | ||
| John Wickart DD (1652-1722) Canon 1684-1722, Also Dean of Winchester from 1693. | ||
| Lord Willoughby de Broke, d.1728, Canon 1701-14 Dean from 1714. | ||
| Thomas Manningham, d.1722 Canon 1693-1709, Dean 1709. | ||
| John Mesnard DD d.1727, Canon 1689-1727. | ||
| William Fleetwood DD (1656- 1723) Canon 1702-08, Bishop of St. Asaph 1708, Bishop of Ely 1714. | ||
| William Cave DD d.1713, Canon 1684-1713. | ||
| John Hartcliffe. | ||
| Lord Bishop of Sarum | (1643-1715) | Gilbert Burnet was Bishop of Salisbury 1689-1715 in whose Diocese Windsor then was. Wrote History of the Reformation. |
| Mr Godolphin | (1678-1766) | Francis, son of Sydney 1st Earl Godolphin, was MP for Helston Co. Cornwall, later 2nd Earl and Governor of Isles of Scilly. |
| Lady Harriet Godolphin | (1681-1733) | b. Henrietta Churchill dau. of Duke & Duchess of Marlborough. Married Francis Godolphin 1698. Became Duchess of Marlborough in her own right 1722. |
| A. Fresheville | (? d.1717) | Anne Charlotte, daughter of Sir Henry de Vic, Bt. and Margaret dau. of Sir Philip Carteret. Married Lord Fresheville of Staveley 1666. A Lady of the Queen’s Bedchamber. |
| S. Marlborough | (1660-1744) | Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, wife of John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough and Commander in Chief. Mother of Lady Henrietta Godolphin. Sarah was a bosom friend of the Queen. |
| Admiral Churchill | (1654-1710) | George Churchill younger brother of Duke of Marlborough. Member of the Council of Prince George of Denmark. |
| Mr Horne | Thomas Horne, Rector of Clewer 1702-1720 and Chaplain to Duke of St. Albans. Son of Thomas Horne, Master of Eton College. | |
| Mr Clark | Possibly Christopher Clark, cutler. | |
| Mr Pearman | Possibly James Pearman a citizen and deal merchant of London. | |
| Mr Rutter | (d.1726) | Thomas Rutter, Tallow Chandler. Four times Mayor of Windsor. |
| Mr Porter | (1646-1712) | John Porter, Son of Thomas Porter. Brewer. Twice Mayor of Windsor. Bequeathed 20 Shillings a year for ever to the School (Porter’s Charity). |
| Mr Vial | (1624-1707) | Richard Voyl Gent. |
| Mr Giles Sanders | (d.1727) | Alderman and twice Mayor of Windsor. |
| Capt. Mineis | (d.1709) | John Mineis. |
| Mr Thos. Hall | Not identified. |