Stephen Perse

Stephen Perse (1548 – 30 September 1615) was an English academic and philanthropist.

He was probably educated at Norwich School, and took his B.A. degree at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge in 1569, where he was elected to a fellowship. Ordained in 1573, he was subsequently permitted to change his fellowship to "physick" and took the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1581.

Perse amassed a fortune of around £10,000, probably from profits on business loans. He gave money to the University library, for the establishment of the road now known as Maid’s Causeway, and for the public water supply from the springs at Nine Wells to Cambridge along the stream now known as Hobson’s Conduit.

In his will, Perse gave a significant sum of money for the establishment of "a Grammar Free Schoole", and adjoining almhouses for six poor widows. The school was to teach five score scholars born in Cambridge, Barnwell, Chesterton or Trumpington, with some of the boys able to proceed to scholarships at Gonville & Caius College.