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William Frere

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William Frere
William Frere byGeorge Clint
Born(1775-11-28)28 November 1775
Died25 May 1836(1836-05-25)(aged 60)
EducationFelsted School,Essex, England
Alma materTrinity College, Cambridge
Occupation(s)Lawyer and academic
Spouse
Mary Dillingham
(m.1810)
ChildrenPhilip Howard Frere
Augusta Frederica Frere
Parents
RelativesJohn Hookham Frere(brother)
John Fenn(uncle)

William Frere(28 November 1775 – 25 May 1836), was an English lawyer and academic, alaw-serjeantand Master ofDowning College, Cambridge.

Life

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Frere was the fourth son ofJohn FrereofRoydon, South Norfolk,and younger brother ofJohn Hookham Frere.He was born 28 November 1775, but spent much of his childhood at the house of his uncleJohn Fennand auntEllenor Fennwhom he later described as 'looking up to my uncle and aunt as parents.'[1]He was sent toFelsted SchoolandEton College,and in 1796 obtained a scholarship atTrinity College, Cambridge.[2]In the same year he was elected to theCraven scholarship,and subsequently won several university honours, among them the senior chancellor's medal. He graduated fifthsenior optimein 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 wasserjeant-at-lawin 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 ofPaston Lettersbegun by his uncle in 1787.

He was made recorder ofBury St. Edmundsin 1814, and in 1819 becamevice-chancellor of Cambridge University.He lived for part of each year on an estate which he bought atBalsham, 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

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He edited, with additions,Baron Glenbervie'sReports of Cases,1813, and the fifth volume of thePaston Lettersfrom the manuscript of SirJohn 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 withWilliam Herbert'sFasciculus Carminum stylo Lucretiano scriptorum,1797.

Family

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He married in 1810 Mary, daughter of Brampton Gurdon Dillingham. They had at least two children:Philip Howard Frere(1813–1868) and Augusta Frederica Frere (1824–1888).[3]During Frere's time, chiefly through his wife, Downing College was a social centre at Cambridge.

References

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  1. ^'Advertisement containing notices of the life of John Fenn,' in J. Fenn,Original letters...vol.5. (1823) p.ix.
  2. ^"Frere, William (FRR793W)".A Cambridge Alumni Database.University of Cambridge.
  3. ^"Births, Marriages, and Deaths".The Belfast News-Letter.Vol. 151, no. 22772. 29 June 1888.

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

Academic offices
Preceded by Master ofDowning College, Cambridge
1812–1836
Succeeded by