William Laxton
Encyclopedia
Sir William Laxton was master of the Worshipful Company of Grocers
and a Lord Mayor of London
during the reign of Henry VIII
. He is the founder of Oundle School
.
Laxton was born in Oundle
, Northamptonshire
, England
, the son of John Laxton, a local merchant. Laxton was educated at the grammar school in Oundle, which was to slip into decline and ultimately close over the next half century. Upon leaving school Laxton travelled to London to become an apprentice to the grocers in London. Upon finishing his seven year apprenticeship in 1519 he gained his freedom and prospered. Having gained his livery Laxton was elected to the Court of Assistants, and was made Junior warden on 16 July 1534. In May 1536 he was elected Upper Master of the Grocer's Company and, after serving as Sheriff of London for 1541, became Lord Mayor of London
in 1544. He later acquired a knighthood.
Sir William Laxton died on the night of 27 July 1556, and is buried at St Mary Aldermary
church in London. Under the terms of his will Sir William left property in London to the Grocer's Company on condition that they paid annual sums of money for the support and maintenance of a new school in Oundle, Laxton Grammar School
, to replace the old grammar school which he had attended. Oundle School
is now one of the leading independent schools in the United Kingdom.
He married a widow, Joan daughter of William Kirkeby. His stepson Sir Thomas Lodge would also become Lord Mayor of London in 1562.
Worshipful Company of Grocers
The Worshipful Company of Grocers is one of the 108 Livery Companies of the City of London. It is ranked second in the order of precedence of the Companies and, having been established in 1345, is one of the original Great Twelve City Livery Companies....
and a Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
during the reign of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
. He is the founder of Oundle School
Oundle School
Oundle School is a co-educational British public school located in the ancient market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire. The school has been maintained by the Worshipful Company of Grocers of the City of London since its foundation in 1556. Oundle has eight boys' houses, five girls' houses, a day...
.
Laxton was born in Oundle
Oundle
Oundle is an ancient market town on the River Nene in Northamptonshire, England, with a population of 5,345 or 5,674 . It lies some north of London and south-west of Peterborough...
, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, 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...
, the son of John Laxton, a local merchant. Laxton was educated at the grammar school in Oundle, which was to slip into decline and ultimately close over the next half century. Upon leaving school Laxton travelled to London to become an apprentice to the grocers in London. Upon finishing his seven year apprenticeship in 1519 he gained his freedom and prospered. Having gained his livery Laxton was elected to the Court of Assistants, and was made Junior warden on 16 July 1534. In May 1536 he was elected Upper Master of the Grocer's Company and, after serving as Sheriff of London for 1541, became Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
in 1544. He later acquired a knighthood.
Sir William Laxton died on the night of 27 July 1556, and is buried at St Mary Aldermary
St Mary Aldermary
Ashlar-faced outside and Gothic throughout, St Mary Aldermary is an Anglican church in Bow Lane in the City of London. The church was badly damaged in the Great Fire of London in 1666, and rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren.-History:...
church in London. Under the terms of his will Sir William left property in London to the Grocer's Company on condition that they paid annual sums of money for the support and maintenance of a new school in Oundle, Laxton Grammar School
Laxton Grammar School
Laxton Grammar School was a historic school located in Oundle, Northamptonshire, founded after the death of Sir William Laxton in 1556.-The Gild School:...
, to replace the old grammar school which he had attended. Oundle School
Oundle School
Oundle School is a co-educational British public school located in the ancient market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire. The school has been maintained by the Worshipful Company of Grocers of the City of London since its foundation in 1556. Oundle has eight boys' houses, five girls' houses, a day...
is now one of the leading independent schools in the United Kingdom.
He married a widow, Joan daughter of William Kirkeby. His stepson Sir Thomas Lodge would also become Lord Mayor of London in 1562.