William Frere

William Frere by George Clint

William Frere (28 November 1775 – 25 May 1836), was an English lawyer and academic, a law-serjeant and Master of Downing College, Cambridge.

Life[]

Frere was the fourth son of John Frere of Roydon, South Norfolk, and younger brother of John Hookham Frere. He was born 28 November 1775, but spent much of his childhood at the house of his uncle John Fenn and aunt Ellenor Fenn whom he later described as 'looking up to my uncle and aunt as parents.'^[1] He was sent to Felsted School and Eton College, and in 1796 obtained a scholarship at Trinity College, Cambridge.^[2] In the same year he was elected to the , and subsequently won several university honours, among them the senior chancellor's medal. He graduated fifth senior optime in 1798. In 1800 he became fellow of the newly founded Downing College.

He was called to the bar, and joined the Norfolk circuit in 1802. He was serjeant-at-law in 1809, and three years later was elected Master of Downing College, his appointment being unsuccessfully contested at law. In 1823 he edited the final fifth volume of Paston Letters begun by his uncle in 1787.

He was made recorder of Bury St. Edmunds in 1814, and in 1819 became vice-chancellor of Cambridge University. He lived for part of each year on an estate which he bought at Balsham, Cambridgeshire. He proceeded LL.D. at Cambridge 1825, and D.C.L. at Oxford 1834.

In 1826 he quit the bar. He died 25 May 1836.

Works[]

He edited, with additions, Baron Glenbervie's Reports of Cases, 1813, and the fifth volume of the Paston Letters from the manuscript of Sir John Fenn (Original letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III. by various persons of rank or consequence; containing many curious anecdotes, relative to that period of our history, 5. vols. (1787–1823).

Some Latin and Greek verse by Frere was published with William Herbert's Fasciculus Carminum stylo Lucretiano scriptorum, 1797.

Family[]

He married in 1810 Mary, daughter of Brampton Gurdon Dillingham. Philip Howard Frere was their son. During Frere's time, chiefly through his wife, Downing College was a social centre at Cambridge.

References[]

^ 'Advertisement containing notices of the life of John Fenn,' in J. Fenn, Original letters ... vol.5. (1823) p.ix.
^ "Frere, William (FRR793W)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Frere, William". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

Academic offices
Preceded by Francis Annesley	Master of Downing College, Cambridge 1812–1836	Succeeded by Thomas Worsley

show v t Masters of Downing College, Cambridge
Francis Annesley William Frere Thomas Worsley William Lloyd Birkbeck Alexander Hill Frederick Howard Marsh Albert Seward Herbert Richmond Lionel Whitby William Keith Chambers Guthrie Morien Morgan John Butterfield Peter Mathias David King Stephen Fleet Barry Everitt Geoffrey Grimmett Alan Bookbinder

show v t Vice-Chancellors of the University of Cambridge
15th century	John Dolman
16th century	John Fisher William Buckenham John Watson John Edmunds Henry Bullock John Edmunds William Buckmaster John Watson Simon Heynes John Crayford Francis Mallet George Day William Buckmaster John Edmunds Francis Mallet John Edmunds John Edmunds Sir Thomas Smith John Madew Matthew Parker John Madew William Bill Matthew Parker Walter Haddon John Madew Andrew Perne Edward Hawford Edwin Sandys John Young William Glyn Cuthbert Scott Andrew Perne John Pory Edmund Cosyn Andrew Perne Henry Harvey Edward Hawford Robert Beaumont John Stokes Robert Beaumont Roger Kelke Richard Longworth John Young John May John Whitgift Roger Kelke Thomas Bynge John Whitgift Andrew Perne John Still Roger Goad Richard Howland Thomas Bynge Andrew Perne William Fulke Richard Howland Robert Norgate Humphrey Tindall John Copcot Thomas Legge Thomas Nevile Thomas Preston Robert Soame Thomas Legge John Still John Duport Roger Goad John Jegon Robert Soame John Jegon
17th century	John Duport John Cowell Richard Clayton Samuel Harsnett Roger Goad Thomas Jegon John Duport Barnabas Gooch (or Goche) Valentine Cary Clement Corbet Samuel Harsnett Owen Gwyn John Richardson William Branthwaite John Gostlyn Robert Scott Samuel Ward Leonard Mawe Jerome Beale Thomas Paske John Gostlyn Henry Smyth Thomas Bainbridge Matthew Wren Henry Butts Thomas Comber Benjamin Lany Richard Love William Beale Henry Smyth Thomas Comber Ralph Brownrigg John Cosin Richard Holdsworth Ralph Brownrigg Thomas Hill John Arrowsmith Anthony Tuckney Thomas Horton Benjamin Whichcote Samuel Bolton Richard Minshall Lazarus Seaman John Lightfoot Theophilus Dillingham John Worthington John Bond William Dillingham Henry Ferne Henry Ferne Edward Rainbowe William Dillingham James Fleetwood Anthony Sparrow Francis Wilford John Howorth James Fleetwood Edmund Boldero James Duport John Breton Robert Mapletoft William Wells John Spencer Edmund Boldero Isaac Barrow Thomas Holbech Francis Turner John Eachard Humphrey Gower Nathaniel Coga John Copleston Henry James William Saywell John Peachell John Balderston Hon. John Mountague John Covel James Johnson Charles Roderick Gabriel Quadring George Oxenden William Stanley Thomas Browne John Eachard Henry James Sir William Dawes Thomas Green Richard Bentley
18th century	Charles Ashton George Bramston Sir John Ellys Bardsey Fisher John Balderston Edward Lany John Covel Charles Roderick Sir Nathaniel Lloyd Gabriel Quadring John Adams Thomas Green Thomas Sherlock Daniel Waterland Sir Thomas Gooch Thomas Crosse Andrew Snape John Davies Robert Lambert John Frankland Robert Lambert Matthias Mawson Roger Long William Richardson John Whalley Edward Hubbard Robert Smith William George Kenrick Prescot George Henry Rooke Edmund Castle Francis Parris Thomas Chapman Edmund Keene Philip Yonge Hugh Thomas Edmund Law John Sumner John Green Lynford Caryl Sir James Burrough George Sandby Robert Plumptre Peter Godard William Elliston John Barnardiston William Samuel Powell John Smith Sir James Marriott John Hinchliffe William Richardson John Sumner James Brown Lynford Caryl Hon. Barton Wallop Richard Farmer John Chevalier Hugh Thomas Robert Plumptre William Colman Lowther Yates John Barker Richard Beadon John Torkington Peter Peckard Joseph Turner Sir James Marriott William Elliston Richard Farmer Francis Barnes William Pearce William Craven Thomas Postlethwaite Isaac Milner William Colman Lowther Yates Philip Douglas Richard Fisher Belward Robert Towerson Cory Humphrey Sumner William Lort Mansel William Gretton
19th century	Joseph Proctor Humphrey Sumner Martin Davy John Torkington Joseph Turner William Pearce Francis Barnes Edward Pearson Isaac Milner Philip Douglas Thomas Browne John Davie Robert Towerson Cory William Chafy George Thackeray John Kaye James Wood William Webb George Neville William Frere Christopher Wordsworth William French Henry Godfrey John Lamb Thomas Le Blanc Joseph Proctor Christopher Wordsworth Martin Davy Gilbert Ainslie William Chafy George Thackeray John Graham William Webb Joshua King William French George Archdall Gilbert Ainslie Thomas Worsley William Hodgson Ralph Tatham John Graham George Archdall William Whewell William Hodgson Robert Phelps Ralph Tatham Henry Philpott Robert Phelps Henry Wilkinson Cookson James Cartmell George Corrie Richard Okes James Pulling Thomas Charles Geldart Edwin Guest William Whewell Henry Philpott William Henry Bateson Latimer Neville George Phillips Edward Atkinson Henry Wilkinson Cookson James Cartmell William Hepworth Thompson Edward Atkinson John Power Henry Wilkinson Cookson Samuel George Phear Edward Atkinson John Power Edward Perowne James Porter Norman Macleod Ferrers Charles Swainson Charles Taylor Charles Edward Searle Henry Montagu Butler John Peile Augustus Austen Leigh Charles Smith Alexander Hill William Chawner
20th century	Adolphus Ward Frederic Chase Edward Anthony Beck Ernest Stewart Roberts Arthur James Mason Robert Forsyth Scott Stuart Alexander Donaldson M. R. James Thomas Cecil Fitzpatrick Arthur Shipley Peter Giles Edmund Pearce Albert Seward George Weekes Thomas Cecil Fitzpatrick Allen Beville Ramsay Will Spens J. F. Cameron Godfrey Wilson Henry Roy Dean Ernest Alfred Benians John Archibald Venn Thomas Shirley Hele Henry Thirkill Charles E. Raven Sydney Castle Roberts Sir Lionel Whitby Henry Willink Brian Downs Edgar Adrian Herbert Butterfield Ivor Jennings John Boys Smith Arthur Armitage Eric Ashby Owen Chadwick William Alexander Deer Jack Linnett Rosemary Murray Alan Cottrell Peter Swinnerton-Dyer Harry Hinsley John Butterfield Richard Adrian, 2nd Baron Adrian Michael McCrum
Full-time	Sir David Williams Sir Alec Broers Dame Alison Richard Sir Leszek Borysiewicz Stephen Toope

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