Background
Thomas Rowley was born in Middleton Scriven in Shropshire in 1796.
Thomas Rowley was born in Middleton Scriven in Shropshire in 1796.
He was educated at Shrewsbury and at Christ Church, Oxford, from where he obtained a Bachelor (1819), Bachelor's Degree and Doctor of Divinity (1839).
In 1821, when Rowley was twenty-four years old, he was appointed Headmaster of in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, on the recommendation of the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford. Under Doctor Rowley"s leadership "s reputation increased. Doctor Rowley"s success as a teacher of the Classics soon attracted boarders (housed in the Headmaster"s House in Street Leonard"s Close) from far and near.
His pupils included not only Bridgnorth boys, but also those from further afield.
The numbers rose to about 150. and Review Osborne Gordon, the influential Oxford don.
Doctor Rowley"s successors after 1850 had not his ability, and accordingly the School"s numbers and reputation, and their own emoluments, declined. The East Window of the Street Leonard"s Church in Bridgnorth was replaced in memory of Doctor Rowley.
Rowley House (red), one of the Bridgnorth Endowed School"s three houses, is named after Doctor Rowley.
Rowley joined the Canterbury Association on 10 April 1851 as a committee member. He purchased land from the association in Canterbury, New Zealand. He was chosen as the Dean-designate for the yet to be built ChristChurch Cathedral, but he never came out to the colony.
His appointment upset Bishop Selwyn, and the proposed cathedral chapter was dropped again until the cathedral was built.
Rowley"s sons John Cotton Rowley and Thomas Rowley emigrated to New Zealand. John remained in New Zealand.
He was a member of the Canterbury Association, was Dean-designate for the yet to be built ChristChurch Cathedral in Christchurch, New Zealand, but he never emigrated. In 1841 Doctor Rowley was attacked by some members of the Town Council who complained of the treatment of the day-boys by the boarders and of the "s concentration on the Classics. But the Bridgnorth Borough Treasurer wrote in Rowley"s defence that the day-boys can hardly not have benefited from the specialist teachers whom Rowley was able to engage.
Distinguished former pupils of Doctor Rowley included Bishop James Fraser, the reforming Bishop of Manchester, Lord Lingen, the influential civil servant, Henry John Roby, the classical scholar, writer on Roman law and Member of Parliament, Review
Robert William Eyton, Rector of Ryton and author of The Antiquities of Shropshire. Thomas, who emigrated in 1853, became a Member of Parliament, but returned to live in Guernsey.