Peter Peckard facts for kids

Peter Peckard (born around 1718, died 1797) was an important English leader. He was a Whig, which was a political group in Britain. He also served as the Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University, a high position at a famous university. Peckard was a minister in the Church of England and a strong supporter of ending slavery, known as an abolitionist.

From 1781, he was the Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, a leader of one of Cambridge's colleges. He became part of Cambridge in 1782 and was made vice-chancellor in 1784. He earned his Doctor of Divinity (DD) degree in 1785. Later, in 1792, he became the Dean of Peterborough, a senior role in the church.

Peter Peckard's Life Story

Peter Peckard was the son of Rev. John Peckard. He started his studies at Corpus Christi College, Oxford when he was 16 years old. He earned his first degree in 1738 and became a Master of Arts in 1742. In 1746, he became a priest in the Church of England.

He married Martha Ferrar in 1755. She was the daughter of Edward Ferrar, a lawyer. Peter Peckard held several church jobs. He was a vicar in Lincoln and a rector in Skelton.

Church Roles and Challenges

In 1760, Peckard was given two church positions at once: the rectory of Fletton and the vicarage of Yaxley. To hold both jobs, he needed special permission from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Secker. This was difficult to get because Peckard had some different ideas about what happens to people's souls after death and before resurrection.

He finally got the permission, but only after agreeing to change some of his views. One person joked that Peckard "escaped out of Lollard's tower with the loss of his tail," meaning he had to compromise.

In 1766, Peckard became a chaplain for the Grenadier Guards, a military group, and served with them in Germany. He kept his job at Fletton until he died, but he left Yaxley in 1777. He also held other church roles in Lincoln and Southwell. From 1777, he was rector of Tansor, and from 1793 to 1797, he was rector of Abbot's Ripton.

Leadership at Cambridge

In 1781, Peter Peckard became the Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge. This was a very important leadership role. He was appointed by John Griffin, who owned the Audley End estate and had the right to choose the Master.

He officially joined Cambridge University in 1782. In 1784, he was chosen as the vice-chancellor, a top leader of the entire university. He received his Doctor of Divinity degree in 1785. In 1792, he became the Dean of Peterborough.

Peckard built a new house for the church minister in Fletton. He died on December 8, 1797, and was buried in Peterborough Cathedral. He left some of his property to Magdalene College and also started two scholarships to help students.

Peter Peckard's Important Works

Peter Peckard was a strong voice against the slave trade. He spoke out against it in his sermons, especially after hearing about the terrible Zong Massacre in 1781. Some of his sermons were later published as small books or leaflets.

Fighting Against Slavery

When he became vice-chancellor at Cambridge, Peckard chose a very important topic for a Latin essay competition: "Is it lawful to enslave the unconsenting?" This question directly challenged the idea of slavery. The first prize for this essay went to Thomas Clarkson, who later became a famous leader in the movement to end slavery.

Peckard published many sermons that shared his liberal ideas. His later works especially focused on the terrible wrongs of slavery.

Published Writings

Some of Peckard's other important writings and sermons included:

• The popular Clamour against the Jews indefensible, published in 1753. This defended Jewish people against unfair criticism.
• A Dissertation on Revelation, chap. xi. ver. 13, published in 1756. In this, he argued that a Bible passage was a prophecy that came true with the 1755 Lisbon earthquake.
• The proper Stile of Christian Oratory, published in 1770. This book argued against overly dramatic speaking in church.
• National Crimes the Cause of National Punishments, published in 1795. This book talked about how national wrongdoings, especially the slave trade, could lead to problems for a country. It was very popular and went through three editions.

In 1776, he anonymously published a book called Subscription with Historical Extracts. In 1778, he wrote a pamphlet titled Am I not a Man and a Brother?, which was a famous anti-slavery slogan.

Peckard also published a book in 1790 called Memoirs of the Life of Mr. Nicholas Ferrar. This book was based on papers left to him by his father-in-law, Edward Ferrar.