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In 1567 Lawrence Sheriff took the first steps towards creating history. He left a bequest in his Will to establish a school to educate the boys of Rugby and Brownsover. That is how Rugby School began, with a gift of £50 and an orchard in Bloomsbury.
450 years on, the orchard is now a charming and independent-spirited area of London centred on Lamb’s Conduit Street, known and managed as the Rugby Estate. Lawrence Sheriff’s original investment continues to generate income which is used to fund bursaries at Rugby School for day students.
Today, your legacy gift can have a lasting impact on future generations at Bilton Grange or Rugby School by helping to build a new endowment for the Arnold Foundation and the Earle Fund to provide bursaries for boarding students at Rugby School and Bilton Grange.
Six years after making our own pledge to honour 450 of Rugby’s legacy donors and pledgers with a plaque on The Close, we have installed a set of beautiful monoliths near the entrance to the Lewis Gallery with the names of hundreds of Rugbeians, parents and friends of the School. The monoliths are witness to extraordinary generosity, recognising not only the value but also the impact of legacy gifts. In addition to the names on display, there are many more who remain anonymous.
We understand that you will want to ensure that your family and loved ones are looked after first and foremost, but it is simple to add Rugby School or Bilton Grange as an additional beneficiary. We suggest that you consider giving a percentage of your estate, rather than a specific amount so that the value of your gift will not be diminished by inflation. Even 1% of your estate can be a significant gift.
There may be significant tax advantages if you are a UK tax payer, but we do recommend that you consult a solicitor before you make your decision. You may find that a Letter of Wishes can be helpful as a temporary step until you next make changes to your Will. Although it is not legally binding, your executors should be able to fulfil your wishes.
Notes on legacies for Bilton Grange or the Earle Fund
Bilton Grange is now a part of the charity Rugby School charity. Therefore, your legacy gift should be given to Rugby School General Charitable Trust, using the charity number 528756, and Bilton Grange must be specified in the wording of your Will, your Codicil or your Letter of Wishes.
The Earle Fund is held as a Restricted Fund within the Arnold Foundation, so your legacy gift should be given to the Arnold Foundation for Rugby School, Charity Number 1095856, specifying that it should be directed to the Earle Fund at Bilton Grange.
Key Information
The Arnold Foundation for Rugby School
UK Charity Number 1095856
Rugby School Bursary, 10 Little Church Street, Rugby. CV21 3AW
Rugby School General Charitable Trust
UK Charity Number 528756
Rugby School Bursary, 10 Little Church Street, Rugby. CV21 3AW
All legacy gifts to Rugby School or the Arnold Foundation, unless otherwise specified, are invested in the expendable endowment of the Arnold Foundation for Rugby School. If you leave a gift to Bilton Grange, it will be invested in the Earle Fund unless you leave specific instructions otherwise.
If you wish to make a specific bequest, we would be more than happy to discuss your plans. All Legacy pledgers and donors to Rugby School and the Arnold Foundation become members of the Charles Shorto Legacy Society, and plaque on The Close with the names of those who have agreed to be published will be installed later this year.
We welcome all those who have included a gift to Rugby School or the Arnold Foundation in their Will to the Charles Shorto Legacy Society. With over 400 members, we are confident that we will make a significant impact on the lives of pupils at Rugby School long into the future.
In this year, while Rugby School celebrates the bicentenary of rugby football, we plan to instal a plaque on The Close with the names of all the Society’s members. If you would like to ensure your name is on the plaque, please do contact me via the School by phone on 01788 566139 or email.
Thank you for joining us in our commitment to the future success of Rugby School.
Adrian Fox (M 75-79)
President, Charles Shorto Legacy Society
We welcome all those who have included a gift to Rugby School or the Arnold Foundation in their Will to the Charles Shorto Legacy Society. With over 400 members, we are confident that we will make a significant impact on the lives of pupils at Rugby School long into the future.
In this year, while Rugby School celebrates the bicentenary of rugby football, we plan to instal a plaque on The Close with the names of all the Society’s members. If you would like to ensure your name is on the plaque, please do contact me via the School by phone on 01788 566139 or email.
Thank you for joining us in our commitment to the future success of Rugby School.
Adrian Fox (M 75-79)
President, Charles Shorto Legacy Society
