Robert Pursglove facts for kids
Robert Pursglove (born 1504, died 1579) was an important English bishop in the 1500s. He was also known by the name "Sylvester." He is remembered for his work in education, especially for founding schools.
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Robert Pursglove's Early Life and Education
Robert Pursglove was born in a town called Tideswell in Derbyshire, England. His father was Adam Pursglove, and his mother's family name was Bradshawe. His uncle, William Bradshawe, helped him get a good education. Robert went to St Paul's School, London, where he studied for nine years.
After school, he decided to join a religious group called the Augustinian canons. He spent a short time at a place called St. Mary Overy, which was a priory (a type of monastery). Then, he went to Corpus Christi College, Oxford to continue his studies. He stayed in Oxford until about 1532.
Becoming a Religious Leader
Around 1534, Robert Pursglove became the Prior of Gisborough. A prior was the head of a priory. In 1538, the king chose him to be the suffragan Bishop of Hull. A suffragan bishop helps the main bishop in a large area.
In 1540, during a time when many monasteries were being closed down by the king (this was called the Dissolution of the Monasteries), Robert gave Gisborough Priory to the king. In return, he received a pension, which was like a regular payment.
Later Career and Challenges
In 1544, Robert Pursglove became the head of Jesus College, Rotherham. This college was later closed down early in the reign of King Edward VI. After that, he became the Archdeacon of Nottingham. An archdeacon is another important church official.
He continued to serve as the Bishop of Hull under two other bishops, Robert Holgate and Nicholas Heath. However, in 1559, he lost his job as bishop and archdeacon. This happened because he refused to take the oath of supremacy. This oath meant recognizing the English monarch (Queen Elizabeth I at the time) as the head of the church, instead of the Pope.
Founding Schools and His Legacy
Even after losing his church positions, Robert Pursglove continued to do good work. In 1559, Queen Elizabeth I gave him permission to start a grammar school in his hometown of Tideswell. A grammar school in those days taught subjects like Latin and Greek.
On June 5, 1563, he also got permission to start another similar school and a hospital (or almshouse, a place for poor people) in Guisborough.
Robert Pursglove spent his last years living partly in Tideswell and partly in Dunston. He passed away on May 2, 1579. He was buried in Tideswell church. His memorial shows him wearing the special robes of a bishop, which were allowed before Queen Elizabeth I changed church rules.
Today, a college in Guisborough, North Yorkshire, called Prior Pursglove College, is named after him. It is a sixth form college, which means it's for students after high school.
