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Born – 03 March 1793, London. 

Entered Rugby School - 1803

Boarding House - Birch (site of four western Almshouses, Church St.)

Head Masters - Henry Ingles and John Wooll

House Master – Rev. W Birch

Left Rugby School – c1809

Famous for – being a Shakespearian actor, he performed in plays including Macbeth, King Lear and Anthony and Cleopatra. When New Big School was turned into a theatre in the 1970s it was named after him.

Died - 27 April 1873, Cheltenham Gloucestershire.

LAST VISIT OF W. C. MACREADY, by Matthew Bloxam, The Meteor March 22 1884 

“During the five years and a half Mr. W. C. Macready was at Rugby, he had risen from the last but two in the School, to a high position in the Sixth Form. He was then under sixteen years of age. On his return home for the holidays of the winter, 1808-9, he was not at first apprised of the financial difficulties under which his father was labouring from the unsuccessful issue of a theatrical adventure. On this being made known to him, and to relieve his father, he abandoned his intention of returning to Rugby, and his long-cherished hopes of success at the Bar and resolved upon taking up the stage as a profession. He did not, however, make his appearance on any regular stage till the 7th of June 1810, he being then early in his 18th year, when the play-bill of the Birmingham Theatre, in announcing the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, gave out “the part of Romeo by a young gentleman, being his first appearance on any stage.’’ On this occasion his old master at Rugby, Dr. Wooll, posted in his carriage to Birmingham to see him act, returning after the performance was over in tune for first lesson the following morning.”