X-Nico

23 unusual facts about Merchant Taylors


Albert Joscelyne

He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School and Jesus College, Oxford.

Alfred John Church

He took holy orders and was an assistant-master at Merchant Taylors' School from 1857-70.

Arthur Stanley Hirst

Born in Hackney where his father practiced medicine, he was educated at the Merchant Taylor's School, and studied zoology at the University College London.

Early English dictionaries

Composed by Richard Mulcaster, headmaster of Merchant Taylors' School in London, The Elementarie is now viewed as an important forerunner of the first actual dictionary in English, although it was not an actual dictionary.

Edmund Gayton

In 1623 he entered Merchant Taylors' School, and went to St John's College, Oxford, in 1625.

Edmund Spenser

As a young boy, he was educated in London at the Merchant Taylors' School and matriculated as a sizar at Pembroke College, Cambridge.

George Cave, 1st Viscount Cave

He was educated at the Merchant Taylors' School, London and St John's College, Oxford.

Harry Latchman

In later years coached at Nottingham High School and Merchant Taylors' School.

Henry Bristow Wilson

He entered Merchant Taylors' School in October 1809, and was elected to St John's College, Oxford, in 1821.

Jabez Earle

In December 1691 he witnessed the funeral of Richard Baxter, and long afterwards told Samuel Palmer, of the Nonconformist's Memorial, that the coaches reached from Merchant Taylors' Hall (whence the body was carried) to Christ Church, Newgate, the place of burial.

John Buckeridge

He was educated at the Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood and at St John's College, Oxford, his maternal grandfather being cousin to the founder, Sir Thomas White.

John Spenser

He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, London, and Oxford.

Merchant Taylors' School

Merchant Taylors' Girls' School (founded 1888), a British public school for girls, also located in Great Crosby on Merseyside

Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood (founded 1561), a British public school for boys, originally located in the City of London and now located in Northwood in Middlesex .

Monro of Fyrish

Educated at the Merchant Taylors' School, London then at St John's College, Oxford, where he became a Fellow in 1741 and a Radcliffe Travelling Fellow until 1751.

Peter Mews

Mews was born at Caundle Purse in Dorset, and was educated at the Merchant Taylors' School, London, and at St John's College, Oxford, of which he was scholar and fellow.

Robert Cyril Layton Perkins

Perkins was born on 15 November 1866 at Badminton, Gloucestershire and was educated at King Edward VI Grammar School, St. Albans – his father, Rev Charles Perkins, was the headmaster – and at Merchant Taylors' School before obtaining a scholarship in classics to Jesus College, Oxford in 1885.

Rowland Searchfield

He was born in 1564 or 1565, and entered Merchant Taylors' School in 1575.

Samuel Foxe

He was born at Norwich on 31 December 1560, and admitted into Merchant Taylors' School, London, on 20 October 1572.

Sir William Dawes, 3rd Baronet

From the age of nine, William Dawes studied at the Merchant Taylors' School in London.

Thomas Exton

He entered Merchant Taylors' School in 1641, was admitted a member of Gray's Inn in 1648, and went to Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he proceeded LL.D.

William Croone

He was born in London on 15 September 1633, and admitted to Merchant Taylors' School on 11 December 1642.

Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors

Its seat is the Merchant Taylors' Hall between Threadneedle Street and Cornhill, a site it has occupied since at least 1347.


Alan Duncan

Alan Duncan was educated at two independent schools: Beechwood Park School in Markyate, and Merchant Taylors' School in Northwood, at both of which he was 'Head Monitor' (head boy).

Albert Clauson, 1st Baron Clauson

After attending the Merchant Taylors' School in 1881 he was offered a scholarship to St John's College, Oxford, where he gained a first in classics and literature.

Alistair Ferguson Ritchie

From 1912 to 1918 he was curate at St Paul’s church, Southport and from 1918 to 1924 he was St Mary’s church, Waterloo and also an assistant master at Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby.

Basset Jhones

In 1659, he completed a grammar book (Hermaelogium, or, An Essay at the Rationality of the Art of Speaking) which was published in London, receiving the approval of William Dugard, the headmaster of Merchant Taylors' School.

Neil Lawson Baker

Baker attended the Merchant Taylors' School in Northwood, Middlesex as a day boy and then went on to Guy's Hospital in London where he qualified as a dental surgeon.

Richard Hingston

He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School and at University College Cork.

Rugby Group

Five of the Rugby Group schools, Charterhouse School, Harrow School, Winchester College, Rugby School and Shrewsbury School are members of the original nine 'Clarendon' public schools defined under the Public Schools Act 1868, with the other Clarendon schools (Eton College, St Paul's School, Merchant Taylor's School and Westminster School) having other affiliations.

William Paddy

He was born in London, and entered Merchant Taylors' School in 1569, with schoolfellows Lancelot Andrewes, Giles Tomson, and Thomas Dove.

Wolverhampton Grammar School

Initially Wolverhampton Boys Grammar School, it was founded in 1512 by Sir Stephen Jenyns, a master of the ancient guild of Merchant Taylors, who was also Lord Mayor of London in the year of Henry VIII's coronation.

Worshipful Company of Skinners

Under an order issued by the Lord Mayor of the City of London on 10 April 1484 (known as the Billesdon Award), the Company ranks in sixth or seventh place (making it one of the "Great Twelve City Livery Companies") in the order of precedence of the Livery Companies, alternating annually with the Merchant Taylors' Company.