Masters of the College

The College’s 40th Master entered into office in October 2011. The first two (Chubbes and Eccleston) played an important part in the process of founding the College which was not completed until 1516 when it received its first statutes and its first Fellows (properly so called) were appointed. Since 1885 Masters have been elected by the Fellows, but previously they were appointed by the bishop of Ely, and almost invariably held the Mastership (which carried only a modest stipend) in conjunction with one or more other church offices among which it may not always have been regarded as the most important. Duties attaching to these church offices would, in the office-holder’s absence be undertaken by a paid deputy (in parishes by a curate), and those of the Mastership, at times when the Master was not resident, by a Fellow nominated by him (called the President). The first layman to be Master was elected in 1912, and since 1940 every Master has also been (or was previously) a professor or lecturer in the University. This list gives details of the offices held by a Master (a) immediately prior to his appointment or election, some or all of which he may have continued to hold while Master; (b) other offices held while Master; and (c) the reason (when not death) for his ceasing to be Master. Since 1986 Masters have been elected to hold office for ten years.

ODNB indicates that this Master has an entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

The College possesses portraits of Dr Sterne (1634 – 1660), Dr Gower (1679), Dr Ashton (1701 – 1752) and all succeeding Masters.

1497 – 1506	WILLIAM CHUBBES (a) Rector of Stapleford, Cambs. ODNB
1507 – 1516	JOHN ECCLESTON (a) Rector of Great Shelford, Cambs., and Chancellor of the diocese of Ely. ODNB
1516 (February to July)	THOMAS ALCOCK (a) Archdeacon of Ely and Rector of Bluntisham, Hunts. (c) resigns.
1516 – 1546	WILLIAM CAPON (a) Vicar of Great Shelford, Cambs.; Rector of St Mary Woolchurch, London; Chaplain to and (b) Almoner of Cardinal Wolsey; Dean of Cardinal College, Ipswich; Dean of Tettenhall, Staffs.; (c) resigned.
1546 – 1551	JOHN RESTON (a) Rector of Sible Hedingham, Essex; Prebendary of St Paul’s; Rector of St Augustine by St Paul’s, London.
1551 – 1557	EDMUND PIERPOINT (a) Fellow of Christs’; Vicar of Rattlesden, Suffolk; (b) Prebendary of Lincoln; Rector of Fen Ditton, Cambs.
1557 – 1558	JOHN FULLER (a) Chancellor and Canon of Ely; Prebendary of St Paul’s; Rector of Fen Ditton, and of Hildersham, Cambs. ODNB
1559 – 1560	THOMAS REDMAN (a) Chaplain to Bishop of Ely and Rector of Barley, Herts.; (c) deprived.
1560 – 1562	EDWARD GASCOYNE (a) Canon of Ely; Vicar-general of the diocese of Ely; (c) resigned.
1562 – 1563	JOHN LAKYN (a) Fellow of St John’s; Vicar of Impington, and Duxford St Peter, Cambs.; (c) deprived.
1563 – 1579	THOMAS ITHELL (a) Chancellor of the diocese of Ely, Canon of Ely; (b) Rector of Elm and Emneth, Cambs.
1579 – 1590	JOHN BELL (a) Rector of Fen Ditton, Cambs.; (b) Canon of Ely; (c) resigned on becoming Dean of Ely.
1590 – 1617	JOHN DUPORT (a) Son-in-law of Bishop of Ely; Rector of Harlton, Cambs. and Fulham, Middlesex, and Precentor of St Paul’s; (b) Prebendary of Ely. ODNB
1618 – 1632	ROGER ANDREWES (a) Brother of Bishop of Ely; Archdeacon of Chichester, Rector of Elm and Emneth, Cambs.; (b) Prebendary of Southwell, Ely, and Winchester; Rector of Cheriton, Hants.; (c) resigned – under royal pressure.
1632 – 1634	WILLIAM BEALE (a) Archdeacon of Carmarthen and Rector of Aberdaron; (c) resigned on becoming Master of St John’s. ODNB
1634 – 1644 and 1660	RICHARD STERNE (a) Fellow of Corpus Christi, Chaplain to Archbishop Laud and Rector of Harlton, Cambs.; (c) ejected 1644, restored 1660; resigned on becoming Bishop of Carlisle. ODNB
1644 – 1650	THOMAS YOUNG (a) Vicar of Stowmarket, Suffolk, Preacher at St James, Duke Place, London, and member of Westminster Assembly; (c) ejected 1650. ODNB
1650 – 1660	JOHN WORTHINGTON (a) Fellow of Emmanuel; (b) Rector of Gravely, Hunts. and Vicar of Fen Ditton, Cambs.; (c) deprived 1660. ODNB
1660 – 1662	JOHN PEARSON (a) Archdeacon of Surrey, Prebendary of Ely and Chaplain to the King; (b) Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity; (c) resigned on becoming Master of Trinity. ODNB
1662 – 1663	JOSEPH BEAUMONT (a) Son-in-law of Bishop of Ely, his Chaplain and Rector of Elm and Emneth, Cambs.; (c) resigned on becoming Master of Peterhouse. ODNB
1663 – 1679	EDMUND BOLDERO (a) Chaplain to Bishop of Ely and Rector of Glemsford and Harkstead, Suffolk; (b) Rector of Snailwell, Cambs. ODNB
1679 July to December	HUMFREY GOWER (a) Rector of Newton, Isle of Ely and of Fen Ditton, Cambs.; (c) resigned on becoming Master of St John’s. ODNB
1679 – 1701	WILLIAM SAYWELL (a) Chancellor of the diocese of Chichester; (b) Prebendary and Archdeacon of Ely, and Rector of Willingham, Cambs. ODNB
1701 – 1752	CHARLES ASHTON (a) Chaplain to Bishop of Ely and Vicar of Rattenden, Essex; (b) Prebendary of Ely. ODNB
1752 – 1758	PHILIP YONGE (a) Fellow of Trinity, Public Orator, Prebendary of Westminster and Vicar of Over, Cambs.; (b) Canon of St Paul’s, Rector of Therfield, Herts., (c) resigned on becoming Bishop of Bristol. ODNB
1758 – 1781	LYNFORD CARYL (a) Prebendary of Southwell, Vicar of All Saints’, Cambridge, and Registrary of University; (b) Vicar of Barnburgh, Yorks, Prebendary of Lincoln and of Canterbury.
1781 – 1789	RICHARD BEADON (a) Prebendary of St Paul’s and Archdeacon of London; Rector of Stanford Rivers and Orsett, Essex; (c) resigned on becoming Bishop of Gloucester. ODNB
1789 – 1820	WILLIAM PEARCE (a) Master of the Temple, London; Public Orator; Rector of Houghton; (b) Dean of Ely.
1820 – 1849	WILLIAM FRENCH (a) Fellow and Tutor of Pembroke College; Vicar of Cretingham, Suffolk and Rector of Moor Monkton, Yorkshire and Canon of Ely. ODNB
1849 – 1885	GEORGE ELWES CORRIE (a) Fellow and Tutor of St Catharine’s, Norrisian Professor of Divinity, Chaplain to Bishop of Ely; (b) Rector of Newton-in-the-Isle, Cambs. ODNB
1885 – 1912	HENRY ARTHUR MORGAN (a) Fellow and Senior Tutor of Jesus.
1912 – 1940	ARTHUR GRAY (a) Fellow, Senior Tutor and Vice-Master of Jesus.
1940 – 1945	WYNFRID LAURENCE HENRY DUCKWORTH (a) Fellow of Jesus and Emeritus Reader in Anatomy; (b) Bursar and Steward; (c) retired. ODNB
1945 – 1959	EUSTACE MANDEVILLE WETENHALL TILLYARD (a) Fellow of Jesus and University Lecturer in English; (c) retired.
1959 – 1973	DENYS LIONEL PAGE (a) Fellow of Trinity and Regius Professor of Greek; (c) retired. ODNB
1974 – 1986	ALAN HOWARD COTTRELL (a) Chief Scientific Adviser, H.M. Government; formerly Goldsmith’s Professor of Metallurgy; (c) retired.
1986 -1997	ANDREW COLIN RENFREW (a) Fellow of St John’s and Disney Professor of Archaeology; (c) expiry of tenure.
1997 – 2000	DAVID GEORGE CRIGHTON (a) Fellow of St John’s and Professor of Applied Mathematics.
2001 – 2011	ROBERT JAMES MAIR (a) Fellow of St John’s and Professor of Geotechnical Engineering; (c) expiry of tenure.
2011 -	IAN HUGH WHITE (a) Fellow of Jesus and van Eck Professor of Engineering (b) Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Cambridge