William Freind
Encyclopedia
William Freind was an 18th-century Church of England
clergyman who was Dean of Canterbury
from 1760 to 1766.
He was the son of Robert Freind
, headmaster of Westminster School
and Jane, daughter of Samuel de L'Angle, prebendary of Westminster
. The family name was also spelled 'Friend'.
He was educated at Westminster School (1727) and then at Christ Church, Oxford
(1731; M.A. 1738).
In 1739 his father resigned the rectory of Witney
(Oxfordshire) in his favour.
In 1744 he was appointed a prebendary of Westminster Abbey and chaplain-in-ordinary to George II.
In 1747 he also became rector of Islip
near Oxford, with a dispensation to hold the rectory of Witney simultaneously.
He obtained the degrees of B.D. and D.D. in 1748.
From 1756 to 1760, he was Canon of the third prebend at Christ Church, Oxford, and from 1760 to his death Dean of Canterbury.
Freind was married to Grace, daughter of William Robinson (1675–1720).
Todd records that 'He was a great Lover of Music, which
he patronised and practised. Concerts at
the Deanery, in his time, were frequent;
and many of the Performers were the principal Gentlemen in Canterbury and the
neighbourhood.'
The English Short Title Catalogue
(ESTC) lists two publications: A sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, at St. Margaret’s Westminster, on Thursday, January 30, 1755. Being appointed to be observed as the Day of the Martyrdom of King Charles I. By William Freind, D. D. Prebendary of Westminster, and Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty (London, 1755); and Concio ad clerum in synodo provinciali Cantuariensis Provinciæ, habita ad D. Pauli die 6to Novembris, A.D. MDCCLXI. A Gulielmo Freind, ..., (Londini, 1761).
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...
clergyman who was Dean of Canterbury
Dean of Canterbury
The Dean of Canterbury is the head of the Chapter of the Cathedral of Christ Church, Canterbury, England. The office of dean originated after the English Reformation, and its precursor office was the prior of the cathedral-monastery...
from 1760 to 1766.
He was the son of Robert Freind
Robert Freind
Robert Freind , was headmaster of Westminster School.Freind eldest son of the Rev. William Freind , rector of Croughton, Northamptonshire, was born at Croughton in 1667, and at an early age was sent to Westminster School, where he was admitted upon the foundation in 1680...
, headmaster of Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
and Jane, daughter of Samuel de L'Angle, prebendary of Westminster
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
. The family name was also spelled 'Friend'.
He was educated at Westminster School (1727) and then 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...
(1731; M.A. 1738).
In 1739 his father resigned the rectory of Witney
Witney
Witney is a town on the River Windrush, west of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England.The place-name 'Witney' is first attested in a Saxon charter of 969 as 'Wyttannige'; it appears as 'Witenie' in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name means 'Witta's island'....
(Oxfordshire) in his favour.
In 1744 he was appointed a prebendary of Westminster Abbey and chaplain-in-ordinary to George II.
In 1747 he also became rector of Islip
Islip, Oxfordshire
Islip is a village and civil parish on the River Ray, just above its confluence with the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, England. It is about east of Kidlington and about north of Oxford. This village in Oxfordshire is not related to Islip, New York...
near Oxford, with a dispensation to hold the rectory of Witney simultaneously.
He obtained the degrees of B.D. and D.D. in 1748.
From 1756 to 1760, he was Canon of the third prebend at Christ Church, Oxford, and from 1760 to his death Dean of Canterbury.
Freind was married to Grace, daughter of William Robinson (1675–1720).
Todd records that 'He was a great Lover of Music, which
he patronised and practised. Concerts at
the Deanery, in his time, were frequent;
and many of the Performers were the principal Gentlemen in Canterbury and the
neighbourhood.'
The English Short Title Catalogue
English Short Title Catalogue
The English Short Title Catalogue or ESTC is a short title catalogue of works published between 1473 and 1800, mainly in Britain and North America, and primarily in English, from the collections of the British Library and other libraries....
(ESTC) lists two publications: A sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, at St. Margaret’s Westminster, on Thursday, January 30, 1755. Being appointed to be observed as the Day of the Martyrdom of King Charles I. By William Freind, D. D. Prebendary of Westminster, and Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty (London, 1755); and Concio ad clerum in synodo provinciali Cantuariensis Provinciæ, habita ad D. Pauli die 6to Novembris, A.D. MDCCLXI. A Gulielmo Freind, ..., (Londini, 1761).