Museum on the Move: Who was William Penny Brookes?

William Penny Brookes was born in Shropshire 200 years ago this year.
His life and work inspired the founding of the modern Olympic Movement.

Man of strong beliefs

William Penny Brookes was born in the town of Much Wenlock in 1809. His father was a local doctor and William and his two brothers followed in his footsteps. After studying medicine first in London, he travelled to France and Italy. By the time he returned home, his travels had led him to develop a set of strongly held opinions on public health and welfare. Brookes was a man of his period and class. Like many well educated middle class people with private means Brookes set about devoting much of his time towards putting his beliefs into action.

His legacy

Brookes was also a man ahead of his time. Today campaigners still believe sports and cultural opportunities are a vital part of education.

‘The death of Dr. Brookes will be exceptionally regretted by the labouring classes. For them, he had lived a life of incessant toil, day and night. He always kept himself abreast of and appreciated the wonderful advances of the Victorian era’.

Click below to download a pdf of the "Who was William Penny Brookes?" exhibition panel