Career
The name Harper (or Harpur) is mentioned around 1500 in connection with families from Bedford and Biddenham. We know little detail about the life of William. It seems likely that he attended the school in what is now Mill Street, Bedford, then School Lane. It is not certain whether he was a tailor. He was certainly a shrewd businessman. He went to London and was admitted to the guild of Merchant Taylors in 1533. There he would have come into contact with the leading citizens of the day. We know that in 1553 he was elected alderman for the ward of Bridge Without and, three years later, he was elected alderman of the more prestigious ward of Dowgate in preference to three other candidates, one of whom was Thomas Gresham. It had become the custom, after the dissolution of the monasteries, to appoint aldermen as governors to the royal hospitals. Harpur was treasurer of St Bartholomew's Hospital. He served as Sheriff of the City of London from 1556–1557, and became Lord Mayor of London in 1561. In 1562 he was knighted by the Queen.
It was at this time that he arranged Bedford’s endowment. On 30 September 1562 he bought 13 acres of land and 3 roods of meadow for £180 13s at Holborn, which was just a little way outside the expanding city of London, and therefore this was a good investment. On 22 April 1566 he and Dame Alice conveyed the purchase to Bedford corporation.
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