William Budworth
Encyclopedia
William Budworth schoolmaster at Brewood
in Staffordshire
, England
. He taught several notable pupils, but he is most remembered for not employing Samuel Johnson
as an assistant at Brewood Grammar School
.
, the son of the Reverend Luke Budworth BA
, rector
of Cubley
and vicar
of Longford
, Derbyshire
, and afterwards rector of the parishes of Tillesham and Wellingham
in Norfolk
following the recommendation of Thomas Coke. He was educated at Derby School
and the grammar school at Market Bosworth
under Anthony Blackwall
, and then at Christ's College, Cambridge
(BA 1720, MA 1726). Soon after graduating he was appointed master of Rugeley Grammar School in Staffordshire
and he became the vicar of Hope
in Derbyshire
in 1731. In 1733, on the death of Dr. Hillman he became headmaster at Brewood Grammar School
.
He obtained the vicarage of Brewood
on the presentation
of the Dean of Lichfield, and he was presented to the donative chapel of Shareshill
, near Brewood, by Sir Edward Littleton
, bart. of Pillaton Hall
, who entrusted to him the education of his brother, Fisher's son and heir, also Edward Littleton. In 1736 he would have engaged the celebrated Samuel Johnson
as an assistant in the school, but he was apprehensive about the "strange motion of the head" which Johnson suffered from. Budworth thought this might make him an object of ridicule in the school. Johnson is thought to have been known to Budworth as Johnson had served as an usher to the headmaster at Market Bosworth
whilst Budworth was still there.
One of Budworth's pupils was Richard Hurd, afterwards Bishop of Worcester
, who says "be I possessed every talent of a perfect institutor of youth in a degree which I believe has been rarely found in any of that profession since the days of Quinctilian
." Both Richard Hurd and Sir Edward Littleton were on their way to visit him in 1745 when they heard he had died in a "fit of apoplexy". Littleton paid for a memorial at his church in Shareshill.
Brewood
Brewood refers both to a settlement, which was once a town but is now a village, in South Staffordshire, England, and to the civil parish of which it is the centre. Located around , Brewood village lies near the River Penk, eight miles north of Wolverhampton city centre and eleven miles south of...
in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He taught several notable pupils, but he is most remembered for not employing Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
as an assistant at Brewood Grammar School
Brewood Grammar School
Brewood Grammar School was a boys' school in the village of Brewood in South Staffordshire, England.Founded in the mid 15th century by the Bishop of Lichfield as a chantry school it was closed by the 1547 Act of Dissolution of Chantries...
.
Biography
Budworth was born in about 1699 in Marston on DoveMarston on Dove
Marston on Dove is nine miles south west of Derby and two miles south west of Tutbury in South Derbyshire. The Church of St Mary at Marston has the oldest bell in Derbyshire, which was cast in Leicester in 1366 and inscribed with the words `Hail Mary` by John de Stafford....
, the son of the Reverend Luke Budworth BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Cubley
Cubley, Derbyshire
Cubley is a parish of two closely linked villages six miles south of Ashbourne in Derbyshire. St Andrews Church is in Cubley parish. Great Cubley and Little Cubley are known collectively as Cubley. The church lies roughly equidistant from the two, but is technically in Great...
and vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of Longford
Longford, Derbyshire
Longford is a village in Derbyshire, England. It is six miles from Ashbourne and eleven miles west of Derby.-History:In 1872 the parish of Longford was described as having just over 1150 people and 220 dwellings. This parish took in the settlements of Alkmonton, Rodsley, Hollington and the...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, and afterwards rector of the parishes of Tillesham and Wellingham
Wellingham
Wellingham is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 55 in 27 households as of the 2001 census. For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of Breckland....
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
following the recommendation of Thomas Coke. He was educated at Derby School
Derby School
Derby School was a school in Derby in the English Midlands from 1160 to 1989. It had an almost continuous history of education of over eight centuries. For most of that time it was a grammar school for boys. The school became co-educational and comprehensive in 1974 and was closed in 1989...
and the grammar school at Market Bosworth
Market Bosworth
Market Bosworth is a small market town and civil parish in Leicestershire, England. It formerly formed a district known as the Market Bosworth Rural District. In 1974 it merged with the Hinckley Rural District to form a new district named Hinckley and Bosworth...
under Anthony Blackwall
Anthony Blackwall
The Reverend Anthony Blackwall , was an English classical scholar and schoolmaster.-Early life:...
, and then at Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
(BA 1720, MA 1726). Soon after graduating he was appointed master of Rugeley Grammar School in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
and he became the vicar of Hope
Hope, Derbyshire
Hope is a village in the Derbyshire Peak District, in England. It lies in the Hope Valley, at the point where Peakshole Water flows into the River Noe. To the north, Win Hill and Lose Hill stand either side of the Noe....
in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
in 1731. In 1733, on the death of Dr. Hillman he became headmaster at Brewood Grammar School
Brewood Grammar School
Brewood Grammar School was a boys' school in the village of Brewood in South Staffordshire, England.Founded in the mid 15th century by the Bishop of Lichfield as a chantry school it was closed by the 1547 Act of Dissolution of Chantries...
.
Brewood
Brewood refers both to a settlement, which was once a town but is now a village, in South Staffordshire, England, and to the civil parish of which it is the centre. Located around , Brewood village lies near the River Penk, eight miles north of Wolverhampton city centre and eleven miles south of...
on the presentation
Advowson
Advowson is the right in English law of a patron to present or appoint a nominee to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, a process known as presentation. In effect this means the right to nominate a person to hold a church office in a parish...
of the Dean of Lichfield, and he was presented to the donative chapel of Shareshill
Shareshill
Shareshill is a village and civil parish in the South Staffordshire district, in the county of Staffordshire, England. The parish church is dedicated to St Mary and St Luke, Shareshill.-Shareshill in 1851:...
, near Brewood, by Sir Edward Littleton
Littleton Baronets
Two Baronetcies have been created in the Baronetage of England for members of the Littleton family.The Littleton family had their origins in South Lyttleton, near Evesham, Worcestershire. Thomas de Littleton was appointed a judge at the Court of Common Pleas in 1464 and was created a Knight of the...
, bart. of Pillaton Hall
Pillaton Hall
Pillaton Hall was an historic house located in Pillaton, Staffordshire, just outside of Penkridge, England. For more than two centuries it was the seat of the Littleton family, a family of local landowners and politicians.-Origins and history:...
, who entrusted to him the education of his brother, Fisher's son and heir, also Edward Littleton. In 1736 he would have engaged the celebrated Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
as an assistant in the school, but he was apprehensive about the "strange motion of the head" which Johnson suffered from. Budworth thought this might make him an object of ridicule in the school. Johnson is thought to have been known to Budworth as Johnson had served as an usher to the headmaster at Market Bosworth
Market Bosworth
Market Bosworth is a small market town and civil parish in Leicestershire, England. It formerly formed a district known as the Market Bosworth Rural District. In 1974 it merged with the Hinckley Rural District to form a new district named Hinckley and Bosworth...
whilst Budworth was still there.
One of Budworth's pupils was Richard Hurd, afterwards Bishop of Worcester
Bishop of Worcester
The Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England. He is the head of the Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury...
, who says "be I possessed every talent of a perfect institutor of youth in a degree which I believe has been rarely found in any of that profession since the days of Quinctilian
Quintilian
Marcus Fabius Quintilianus was a Roman rhetorician from Hispania, widely referred to in medieval schools of rhetoric and in Renaissance writing...
." Both Richard Hurd and Sir Edward Littleton were on their way to visit him in 1745 when they heard he had died in a "fit of apoplexy". Littleton paid for a memorial at his church in Shareshill.