At the end of Regent Street, there is a bronze statue of Rupert Brooke, a poet of World War I. Brooke was born in 1887 at the corner of Hillmorton Road and Church Walk. He then attended Rugby School and wrote some of his best-known poetry in the town.

An old photograph of Market Place, Rugby

An old photograph of houses on North Street, Rugby

An old photograph of Church Street, Rugby

An old photograph of Rugby Station, southern platform

An old photograph of Rugby

External photograph of the building – main entrance

Extract from Wetherspoon News Autumn 2018

The text reads: The English Poet Rupert Brooke (born 1887) is remembered in the name of this pub, which opened in August 2000.

His father was a housemaster at Rugby School, where he was a pupil, writing some of his poetry in the town.

However, he is best known for his patriotic and idealistic was sonnets, written early during World War I, especially ‘The Soldier’.

If I should die, think only this of me:
That there’s some corner of a foreign field
That is forever England…

After attending Cambridge University, Brooke studied in Germany and travelled in Italy, as well as to North America, New Zealand and the Pacific islands, returning home shortly before the outbreak of World War I.

He was commissioned into the Royal Naval Division and, in February 1915, after setting sail for the Dardanelles, developed septicaemia from a mosquito bite.

He died on 23 April 1915, on a hospital ship (off the Greek island of Skyros) and was buried in an olive grove on the island.

Artwork, with references to Brooke’s poetry, is on display at the pub.