Sir Humphrey Chetham & Manchester, England
Sir Humphrey Chetham
|
|
|
Sir Humphrey Chetham (1580-1653) Sir Humphrey Chetham is best remembered nowadays by Chetham's School of Music next to Manchester Cathedral, which bears his name. Chetham was born the fifth son of a successful Manchester merchant living in Crumpsall Hall, Harpurhey in Manchester, Humphrey Chetham and his brothers were educated at the Manchester Grammar School, under the headmaster Doctor Thomas Cogan. After an apprenticeship with a local liner-draper, Chetham joined his brother George in setting up their own profitable business, buying fabric goods at wholesale markets in London, and selling them at retail cloth outlets in Manchester. George Chetham handled the London business and Sir Humphrey Chetham remained in Manchester. Through this trade and careful money-lending, they amassed personal fortunes, and bought large properties around the region, including Clayton Hall (in 1620), and Turton Tower near Bolton ( in 1628). His conspicuous wealth brought him to the attention of the crown, and in 1631, King Charles I granted him a knighthood, and henceforth he was known as Sir Humphrey Chetham, and several years later, in 1635, he was appointed High Sheriff of Lancashire. Later he was nominated High Collector of Subsidies (Taxes) Within the County of Lancashire, and by 1643 his responsibilities were considerably increased when Parliament made him General Treasurer for the County. Ill health prompted him to decline the office, but his refusal was not accepted, and at the age of 65 he had little choice but to accept this hard and demanding office, which was to lose him personally a great deal of money due to bad debts. Increasingly, he began to consider ways of dispersing his personal fortune, fearing its sequestration by Parliament in the event of his death, and to this end, he disposed of a large sum to found a Blue Coat School in Manchester, to educate and maintain some 40-odd local boys. Before his death he secured the purchase of the Old Warden's College building to house the school and a proposed free public library - at the time a most revolutionary concept. He also left considerable amounts of money for the purchase of books to stock the library, and for the establishment of other libraries in Manchester, Bolton, Turton, Gorton and Walmesley (in Bury). Shortly after his death in 1653, the Chetham's Hospital School and Chetham's Library were founded, and they survive intact on that site today. The School is now one of the nation's finest music schools, Chetham's School of Music, and the Library is one of nation's most valuable antiquarian libraries - still open to the public. |
NAVIGATION Home |
 Papillon Graphics |
|
