807 REV. THOMAS KERRICH, F. S. A. The Rev. Thomas Kerrich, M. A. F.S.A. Principal Librarian of the University of Cambridge, Prebendary of the Cathedrals of Wells and Lincoln, and Vicar of Dersingham, Norfolk, was descended from a Norfolk family of great respectability, and which has been particularly productive of ministers of religion *. * Of these the following notices have been collected: The Rev. John Kerrich, son of John, of Mendham in Norfolk, was admitted a Scholar of Corpus Christi college, Cambridge, in He took the degree of B. A. in 1684, and died Rector of Sternfield in Suffolk May 14, 1691, aged 28. 1681. John Kerrich, M. D. was a Fellow of Caius college, Cambridge, (M. B. 1717, M. D. 1722); and he had a son John, also of Caius college, B. A. 1728, M. A. 1732, and who was instituted Rector of Banham in Norfolk in 1735. His son, the Rev. Thomas Kerrich, also of Caius college, B. A. 1758, was presented to the Vicarage of Tibenham in 1759, and to Banham in 1772, and retained both those livings until his death in 1812. The Rev. Charles Kerrich, Curate of Redenhall, became in. 1749 Vicar of Kenninghall and Vicar of Wicklewood in 1750. He published in 1746 a Fast Sermon on 1 Kings, xii. 10, 11. 8vo. One of the name became Rector of Winfarthing in 1749, and died in 1774. The Rev. Thomas Kerrich, of Trinity hall, Cambridge, LL.B.. 1780, died Rector of Great and Little Horningsheath, Jan. 10, 1814, aged 71. More eminent than any of the above was the Rev. Walter Kerrich, who was Fellow of Catherine hall, Cambridge, B. A. 1758, being the fifth Senior Optime of that year, and. obtaining the second Chancellor's and second Browne's medals, M. A. 1761. He was presented to the Rectory of St. Clement's, Eastcheap, London, in 1760; to the Vicarage of Chigwell, Essex, in 1765; to the Curacy of Stratford-sub-Castro by the Dean and Chapter of Sarum in 1789; and died in possession of those preferments, and of a Residentiary Canonry of Salisbury, in 1803. He published "A Sermon preached at the Cathedral Church at Sarum. London, 1780," 4to; and "Fast Sermon, on Joel, ii. 12, 13. 1781," 4to. a His son, the Rev. Walter John Kerrich, was formerly Fellow of New college, Oxford, M. A. 1795. He was presented by Bishop Douglas, in 1792, to the Prebend of Alton Australis in His father, the Rev. Samuel Kerrich, was educated at St. Paul's School, London; admitted Scholar of Corpus Christi college, Cambridge, in 1714, and elected a Fellow in 1719. He proceeded B.A. 1717, M. A. 1721; was presented by the College to the Vicarage of St. Bene't, Cambridge, in 1726, which he resigned in 1729 for that of Dersingham in Norfolk; and was presented to the Rectory of Woolferton in 1731. In 1735, on proceeding to his Doctor's degree, he published a Sermon preached before the University on 1 Pet. iv. 10, 8vo, and in 1746, "A Sermon preached in the Parish Churches of Dersingham and Woolferton, in the County of Norfolk, on Thursday, Oct. 9, 1746, being the day appointed for a General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the suppression of the late unnatural Rebellion, &c. Ps. cxxiv. 7. Cambridge, 1746," 8vo. Dr. Kerrich" had been engaged," says Cole, "in the former part of his life, to a young person at Cambridge of the name of Newton, who left him her fortune and estate, and for whom he composed an epitaph in Bene't churchyard, Cambridge." He the Cathedral Church of Salisbury; and by his College, in 1818, to the Rectory of Paulerspury, Northamptonshire. He married, at East Hendred, Berkshire, May 23, 1823, Emma-Elizabeth, daughter of C. W. Wapshare, of Salisbury, Esq.; and is living 1830. * "On an altar-tomb of white marble," says Blomefield, in his Collectanea Cantabrigiensia, "neatly adorned with a marble urn at top, and railed in with iron palisadoes: M. S. Saræ filiæ Samuelis Newton, Sorore, Sororisque Filio, luctibusque heu nimium indulgens, quam per xxx annos castè ac pudicè egerat, was afterwards twice married, first to Jane, daughter of the Rev. John Kitchingman, Master of the Free School at Cambridge, who with her first infant died soon after its birth; and secondly, to a daughter of the Rev. Matthew Postlethwayte, Archdeacon of Norwich *. ix Febii Ao D'ni. MDCCXXIV. placidè discessit, nisi fallit animus, Charissimæ Virginis reliquias subter hoc tumulo depositas voluit, qui ardebat vivam, mortuam deflet." The singular case of mortality to which this inscription alludes, is thus particularized on an adjoining altar-tomb: "Samuel Newton died Sept. 27, æt. 64, ao 1718. Here also lie 9 of his children, 6 sons and 3 daughters; and also Eliz. his daughter, wife to Benj. Watson, ob. Febr. 2, 1721, æt. 36. Here also lyes Eliz. wife of Mr. Sam. Newton, ob. 21 Aug. 1723, æt. 56. Benj. Watson died March 6, 1717, æt. 47; his daughter Sarah, and Samuel their son, ob. Feb. 12, 1723, æt. 22." *The Rev. Matthew Postlethwayte, born at Millom in the County of Cumberland, was educated at St. Paul's school, London, by his worthy uncle the Rev. John Postlethwayte, of whom there is a full memoir in Knight's Life of Dean Colet, pp. 384 -387. He was admitted at Corpus Christi college, Cambridge, under Mr. Kidman, April 3, 1699; and on the 23d of June following he was appointed by the Master to Dr. Spencer's Scholarship, which he resigned upon his removal to St. John's college, Dec. 28, 1702. He there proceeded B. A. 1702, M. A. 1706, went into Holy Orders, and became Vicar of the Shotteshams in Norfolk in 1708. He was likewise instituted in 1714 to the Rectory of Denton in that county, the patronage of which his uncle (who died Sept. 26, 1713) had purchased of the Duke of Norfolk, and bequeathed to the use of Merton college, the place of his education, with £.200 for repairing and adorning the chancel. This was expended by his nephew and executor with a considerable addition of his own (see Knight's Life of Colet, ubi supra); and who also built an elegant and spacious parsonage-house upon the glebe, notwithstanding his own estate abutted upon it, and the advowson was given away from the family,-a benefaction which was supposed to have cost him at the least £.2000. He also gave in 1714 .200 to augment the Vicarage of Millom, the Their son, the Rev. Thomas Kerrich, was of Magdalen college, Cambridge; and in 1771, having place of his nativity. He published in 1715, a Sermon on Heb. v. 12, preached at the School-feast; and in 1718, another on Acts, xxvi. 9, intituled, "The Moral Impossibility of Protestant Subjects preserving their Religious or Civil Liberties under Popish Princes, who act according to the Laws, Ecclesiastical or Civil, made against Protestants by the Church of Rome. Preached at Norwich Cathedral, Nov. 5, 1710." His first wife was Elizabeth, daughter of the Rev. Robert Rogerson, M. A. his predecessor in the Rectory of Denton, by Barbara, daughter of William Gooch, of Mettingham, Esq. and his second, Matilda, her cousin-german by the mother, and a sister to Thomas Gooch, D. D. who, when Bishop of Norwich, collated Mr. Postlethwayte to that Archdeaconry, July 13, 1742, and a few months after to the Rectory of Redenhall cum Harlston. He enjoyed these additional preferments, however, but for a short time, dying in 1745; when he was buried in the church of Denton, and the following epitaph was written for him by his sonin-law Dr. Kerrich: H.S.E. Matthæus Postlethwayte, A. M. Hujus Ecclesiæ multos per annos vigilans Rector, ædes in proximo firmæ pariter et elegantes, Latinis Græcisque literis penitùs imbutus, [Primis nuptiis uxorem duxit Elizabetham Roberti Rogerson, A. M. hujus Ecclesiæ quondam Rectoris filiam, D. D. Thomæ Episcopi Norwicensis sororem, in that year taken the degree of B. A. with the rank of second Senior Optime, was elected one of Worts's Travelling Bachelors *. He was at the same time tutor to Mr. John Pettiward, Fellow Commoner of Trinity college, the eldest son of Dr. Roger Mortlock, afterwards Pettiward, a Fellow of that College, and Chancellor of Chichester, who changed his name from Mortlock to Pettiward on a very large fortune being left him by an unclet. Mr. Kerrich travelled with his pupil through France and the Low Countries, settled at Paris for six months, and at Rome for two years. The extent perantiquâ familia oriundam. Elizabetha reliquit Joannem filium, [The parts within crotchets are omitted on the monument.] His son John Postlethwayte, was of Merton college, and from gratitude to their benefactor his great-uncle, and respect to his father, that Society, immediately on his father's death, recommended him to the Archbishop of Canterbury as a successor to Denton, which living he held united with that of Thelton in the same county. * At this period the Rev. William Cole thus addressed "Mr. Alban Butler at the English-college in St. Omer's, Artois : "DEAR SIR, Milton near Cambridge, Nov. 17, 1771. "The bearer, a friend of mine, Mr. Kerrich, one of the Fellows of Magdalen college in this University, setting off on his travels on Tuesday, with a design to pass this winter at Brussels, I thought that I could not show him a greater mark of my friendship than by introducing him to the knowledge of a person who does so much credit to the English name abroad, at the same time that I was desirous to testify to you my unalterable esteem, with my gratitude for the very kind and hospitable reception that I met with in your College. Mr. Kerrich is lately chosen Fellow of his House, and since that elected by the University into one of the Travelling Fellowships, founded among them, for a certain term of years. He is an ingenious young man, a brother antiquary, and a most excellent draftsman. If," &c.-To Mr. Cole's copy of this letter is appended this note: "This is the last letter I wrote to this honest, worthy, and learned man, who died about May, 1773. Mr. Kerrich made no use of it, not going through St. Omer's, or not calling on Mr. Butler." + Restituta, vol. IV. p. 407. Ibid. vol. III p. 79. |