Harrow School’s Preston pupils 1799-1906

Public schools helped preserve or enhance the social status and wealth of the families who sent their offspring to them. Several sons of Preston families benefited from this path to privilege. Here those who attended Harrow School are considered. An overview can be found at:

Public School Prestonians

And information on Preston pupils at other schools can be found at the following links:

Eton
Rugby
Charterhouse, Shrewsbury School, Westminster School and Winchester College
Manchester Grammar

The published on-line registers of entrants to Harrow School cover the period 1800-1911:

Dauglish, M. G., and P. K. Stephenson, eds. The Harrow School Register 1800-1911. 3rd ed. London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1911. https://archive.org/details/b28987317/page/n3/mode/1up?ref=ol&view=theater

There are 19 pupils in the registers between 1719 and 1906 whose fathers lived in the Preston area or whose later career brought them to the district. There will be more: the ones listed here were found by simply searching the on-line registers for occurrences of the word ‘Preston’. Sons of Preston cotton lords include Birleys, Millers and a Gatty; local gentry are represented by the de Hoghtons. A measure of social status is the addresses of the pupils and their parents. These include: Bartle Hall, Clifton Hall, Cuerden Hall, Hoghton Tower, Hothersall Hall, Ribbleton House, Singleton Park and West Cliff. Information about occupation, another measure of status, is supplied for only two of the parents: a clergyman and an army officer. There is more information on the later careers of 16 of the pupils: cotton merchant (5), lawyer (2), army officer (1), chief constable (1), civil engineer (1), farmer (1), land agent (1), MP (1), schoolmaster (1), writer (1), and William Pitt Miller is listed as living at Grange-over-Sands and following no profession. Only five pupils are shown to have gone on to university: Oxford (3) and Cambridge (2).

Harrow Registers

1799

Grenfell, Charles Pascoe, son of P. Grenfell, Esq., Taplow House, Taplow, Bucks. Entered 1799; left 1807-8. Ch. Ch. Oxf.; Copper Smelter; Director of the Bank of England; of Taplow Court, Bucks.; M.P. Preston, 1847-52 and 1857-67. Died March 21st, 1867. [1]

1858

Birley, Charles Addison (Mr. Middlemist’s), son of C. Birley, Esq., Bartle Hall, Preston. Left 1862. Of Bartle Hall; J.P. Lancs; Lieut.-Col. Lancs. Artillery Volunteers. Died Feb. 12th, 1908. [2]

1860

Ibbetson, Charles Villiers (Druries), son of Lieut.-Col. C. P. Ibbetson (O.H.), 34, Chester Terrace, N.W. Left 1864. Joined 54th Regt. 1866; transferred to 4th Dragoon Guards, 1870; retired as Capt.; Chief Constable of Lancs. 1909. Capt. C. V. Ibbetson, 38, West Cliff, Preston. [3]

Miller, Thomas Horrocks (Small Houses), son of T. Miller, Esq., Singleton Park, Poulton-le-Fylde, Preston. Left 1862. Manufacturer at Preston. T. H. Miller, Esq., as above. [4]

1861

Worsley, Henry Wilson (The Grove), son of J. Worsley, Esq., The Laund, Accrington. Monitor, 1865; left 1866. Exeter Coll. Oxf., B.A. 1870; Barrister, 1871; Q.C. 1891; Bencher, 1894; Recorder of Preston, 1893-8; M.P. N. Lancs. (Blackpool), 1900-6; J.P. and D.L. Lancs. (Chairman) Quarter Sessions; J.P. W. Riding Yorks.; assumed additional name of Taylor, 1881. H. W. Worsley-Taylor, Esq., K.C., Moreton Hall, Whalley, Lancs. [5]

1862

Birley, Aspinall (Mr. Middlemist’s), son of C. Birley, Esq., Bartle Hall, Preston. Died Feb. 4th, 1863. [Entered 1862]. [6]

1863

Miller, William Pitt (Small Houses), son of T. Miller, Esq., Singleton Park, Poulton-le-Fylde, Preston. Left 1865. Of Merlewood, Grange-over-Sands, Lancs.; no profession. Died Nov. 8th, 1893. [7]

1868

Birley, Edmund William (Mr. Rendall’s), son of E. Birley, Esq., Clifton Hall, Preston. Left 1871. Merchant. E. W. Birley, Esq., Hill Side, Kirkham, Lancs. [8]

1871

Tatton, Reginald Arthur (Mr. Watson’s), son of T. W. Tatton, Esq., Wythenshawe, Northenden, Cheshire. Left 1874. M.I.C.E.; late Chief Inspector to Mersey and Irwell Rivers Conservancy Board; J.P. Lancs. (High Sheriff, 1910). R. A. Tatton, Esq., Cuerden Hall, Preston. [9]

1873

Birley, Richard Moore (Mr. Kendall’s), son of E. Birley, Esq., Clifton Hall, Preston. Left 1875. Cotton Spinner and Manufacturer. R. M. Birley, Esq., Ribbleton House, Preston. [10]

Parker, Gerald Townley (Mr. Middlemist’s), son of Capt. R. T. Parker, Cuerden Hall, Preston. Left 1874. Died Feb. 2nd, 1892. [11]

1879

Gatty, Victor Herbert (H.B.), son of F. A. Gatty, Esq., Elmfield Hall, Accrington. Left 1883. Director of F. A. Gatty & Co., Khaki makers and exporters, Preston; J.P. Lancs.; Member of the Alpine Club. V. H. Gatty, Esq., Whiteholme, near Preston. [12]

1886

Openshaw, James (Small Houses and Mr. B. Smith’s), son of F. Openshaw, Esq., Hothersall Hall, Ribchester, Preston. Winner of Fencing in Public Schools’ Gym. Competition, 1890; left 1890. Trin. Coll. Camb., B.A. 1894; M.A. 1898; Barrister 1896; practising at Manchester; late Hon. Sec. O.H.F.C. J. Openshaw, Esq., 60, King Street, Manchester. [13]

1892

Robinson, Josslyn Alleyne (Small Houses and Mr. Stogdon’s), son of R. A. Robinson, Esq., South Lodge, Cockermouth. Left 1898. Land Agent. J. A. Robinson, Esq., Cuerden Lodge, Bamber Bridge, Preston. [14]

1894

de Hoghton, Cuthbert (The Head Master’s), son of Sir J. de Hoghton, 11th Bart. Monitor, 1897; left 1899. Magd. Coll. Oxf.; joined Coldstream Guards, 1902; retired 1904; late Lieut. 4th (Militia) Batt. Lincs. Regt. C. de Hoghton, Esq., Hoghton Tower, Preston. [15]

1897

Smith, Robert (Small Houses and Mr. Welsford’s), son of F. W. Smith, Esq., Woodville, Longridge, Preston. Left 1901. Engaged in Literary work. Robert Smith, Esq., c/o Bank of Australasia, Hobart, Tasmania. [16]

1898

Smith, Frederick James (Mr. Stogdon’s), son of F. W. Smith, Esq., Woodville, Longridge, Preston. Left 1902. Farming. F. J. Smith, Esq., Ellemford, Duns, N.B. [17]

1899

Spencer, Thomas Barton Winstanley (The Park), son of the Rev. T. B. Spencer, St. James’ Vicarage, Preston. Left 1902. Math. Scholar of Jesus Coll. Camb.; 14th Wrangler; B.A. 1905; Assistant Master at Wellington Coll. T. B. W. Spencer, Esq., Wellington College, Berks. [18]

1901

Smith, Sydney (Mr. Stogdon’s), son of F. W. Smith, Esq., Woodville, Longridge, Preston. Football XI. 1905; left 1905. Cotton Manufacturer. Sydney Smith, Esq., as above. [19]

1906

Whitehead, Ralph (Mr. Warner’s], son of Capt. A. Whitehead, Brindle Lodge, Hoghton, Preston. Left 1909 . Joined Scots Greys, 1910. [20]