A FEW years ago I had reason to research some files relating to the Bishop Wordsworth’s Grammar School and I found that some of the scholars from 1903 had obtained their scholarship from varying sources.

One of the sources was the Rose and Harrison scholarships and, though the Harrison part is still a mystery to me, the Rose part has become clearer.

John Rose was once a young gardener who worked on the Cecil Estate at Amesbury in the time of Charles II.

Hearing of the lovely gardens at Hatfield, the villagers subscribed enough money to send Rose there, being proud of his knowledge of horticulture.

At Hatfield he became head gardener to the king and Charles, seeing a man of talent, gave him the post of head gardener at Hampton Court.

Rose achieved position and wealth and when he died there was, among his bequests, one for educating the poor boys of Amesbury whose fathers and grandfathers had sent him on the road to fame and fortune.

Our picture shows John Rose presenting a pineapple (said to be the first grown in England) to King Charles.

Those who had to administer the bequest of John Rose decided that the money should pay for a boy or girl from the Amesbury C of E school to go to the Bishop Wordsworth’s School, and many who benefited in this went on to do very well in the world and to speak in praise of the benefactor who gave them the chance to be well schooled.

As I mentioned, I am unable to say who the Harrison was but he probably left money for providing scholarships and this meant that, for many years, two boys or girls were sent to the Salisbury school which still enjoys a first-rate reputation.

 

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