Alumni Cantabrigienses Biographies
 

The following biographies of clerics who have served at St James the Great, Thorley, have been extracted from Alumni Cantabrigiensis, compiled by John Venn (1834-1923), the logician and mathematician who described what are now known as Venn Diagrams, and his son John Archibald Venn (1883-1958). Their compilation, which was published in ten volumes between 1922 and 1954, lists all known students, graduates, and officers at the University of Cambridge from 1261 to 1900, with information from the University's own records and various other sources.

 

Edmund Brigatt
A friar. B.D. 1500-1; D.D. 1502-3. R. of Thorley, Herts., 1545-62; of Wiley, 1547-9; of Gt Hadham, Essex, 1548-62. Preb. of St Paul's, 1544-55.

 

John Aterton
College: TRINITY
B.A. 1539-40; M.A. 1545. Original fellow of TRINITY, 1546.

 

Christopher Tatham
College: ST JOHN'S
Entered: Easter, 1544
Matric. pens. from ST JOHN'S, Easter, 1544. Of Richmondshire. B.A. 1546-7; M.A. 1550. Fellow, 1549. R. of Thorley, Herts., 1573-94.

 

Francis Burley
College: ST CATHARINE'S
Entered: Lent, 1578
Died: 1619
Matric. sizar from ST CATHARINE'S, Lent, 1578-9. Migrated to Queens', 1581. B.A. from Pembroke, 1582-3; M.A. 1587; B.D. 1594; D.D. 1606-7. V. of Bishop's Stortford, Herts., 1590-1604. R. of Thorley, 1594-1619. R. of St Benet's, Paul's Wharf, 1604-12. Fellow of Chelsea College, 1610. Died 1619.

 

John Mountford
College: TRINITY
Entered: 1594
Matric. pens. from TRINITY, c. 1594; scholar from Westminster. S. of Thomas, D.D. of Oxford [his will, 1633; as of Tewin]. B.A. 1598-9; M.A. 1602; B.D. 1610; D.D. 1620. Preb. of St Paul's, 1618. R. of Thorley, Herts., 1619. V. of Ware, 1633-4. R. of Anstey, 1640; ejected, 1643. V. of Therfield, till 1643, ejected. Preb. of Ely, 1644-52. Died Mar. 1651-2. Buried at Tewin. M.I. Will, P.C.C. Brother of James (1584-5).

 

Robert Pory
College: CHRIST'S
Entered: 1625
Adm. pens. at CHRIST'S, Feb. 28, 1624-5. S. of Robert. B. in London. School, St Paul's (where he was a class-fellow of John Milton and went up with him to College). Matric. 1625; B.A. 1628-9; M.A. 1632; B.D. 1639; D.D. 1661 (Lit. Reg.). Burrell Rhetoric Lecturer, 1634-9. Incorp. at Oxford, 1663. Ord. priest (Ely) Sept. 24, 1637. R. of St Margaret, New Fish Street, 1640-3; ejected; restored, 1660. R. of Thorley, Herts., 1640-3; restored, 1660-2. Archdeacon of Middlesex, 1660-9. Chaplain to Archbishop Juxon. Preb. of St Paul's, 1660-9; Canon, 1662-9. Preb. of Chichester, 1660. R. of St Botolph, Bishopsgate, 1660-2; of Hollingbourne, Kent, 1662; of Much Hadham, Herts., 1662; of Lambeth, 1662. Died Nov. 20 (sic), 1669. Buried at St James', Clerkenwell. Will, P.C.C. (Peile, I. 365; D.N.B.; Al. Oxon.)

 

John Hallseter
College: CLARE
Entered: Michs. 1623
Matric. sizar from CLARE, Michs. 1623; B.A. 1627-8; M.A. 1631 . R. of Thorley, Herts, 1643 . One of these names R. of Little Laver, Essex, 1670 . Admon. (Cons. C. London) 1690; to s. John.

 

Edward Warren
College: TRINITY
Entered: 1649
Adm. sizar at TRINITY, May 3, 1649. Of Worcestershire. Matric. 1649; Scholar, 1651; B.A. 1652-3; M.A. 1656. One of these names minister at Thorley, Herts., in 1659.

 

Benjamin Soame
College: PETERHOUSE
Adm. pens. at PETERHOUSE, Feb. 19, 1619-20; B.A. 1627-8; M.A. 1632. R. of Thorley, Herts., in 1664; probably there till 1680. Died before Nov. 4, 1680. Will (Comm. Essex) 1680. Brother of Thomas (1604).

 

Thomas Turner
Entered: May 10, 1662
M.A. 1670 (Incorp. from Corpus Christi College, Oxford). S. of Thomas (1670), D.D., Dean of Canterbury. B. Sept. 1645, at Bristol. Matric. (Hart Hall, Oxford) May 10, 1662, age 16; B.A. (Oxford) 1665-6; M.A. 1669; B.D. 1677; D.D. 1683. Fellow of Corpus Christi, Oxford, 1672; President, 1687-1714. V. of Milton, Kent, 1672-95. R. of Thorley, Herts., 1680-9. Archdeacon of Essex, 1680-9. Canon of St Paul's, 1682-1714; of Ely, 1686. R. of Fulham, Middlesex, 1688-1714. Precentor of St Paul's, 1690. Chaplain to Compton, Bishop of London. Died Apr. 30 (? 29), 1714. Buried in Corpus Christi Chapel, Oxford. Will, P.C.C. Brother of Francis (1664-5) and William (1670). (Al. Oxon.; D.N.B.)

 

Thomas Beaumont
Entered: June 15, 1657
Died: 15 Jan 1710
Incorp. M.A. 1669, from New College, Oxford. Matric. there, June 15, 1657. S. of Sir Thomas, of Stoughton Grange, Bart. B.A. (Oxford) 1660; M.A. 1664. V. of Sawbridgeworth, Herts., 1673-8. V. of Gt Dunmow, Essex, 1678. Preb. of St Paul's, 1681. R. of Thorley, Herts., 1690. V. of High Easter, Essex, 1702. Died Jan. 15, 1710-1, aged 71. M.I. at Dunmow. (Al. Oxon.; Vis. of Midds., 1664.)

 

John Reynolds
College: ST CATHARINE'S
Entered: 1684
Died: 1728
Adm. sizar at ST CATHARINE'S, June 10, 1684, Matric. 1684; B.A. 1687-8; M.A. 1691. V. of Furneaux Pelham, Herts., 1689-1702. R. of Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, 1691-1728. R. of Thorley, Herts., 1710-28. Died 1728.

 

William Gibson
College: CLARE
Entered: 1719
Died: 28 Jul 1791
Adm. pens. at CLARE, May 20, 1719. B. at Grantham, Lincs. Matric. 1719. Migrated to Magdalene, as sizar, Nov. 18, 1720. LL.B. 1724. Ord. deacon (Lincoln) Feb. 21, 1724-5. One of these names R. of Gilston, Herts., 1741-3; also R. of Thorley, 1742-5. Died July 28, 1791. (G. Mag.; Cussans, I.)

 

Samuel Horsley
College: TRINITY HALL
Adm. pens. at TRINITY HALL, Oct. 24, 1751. S. of John, of St Martin's, Westminster, clerk. Scholar, 1753; LL.B. 1758. Incorp. at Oxford, 1767. D.C.L. (Oxford) 1774. R. of St Mary, Newington, Surrey, 1758-93. F.R.S., 1767. Secretary R.S., 1773. R. of Albury, Surrey, 1774-9. R. of Thorley, Herts., 1777-82. Archdeacon of St Albans, 1781-8. V. of South Weald, Essex, 1782-93. Preb. of St Paul's, 1783-94. Preb. of Gloucester, 1787-93. Bishop of St David's, 1788-93; of Rochester, 1793-1802. Dean of Westminster, 1793-1802. Bishop of St Asaph, 1802-6. Author, scientific and theological. Died at Brighton, Oct. 4, 1806. Buried in Newington, Surrey. (Al. Oxon.; D.N.B.)

 

John Cronkshaw
College: ST JOHN'S
Entered: Apr. 11, 1739
Adm. Fell.-Com. at ST JOHN'S, Oct. 17, 1760. S. of Leonard, of Hawlings, Lancs. Matric. (Brasenose College, Oxford) Apr. 11, 1739, age 18; B.A. (Oxford) 1742; M.A. 1759. V. of Broomfield, Essex, 1788. (Al. Oxon.)

 

William. Browne or Brown
College: CLARE
Entered: Easter, 1756
Born: 15 Apr 1738
Adm. pens. at CLARE, June 7, 1755. [S. and h. of Thomas, Esq., of Woolmores, formerly Garter King-at-Arms and an eminent land surveyor, who purchased Campfield Place, Herts., sold to the Earl of Rosebery in 1818.] B. [Apr. 15, 1738] at Hertingfordbury, Herts. Matric. Easter, 1756; B.A. 1760; M.A. 1763. R. of Silverton, Devon, in 1762-84. R. of Mamhead, 1763-6. R. of Rewe, 1765-80. Probably R. of Thorley, Herts., 1784-98. Married Anne, dau. of Sir Fitz William Barrington, Bart., of Barrington Hall, Essex, May 18, 1791. Died Mar. 6, 1819, aged 80. M.I. at Essendon. Father of William (1810). (Cant. Act Bk.; Clutterbuck, II. 131; Cussans, II, Pt II, 161; G. Mag., 1819, I. 285, 658.)

 

Thomas Pennington
College: TRINITY Entered: Michs. 1777
Died: 21 Dec 1853
More Information: Adm. pens. (age 14) at TRINITY, June 28, 1775. [Elder] s. of Thomas [Exeter College, Oxford, 1747; sometime R. of Kingsdown, Kent], of Deal (and Margaret, dau. of Nicholas Carter, D.D., R. of Woodchurch and Ham, Kent). Matric. Michs. 1777; Scholar, 1777; B.A. 1780. Migrated to Clare; M.A. 1783. Fellow of Clare. R. (and patron) of Kingsdown, Kent, 1786-1853. R. of Thorley, Herts., 1798-1853. Chaplain to the Countess of Bath, and later to Lord Chief Justice Ellenborough. ‘Of Deal, Kent and of Bledlow, Bucks.’ Author, Continental Excursions, and A Journey into Various Parts of Europe. Died Dec. 21, 1853, in Pimlico, aged 91, at the residence of his grandson, William C. F. Sparrow. (G. Mag., 1864, I. 551; Cussans, I. 107.)

 

Robert [Midgley] Gardner
College: ST JOHN'S
Entered: Michs. 1826
Died: 12 Jan 1843
Adm. pens. at ST JOHN'S, June 24, 1826. [Youngest] s. of Thomas, V. of Willen, Bucks. School, Christ's Hospital. Matric. Michs. 1826; B.A. 1830; M.A. 1835; C. of Fenny Stratford, Bucks. C. of Thorley, Herts. Died there Jan. 12, 1843, aged 34: ‘has left a widow and 4 children quite unprovided for.’ (G. Mag., 1843, I. 327; not found in Christ's Hospital Exhibitioners.)

 

Montague Pennington Sparrow
College: CLARE Entered: Michs. 1839
Died: 25 Apr 1884
Adm. pens. at CLARE, May 18, 1839. [S. of R. G., of Tottenham End, Middlesex.] B. in Florence. Matric. Michs. 1839; B.A. 1843; M.A. 1848. Ord. deacon (Canterbury) 1844; priest, 1845; C. of St George's, Deal, 1844-7. Domestic Chaplain to the Earl of Mornington. C. of Thorley, Herts., 1847-53. C. of High Laver, Essex, 1853-74. V. of Temple Grafton, Warws., 1874-84. Died Apr. 25, 1884. (The Guardian, Apr. 30, 1884; Crockford.)

 

Frederick Vander Meulen
College: TRINITY Entered: Michs. 1830
Died: 28 Sep 1882
Adm. pens. at TRINITY, Oct. 16, 1830. [Eldest s. of Frederick, of Bishop's Stortford, Herts. (and Rachel, dau. of William Thompson, Esq., of Bath). B. Apr. 5, 1812. School, Felsted.] Matric. Michs. 1830; B.A. 1835; M.A. 1838. Ord. deacon (Winchester) 1836; priest, 1837; C. of Rickmansworth, Herts., -1841. R. of Bow and Broad Nymet, Devon, 1841-53. R. (and patron) of Thorley, Herts., 1853-79. J.P. for Essex and Herts. Married, 1838, Georgiana Martha, elder dau. of Samuel Baldwin Harrison, Esq. Died Sept. 28, 1882. (Al. Felsted.; Crockford; Clergy List; Walford, County Families; Cussans, I. 107; The Guardian, Oct. 4, 1882.)

 

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