John Sherren Brewer
Encyclopedia
John Sherren Brewer was an English
clergyman, historian
and scholar. He was a brother of E. Cobham Brewer, compiler of Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable.
schoolmaster. He was educated at Queen's College, Oxford
, ordained in the Church of England
in 1837, and became chaplain to a central London workhouse
. In 1839 he was appointed lecturer in classical literature at King's College London
, and in 1858 he became professor of English language
and literature
and lecturer in modern history, succeeding FD Maurice. In 1854, Maurice invited him to teach at the newly opened Working Men's College
; from 1869 to 1872 he was the College's Vice Principal.
work on the Morning Herald
, Morning Post
and Standard
. In 1856 he was commissioned by the Master of the Rolls
to prepare a calendar of the state papers of King Henry VIII
, work demanding a vast amount of research. He was also made Reader, and subsequently Preacher
, at the Rolls Chapel. In 1877 Benjamin Disraeli
obtained for him the crown living of Toppesfield
, Essex. There Brewer had time to continue his task of preparing his Letters and Papers of the Reign of King Henry VIII, the Introductions to which (published separately, under the title The Reign of Henry VIII, in 1884) form a scholarly and authoritative history of Henry VIII
's reign. New editions of several standard historical works were also produced under Brewer's direction.
This entry was originally from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
clergyman, historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and scholar. He was a brother of E. Cobham Brewer, compiler of Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable.
Birth and education
Born in Norwich, the son of a BaptistBaptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
schoolmaster. He was educated at Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, founded 1341, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Queen's is centrally situated on the High Street, and is renowned for its 18th-century architecture...
, ordained in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
in 1837, and became chaplain to a central London workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
. In 1839 he was appointed lecturer in classical literature at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, and in 1858 he became professor of English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
and lecturer in modern history, succeeding FD Maurice. In 1854, Maurice invited him to teach at the newly opened Working Men's College
Working Men's College
The Working Men's College- WMC, being among the earliest adult education institutions established in the United Kingdom, is Europe's oldest extant centre for adult education and perhaps one of its smallest...
; from 1869 to 1872 he was the College's Vice Principal.
Journalism and history
From 1854 onwards, he combined these duties with journalisticJournalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
work on the Morning Herald
Morning Herald
The Morning Herald was an early daily newspaper in the United Kingdom.The newspaper was founded in 1780 by the Reverend Sir Henry Bate Dudley, former editor of The Morning Post. It was initially a liberal paper aligned with the Prince of Wales, but later became aligned with the Tories...
, Morning Post
Morning Post
The Morning Post, as the paper was named on its masthead, was a conservative daily newspaper published in London from 1772 to 1937, when it was acquired by The Daily Telegraph.- History :...
and Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
. In 1856 he was commissioned by the Master of the Rolls
Master of the Rolls
The Keeper or Master of the Rolls and Records of the Chancery of England, known as the Master of the Rolls, is the second most senior judge in England and Wales, after the Lord Chief Justice. The Master of the Rolls is the presiding officer of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal...
to prepare a calendar of the state papers of King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, work demanding a vast amount of research. He was also made Reader, and subsequently Preacher
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
, at the Rolls Chapel. In 1877 Benjamin Disraeli
Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield
Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, KG, PC, FRS, was a British Prime Minister, parliamentarian, Conservative statesman and literary figure. Starting from comparatively humble origins, he served in government for three decades, twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom...
obtained for him the crown living of Toppesfield
Toppesfield
Toppesfield is a small village, historically associated with arable farming, in north Essex, England.-Inhabitants:Toppesfield has approximately three-hundred inhabitants...
, Essex. There Brewer had time to continue his task of preparing his Letters and Papers of the Reign of King Henry VIII, the Introductions to which (published separately, under the title The Reign of Henry VIII, in 1884) form a scholarly and authoritative history of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
's reign. New editions of several standard historical works were also produced under Brewer's direction.
Primary sources
- Letters and papers, foreign and domestic, of the reign of Henry VIII: preserved in the Public Record Office, the British Museum and elsewhere, Volume 1 edited by John S. Brewer, Robert H. Brodie, James Gairdner. (1862), full text online vol 1; full text vol 3
This entry was originally from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.