Biography
Bloxam's father was an assistant master at Rugby School. He was educated at Elborow School before attending Rugby himself between 1813 and 1820. In 1821 he was articled to a solicitor but he did not find success in the profession when he went into practice on his own account. In 1831 he became clerk of the court and held the post for 40 years.
He is remembered as an antiquarian on Rugby and the local area, in 1836 he successfully located the Roman town of Tripontium near Rugby. His work was published in two books and many journal articles though many of his conclusions are now thought doubtful, his collection of archaeological finds still exists.
His Principles of Gothic Architecture, first published in 1829, was described by Charles Locke Eastlake as "a small but well digested volume admirably adapted for the use of amateurs". It proved popular, reaching a tenth edition by 1859. A German edition was published in 1847, and a much expanded three-volume eleventh edition in 1882.
He lived in what is now the Percival Guildhouse, while his brother ran a boarding school next door in what became the public library. A new library replaced the old one in 2000 and a life-size statue of Bloxham engaged in his archaeological work greets visitors to the Rugby museum located in the new library complex.
Read more about this topic: Matthew Bloxam
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