Harvard House facts for kids
Harvard House is a special old building located at 26 High Street in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. It was built way back in 1596! This house is famous because it was once owned by the family of John Harvard. He was the person who helped start Harvard University in the United States. For many years, this house was known as the Ancient House. Since 1990, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has looked after the house for Harvard University.
Who Built Harvard House?
Harvard House was built in 1596 by a man named Thomas Rogers. He was the grandfather of John Harvard. You can even see Thomas Rogers' initials, along with his second wife Alice's, carved into the front of the house. The year 1596 is also carved there. This shows that it was a separate home, even though Thomas Rogers also owned the buildings next door.
Thomas Rogers was about 60 years old when he built the house. He was a very successful businessman. He worked as a butcher and also bought and sold corn and cattle. He was an important person in Stratford-upon-Avon, serving as an "Alderman." An Alderman was like a town council member. He even worked alongside John Shakespeare, who was the father of the famous writer William Shakespeare!
A Family Home
When Thomas Rogers passed away in 1611, he left the house to his oldest son from his second marriage, who was also named Thomas. This younger Thomas had a job called a "maltster." A maltster makes malt, which is an important ingredient for brewing beer.
After Thomas the maltster died in 1639, the house went to his son, Edward Rogers. Edward worked as a bookbinder, someone who puts books together.
New Owners and Uses
In the mid-1600s, Edward Rogers sold Harvard House to a blacksmith named John Capp. A blacksmith is a person who works with metal. The Capp family continued to run their blacksmith business from the house until about 1725.
After the Capps, the house was rented out to many different people over the years. In the early 1730s and 1760s, booksellers used it. From 1734 to 1747, a plumber lived there. Then, from 1782 to 1801, several ironmongers (people who sell metal goods) rented the house.
Later, tailors named Thomas and Harvey Williams had their business there until 1871. After them, the building became an office for an estate agent, someone who helps people buy and sell houses.
Saving Harvard House
In 1909, a famous English writer named Marie Corelli lived in Stratford-upon-Avon. She had a great idea and strongly supported it: she suggested that an American millionaire named Edward Morris buy the house. Edward Morris, who was from Chicago, bought the house.
After buying it, Edward Morris spent a lot of time and money making sure the house was fixed up and looked good again. This process is called restoration. Once it was restored, he gave the house to Harvard University. That's when it officially became known as Harvard House!
