Busby, Richard (1606 -1695)

Richard Busby, headmaster of Westminster School, was the second son of Master Richard Busby, who was born in Lutton (Sutton St Nicholas) in Lincolnshire, and educated at Westminster. He was also educated at Westminster School and then at Christ Church, Oxford, where he matriculated 10 February 1626, aged 18, was elected to a Studentship and graduated B.A. in 1628, and M.A. in 1631. He took orders and obtained the Prebend and Rectory of Cudworth in Somerset, and was appointed Master of Westminster School in 1640. In 1660 the King gave him a Prebend in the Church of Westminster and in the same year he took his D.D. He was also Treasurer and Canon Residentiary of Wells, and published a number of textbooks for use in Westminster School. He was many times a benefactor of Westminster Abbey, the black and white marble pavement of the choir of which he paid for, and of the school, for which he built a library. He made many gifts to charity secretly, and built a church on his estate at Willen in Buckinghamshire, in which he included a library building. In a codicil to his will he left his books to be divided between `the library belonging to the Kings School at Westminster built and fitted by me at my own great costs and charges and also some other part thereof as may be fit for the use of the Ministry to be placed in the library belonging to the Church at Willen in the county of Bucks built also by me at my own charge.' A few of the books which he bequeathed under this codicil have his arms or crest. A catalogue of books in the Library of Willen in the county of Bucks, partly the gift of Dr Richard Busby, A.D. 1695, for the use of the Vicar or Resident Minister for the time being, and partly bequeathed by the Rev. Mr Hume, Rector of Bradwell was printed at Newport Pagnell in 1848. Before 1895 the books were moved from the church to the vicarage, but they were all destroyed in a fire on 1st May 1946.