Richard Aldworth (Reading MP) facts for kids

Richard Aldworth was an important English politician who lived from about 1614 to 1680. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Reading and fought as a Royalist soldier during the English Civil War. He lived in Berkshire, at a place called Stanlakes in Hurst St Nicholas, and later at Stanlake Park in Ruscombe.

It's important to know that there were two famous people named Richard Aldworth around the same time! The Richard Aldworth we are talking about, the MP, was not the one who founded the famous Blue Coat schools in Reading and Basingstoke. That was a different Richard Aldworth, an older relative who lived from 1576 to 1648. We'll learn more about both of them here.

The crest of Reading Blue Coat School.

Stanlake Manor, Berkshire

Early Life and Family

Richard Aldworth was born around 1614. His father, also named Richard Aldworth, lived in Wargrave, Berkshire. His mother was Amy Persons. In 1637, young Richard studied law at a place called Middle Temple in London. When his father passed away in 1638, Richard took over the family estate.

Richard Aldworth married Anne Gwynn by 1646. She was the daughter of William Gwynn from Windsor, Berkshire. Together, they had a large family: six sons and six daughters.

Fighting in the Civil War

The English Civil War was a big conflict in England between 1642 and 1646. Richard Aldworth joined the Royalist army, which supported King Charles I.

A Royalist Soldier

In 1642, he became a captain in the Royalist army's horse (cavalry) division. By 1643, he was an auditor for the army, helping to manage its finances. He became a major by 1644.

Key Battles

Richard Aldworth fought in important battles, including the Second Battle of Newbury and a battle in Bristol. After the war, he had to pay a fine to the new government because he had fought against them. He even escaped to the Netherlands for a while before returning to England in 1650.

A Career in Politics

After the king was restored to power in 1660, Richard Aldworth became very active in public life.

Local and National Roles

He became a Justice of the Peace (J.P.) for Berkshire in 1660. A J.P. is a local official who helps keep the peace and deals with minor legal matters. He also helped manage taxes and became a secretary to the Archbishop of Canterbury, a very important religious leader.

In 1661, Richard Aldworth was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Reading. This meant he represented the people of Reading in the English Parliament, helping to make laws for the country. He continued to serve as an MP until 1679.

Other Public Duties

Throughout his career, he held many other important positions. He was an auditor for land revenues in northern England and a commissioner for various tasks, including helping loyal but poor officers. He also served as a Deputy Lieutenant, helping to organize local defense.

Richard Aldworth passed away on October 5, 1680, when he was about 66 years old. He was remembered with a memorial in his local church.

The Other Richard Aldworth: School Founder

As mentioned earlier, the Richard Aldworth who was the MP for Reading was not the one who founded the famous Blue Coat schools. That was an older relative, also named Richard Aldworth (1576–1648).

Founding the Blue Coat Schools

This older Richard Aldworth was a wealthy man from London. In his will, written in 1646, he set up a charity to create two schools. One was the Reading Blue Coat School for 24 boys, and the other was the Basingstoke Blue Coat School for 8 boys. The boys at these schools wore special blue coats, just like the students at Christ's Hospital in London.

Legacy of the Founder

The founder Richard Aldworth's mother, Jane South, came from Basingstoke, which might be why he chose to help boys there. His charity still exists today as Aldworth's Educational Trust, providing small grants to young people in the Basingstoke area. This Richard Aldworth died in London in 1648 and was buried there.

Images for kids

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  The crest of Reading Blue Coat School. The arms of the Aldworth family have an extra dagger in the empty space of the shield.

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  Stanlake Manor, Berkshire