William Powell (Archdeacon of Colchester) facts for kids

William Samuel Powell (1717–1775) was an important scholar and priest in the 1700s. He held several key positions, including being the Vice-Chancellor (a top leader) of the University of Cambridge from 1765 to 1766. He was also the Archdeacon of Colchester, a senior church role, from 1766 until he passed away. In 1764, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society, a famous group for scientists and scholars.

Who Was William Powell?

William Powell was born on September 27, 1717, in Colchester, England. He was the older son of Reverend Francis Powell and Susan Reynolds. His mother's father, Samuel Reynolds, was a Member of Parliament for Colchester.

Early Education and College Life

William went to Colchester Royal Grammar School. Later, in 1734, he started studying at St John's College, Cambridge. He earned several degrees there: a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in 1739, a Master of Arts (M.A.) in 1742, and a Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) in 1749.

Powell's Career at Cambridge

William Powell had a very successful career at St John's College. He was a Fellow (a senior member), a tutor (teacher), a taxor (an official who set prices), and eventually the Master (the head) of the college.

Teaching and Church Work

In 1741, Powell became a private tutor for Charles Townshend, who was the second son of a powerful noble. At the end of that year, he became a deacon and then a priest. In 1742, he was given the job of rector (a church leader) for the churches in Colkirk and Stibbard in Norfolk.

He soon returned to Cambridge. After teaching as an assistant for two years, he became the main tutor in 1744. He was known for his calm and gentle manner. His friends at Cambridge included Thomas Balguy and Richard Hurd.

Becoming Master of St John's College

In 1760, Powell became a senior Fellow at his college. By 1761, he had inherited some money from a cousin, so he moved to London and left Cambridge. However, he was still very connected to the university.

On January 25, 1765, William Powell was chosen as the Master of St John's College. This was a big honor, and he spent the rest of his life leading the college. The next year, in 1766, he also became the Archdeacon of Colchester.

Changes and Contributions at College

As Master, Powell made some important changes. In 1768, he took over the college's church in Freshwater, Isle of Wight, which was a good source of income. He also gave money to the college for new buildings and to improve the gardens with the help of Capability Brown, a famous landscape designer.

He was very careful with the college's money. He also started college examinations in his first year, even writing the test papers himself. He helped many students with money and gave out prizes. He made sure every student was tested on parts of the Bible, like the Gospels or the Acts of the Apostles. He was very dedicated, attending chapel every morning at six o'clock.

Later Life and Passing

Around 1770, William Powell had a stroke. He passed away in his chair on January 19, 1775, from another stroke. He was buried in the college chapel. He never married.

What Did William Powell Write?

William Powell wrote several important works, and some of them caused debates.

Debates and Sermons

• In 1757, he published a sermon called A Defence of the Subscriptions required in the Church of England. In this sermon, he argued that the 39 Articles (important rules of the Church of England) were general and allowed for new ideas in theology. This caused a lot of discussion, and many people, like Francis Blackburne, disagreed with him.
• In 1760, there was a competition for a special math professorship. Powell supported a candidate from his own college and wrote anonymously to criticize another candidate's work. This led to a series of published arguments between Powell and the other scholar.

Other Writings

Powell also wrote:

• The Heads of a Course of Lectures on Experimental Philosophy (1746 and 1753), which was about science lectures.
• A pamphlet (a short book) in 1774, which was about why he didn't support yearly exams for the whole university.
• Discourses on Various Subjects (1776), a collection of his speeches and writings, published after he died. These were edited by his friend Thomas Balguy and were praised for being very smart.

Powell's Family

William Powell inherited his money from a cousin who had no children. His mother's family had connections to important people, including the Duke of Newcastle. The family owned estates in Essex, England. These properties, including land in Little Bentley and Wix, came to William Powell in 1760 when his cousin, Charles Reynolds, passed away without any children.