John Jennings (tutor)
Encyclopedia
John Jennings was an English Nonconformist
minister and tutor of an early dissenting academy at Kibworth
, Leicestershire
, the original institution that became Daventry Academy
. Jennings through his teaching and pedagogic writings was a major influence on the Dissenting
educational tradition.
, Shropshire
, was educated at Christ Church, Oxford
and was ejected from the rectory of Hartley Wespall
, Hampshire
after the Act of Uniformity 1662
. The elder John Jennings was afterwards a private chaplain at Langton, near Kibworth, and founder of the independent congregation at Kibworth, where he purchased a small estate. A younger son, David Jennings
, became known as tutor of the Coward Trust academy in Wellclose Square
.
John Jennings was educated at Timothy Jollie
's academy at Attercliffe
, and succeeded his father as independent minister at Kibworth, where from 1715 he conducted a nonconformist academy. His students included Philip Doddridge
, who carried on the academy tradition in various locations; others were Sir John Cope and John Mason, the writer on ‘Self-Knowledge.’ In July 1722 Jennings became minister of the Presbyterian
congregation at Hinckley
, and moved his academy to that town, where a new meeting-house was immediately built for him. Next year he fell a victim to smallpox
, and died at Hinckley on 8 July 1723.
, writing in the Dictionary of National Biography
, describes John Jennings as more able and original than his brother David.
He published:
Posthumous was ‘Two Discourses,’ &c., 1723, (preface by Isaac Watts
); 4th edition, 1754. These were lectures on preaching; they were recommended by two bishops, and were translated into German.
. He left four children, Arthur, John, Francis, and Jane. John, ‘the wit of Doddridge's academy,’ was minister (ordained 12 August 1742) at St. Ives, Huntingdonshire, and left the ministry about 1756 from a failure of speech. Jane married John Aikin
, and became the mother of Anna Letitia Barbauld.
Nonconformism
Nonconformity is the refusal to "conform" to, or follow, the governance and usages of the Church of England by the Protestant Christians of England and Wales.- Origins and use:...
minister and tutor of an early dissenting academy at Kibworth
Kibworth
Kibworth is an area of the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England, that contains two civil parishes—the villages of Kibworth Beauchamp and Kibworth Harcourt . According to the 2001 census, Kibworth Beauchamp has a population of 3,798, and Kibworth Harcourt has a population of 990. The two...
, Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, the original institution that became Daventry Academy
Daventry Academy
Daventry Academy was a dissenting academy, that is, a school or college set up by English Dissenters. It moved to many locations, but was most associated with Daventry, where its most famous pupil was Joseph Priestley...
. Jennings through his teaching and pedagogic writings was a major influence on the Dissenting
English Dissenters
English Dissenters were Christians who separated from the Church of England in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.They originally agitated for a wide reaching Protestant Reformation of the Established Church, and triumphed briefly under Oliver Cromwell....
educational tradition.
Life
His father John Jennings (1634–1701), a native of OswestryOswestry
Oswestry is a town and civil parish in Shropshire, England, close to the Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5, A483, and A495 roads....
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, was educated at Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
and was ejected from the rectory of Hartley Wespall
Hartley Wespall
Hartley Wespall is a civil parish in the Basingstoke & Deane district of Hampshire, England. Its nearest town is Hook, which lies approximately 2.5 miles south-west from the hamlet....
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
after the Act of Uniformity 1662
Act of Uniformity 1662
The Act of Uniformity was an Act of the Parliament of England, 13&14 Ch.2 c. 4 ,The '16 Charles II c. 2' nomenclature is reference to the statute book of the numbered year of the reign of the named King in the stated chapter...
. The elder John Jennings was afterwards a private chaplain at Langton, near Kibworth, and founder of the independent congregation at Kibworth, where he purchased a small estate. A younger son, David Jennings
David Jennings (tutor)
David Jennings was an English Dissenting minister and tutor, known also as the author of Jewish Antiquities.-Life:He was the younger son of the ejected minister John Jennings , whose ministry to the independent congregation at Kibworth was continued by his elder brother John...
, became known as tutor of the Coward Trust academy in Wellclose Square
Wellclose Square
Wellclose Square lies in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, between Cable Street to the north and The Highway to the south.The western edge, now called Ensign Street, was previously called Well Street. The southern edge was called Neptune street. On the north side is Graces Alley, home to...
.
John Jennings was educated at Timothy Jollie
Timothy Jollie
Timothy Jollie, , was a nonconformist minister and notable educator in the north of England.-Biography:Timothy Jollie, son of Thomas Jollie, was born at Altham, Lancashire, about 1659. On 27 August 1673 he entered the dissenting academy of Richard Frankland at Rathmell, Yorkshire...
's academy at Attercliffe
Attercliffe
Attercliffe is an industrial suburb of northeast Sheffield, England on the south bank of the River Don.-History:The name Attercliffe can be traced back as far as an entry in the Domesday book -Ateclive- meaning at the cliffe, a small escarpment that lay alongside the River Don...
, and succeeded his father as independent minister at Kibworth, where from 1715 he conducted a nonconformist academy. His students included Philip Doddridge
Philip Doddridge
Philip Doddridge DD was an English Nonconformist leader, educator, and hymnwriter.-Early life:...
, who carried on the academy tradition in various locations; others were Sir John Cope and John Mason, the writer on ‘Self-Knowledge.’ In July 1722 Jennings became minister of the Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
congregation at Hinckley
Hinckley
Hinckley is a town in southwest Leicestershire, England. It has a population of 43,246 . It is administered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council...
, and moved his academy to that town, where a new meeting-house was immediately built for him. Next year he fell a victim to smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
, and died at Hinckley on 8 July 1723.
Pedagogy
The four years' course of study was documented by Doddridge, who comments on his tutor's thoroughness of method and liberality of spirit. Doddridge took Jennings's theological lectures as the basis of his own. Alexander GordonAlexander Gordon (Unitarian)
Alexander Gordon was an English Unitarian minister and religious historian. A prolific contributor to the Dictionary of National Biography, he wrote for it well over seven hundred articles dealing mainly with nonconformists....
, writing in the Dictionary of National Biography
Dictionary of National Biography
The Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...
, describes John Jennings as more able and original than his brother David.
He published:
- ‘Miscellanea in usum Juventutis Academicæ,’ &c., Northampton, 1721, a interesting handbook to the studies of his academy.
- ‘Logica in usum,’ &c., Northampton, 1721, includes a system of phonetic shorthand).
- ‘A Genealogical Table of the Kings of England,’ &c.
Posthumous was ‘Two Discourses,’ &c., 1723, (preface by Isaac Watts
Isaac Watts
Isaac Watts was an English hymnwriter, theologian and logician. A prolific and popular hymnwriter, he was recognised as the "Father of English Hymnody", credited with some 750 hymns...
); 4th edition, 1754. These were lectures on preaching; they were recommended by two bishops, and were translated into German.
Family
He was twice married, his second wife being Anna Letitia, daughter of Sir Francis Wingate, by Anne, daughter of Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of AngleseyArthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey
Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey PC was an Anglo-Irish royalist statesman. After short periods as President of the Council of State and Treasurer of the Navy, he served as Lord Privy Seal between 1673 and 1682 for Charles II...
. He left four children, Arthur, John, Francis, and Jane. John, ‘the wit of Doddridge's academy,’ was minister (ordained 12 August 1742) at St. Ives, Huntingdonshire, and left the ministry about 1756 from a failure of speech. Jane married John Aikin
John Aikin (Unitarian)
John Aikin was an English Unitarian scholar and theological tutor, closely associated with Warrington Academy, a prominent dissenting academy.-Life:...
, and became the mother of Anna Letitia Barbauld.