William Cooke (Provost of King's College)

William Cooke
William Cooke, 1798 engraving by Sylvester Harding
Church	Church of England
Diocese	Dean of Ely
Installed	1780
Term ended	1797
Predecessor	Hugh Thomas
Successor	William Pearce
Other post(s)	Provost of King's College, Cambridge
Personal details
Born	(1711-10-15)15 October 1711 St. James's, Westminster
Died	20 October 1797(1797-10-20) (aged 86) Bath
Spouse	Catherine Sleech
Education	Harrow School
Alma mater	Eton College

William Cooke (1711–1797) was an English cleric and academic, Provost of King's College, Cambridge from 1772 and Dean of Ely from 1780.

Life

He was born in St. James's, Westminster, 15 October 1711. He was sent to Harrow School in 1718, and then Eton College in 1721. In 1731 he became a scholar, and in 1734 a Fellow, of King's College, Cambridge. He graduated B.A. in 1735.^[1]

Soon after graduating Cooke became an assistant-master at Eton. In May 1743 he was unanimously elected head-master, but found his health too weak for the place, and in 1745 took the college living of Sturminster-Marshall, Dorset. In 1748 he was elected fellow of Eton College, and resigned Sturminster on being presented to the rectory of Denham, Buckinghamshire; he was also bursar of Eton. In 1765 he proceeded D.D., and was appointed chaplain to George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax. In 1768 he accepted the rectory of Stoke Newington.^[2]

On 25 March 1772 Cooke was unanimously elected Provost of King's College, Cambridge. He was vice-chancellor of the university in 1773. In April 1780 he received a prebend in Ely Cathedral, and on 9 August was appointed to the deanery.^[2]

Cooke died at Bath 20 October 1797.^[2]

Works

Cooke published some sermons, and in 1732 a small (anonymous) collection of poems called Musæ Juveniles, including a Greek tragedy on King Solomon, called Sophia Theēlatos. In one of the sermons (1750), on the meaning of the expression in the second Epistle of St. Peter, "a more sure word of prophecy", he contributed to the Middletonian Controversy, defending Thomas Sherlock against Conyers Middleton.^[2]

Cooke composed an epitaph for himself in a south vestry of King's College Chapel, attributing whatever he had done to the munificence of Henry VI.^[2]

Family

Cooke married Catherine, daughter of Richard Sleech, canon of Windsor, in January 1746, and had by her twelve children. The eldest daughter Elizabeth Anne married Benjamin Way; the second daughter, Catherine, married Samuel Hallifax, whose epitaph was written by Cooke. One of his sons, Edward Cooke, became secretary at war in Ireland. Another son, William Cooke, was fellow of King's College, Cambridge, professor of Greek at Cambridge from 1780 to 1792, and rector of Hempstead-with-Lessingham, Norfolk, from 1785 until his death, 3 May 1824.^[3]^[2]

References

^ "Cooke, William (CK730W)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Stephen 1887.
^ Samuel Johnson (14 July 2014). The Letters of Samuel Johnson, Volume III: 1777-1781. Princeton University Press. p. 3 note 2. ISBN 978-1-4008-6213-9.

Attribution

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Stephen, Leslie (1887). "Cooke, William (1711-1797)". In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 12. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 100–101.

Academic offices
Preceded by William George	Head Master of Eton College 1743–1745	Succeeded by John Sumner
Preceded by John Sumner	Provost of King's College 1772–1797	Succeeded by Humphrey Sumner
Church of England titles
Preceded by Hugh Thomas	Dean of Ely 1780–1797	Succeeded by William Pearce

v t Deans of Ely
Early modern	Robert Steward Andrew Perne John Bell Humphrey Tyndall Henry Caesar/Adelmare William Fuller William Beale Richard Love Henry Ferne Edward Martin Francis Wilford Robert Mapletoft John Spencer John Lambe John Wickart Charles Roderick Robert Moss John Frankland Peter Allix Hugh Thomas William Cooke
Late modern	William Pearce James Wood George Peacock Harvey Goodwin Charles Merivale Charles Stubbs Alexander Kirkpatrick Lionel Blackburne Patrick Hankey Michael Carey Allan Shaw William Patterson Michael Higgins Michael Chandler David Pritchard (Acting) Mark Bonney

Provosts of King's College, Cambridge

v t Vice-Chancellors of the University of Cambridge
15th century	Thomas Ashwell Henry Stockton Nicholas de Swaffham Nicholas Gay William Millington John Roclyffe Thomas Stoyle William Uttyng William Smyth Edmund Conisborough Thomas Stoyle William Towne Thomas Tuppin John Riplingham John Camberton William Rawson William Stockdale John Dolman Henry Rudd John Smith John Smith Henry Babington
16th century	John Fisher Humphrey Fitzwilliam Geoffrey Knight John Smith Richard Burton John Eccleston William Robson William Buckenham Thomas Thompson John Fawne John Eccleston Robert Dowsing Edmund Natares John Watson Edmund Natares Thomas Stackhouse John Edmunds Thomas Green Henry Bullock Edmund Natares John Edmunds William Buckmaster John Watson Simon Haynes John Crayford Francis Mallet George Day William Buckmaster John Edmunds Francis Mallet Richard Standish John Edmunds Richard Standish John Edmunds Sir Thomas Smith John Madew Matthew Parker John Madew William Bill Matthew Parker Walter Haddon John Madew Andrew Perne Edward Hawford Edwin Sandys John Young William Glyn Cuthbert Scott Andrew Perne John Pory Robert Brassey Edmund Cosyn Andrew Perne Henry Harvey Philip Baker Francis Newton Edward Hawford Robert Beaumont John Stokes Robert Beaumont Roger Kelke Richard Longworth John Young John May John Whitgift Roger Kelke Thomas Byng John Whitgift Andrew Perne John Still Roger Goad Richard Howland Thomas Byng John Hatcher Andrew Perne William Fulke John Bell Richard Howland Robert Norgate Humphrey Tindall John Copcot Thomas Legge Thomas Nevile Thomas Preston Robert Some Thomas Legge John Still John Duport Roger Goad John Jegon Robert Some John Jegon
17th century	John Duport William Smith John Cowell Richard Clayton Samuel Harsnett Roger Goad Thomas Jegon John Duport Fogge Newton Barnabas Gooch (or Goche) Valentine Cary Clement Corbet Samuel Harsnett Owen Gwyn John Hills John Richardson William Branthwaite John Gostlin Robert Scott Samuel Ward Leonard Mawe Jerome Beale Thomas Paske John Mansell John Gostlin Henry Smyth Thomas Bainbridge Matthew Wren Henry Butts Thomas Comber Benjamin Lany Richard Love William Beale Henry Smyth Thomas Comber Ralph Brownrigg John Cosin Richard Holdsworth Ralph Brownrigg Thomas Hill John Arrowsmith Anthony Tuckney Thomas Horton Benjamin Whichcote Samuel Bolton Richard Minshull Lazarus Seaman John Lightfoot Theophilus Dillingham John Worthington John Bond William Dillingham Henry Ferne Henry Ferne Edward Rainbowe William Dillingham James Fleetwood Anthony Sparrow Francis Wilford John Howorth James Fleetwood Edmund Boldero James Duport John Breton Robert Mapletoft William Wells John Spencer Edmund Boldero Isaac Barrow Sir Thomas Page Thomas Holbech Francis Turner John Eachard Humphrey Gower Nathaniel Coga John Copleston Henry James Samuel Blyth William Saywell John Peachell John Balderston John Montagu John Covel James Johnson Charles Roderick Gabriel Quadring George Oxenden William Stanley Thomas Browne John Eachard Henry James Sir William Dawes Thomas Green Richard Bentley
18th century	Thomas Richardson Charles Ashton George Bramston Sir John Ellys Bardsey Fisher John Balderston Edward Lany John Covel Charles Roderick Nathaniel Lloyd Gabriel Quadring John Adams Thomas Green Thomas Sherlock Daniel Waterland William Grigg Sir Thomas Gooch Thomas Crosse Andrew Snape William Savage John Davies Joseph Craven Robert Lambert John Frankland Robert Lambert Matthias Mawson Charles Morgan Roger Long William Towers John Adams John Wilcox William Richardson John Whalley Edward Hubbard Sir Edward Simpson William Sedgwick Robert Smith William George Kenrick Prescot George Rooke Edmund Castle Francis Parris Thomas Chapman Edmund Keene John Wilcox Philip Yonge Hugh Thomas Edmund Law John Sumner John Green Lynford Caryl Sir James Burrough George Sandby Robert Plumptre Peter Godard William Elliston John Barnardiston William Samuel Powell John Smith Sir James Marriott John Hinchliffe William Richardson John Sumner James Brown William Cooke Lynford Caryl Hon. Barton Wallop Richard Farmer John Chevallier Hugh Thomas Robert Plumptre William Colman Lowther Yates John Barker Richard Beadon John Torkington Peter Peckard Joseph Turner Sir James Marriott William Elliston Richard Farmer Francis Barnes William Pearce William Craven Thomas Postlethwaite Isaac Milner William Colman Lowther Yates Philip Douglas Richard Fisher Belward Robert Cory Humphrey Sumner William Lort Mansel William Gretton
19th century	Joseph Proctor Humphrey Sumner Martin Davy John Torkington Joseph Turner William Pearce Francis Barnes Edward Pearson Isaac Milner Philip Douglas Thomas Browne John Davie Robert Cory William Chafy George Thackeray John Kaye James Wood William Webb George Neville William Frere Christopher Wordsworth William French Henry Godfrey John Lamb Thomas Le Blanc Joseph Proctor Christopher Wordsworth Martin Davy Gilbert Ainslie William Chafy George Thackeray John Graham William Webb Joshua King William French George Archdall Gilbert Ainslie Thomas Worsley William Hodgson Ralph Tatham John Graham George Archdall William Whewell William Hodgson Robert Phelps Ralph Tatham Henry Philpott Robert Phelps Henry Wilkinson Cookson James Cartmell George Corrie Richard Okes James Pulling Thomas Geldart Edwin Guest William Whewell Henry Philpott William Henry Bateson Latimer Neville George Phillips Edward Atkinson Henry Wilkinson Cookson James Cartmell William Hepworth Thompson Edward Atkinson John Power Henry Wilkinson Cookson Samuel Phear Edward Atkinson John Power Edward Perowne James Porter Norman Macleod Ferrers Charles Swainson Charles Taylor Charles Edward Searle Henry Montagu Butler John Peile Augustus Austen Leigh Charles Smith Alexander Hill William Chawner
20th century	Adolphus Ward Frederic Chase Edward Beck Ernest Stewart Roberts Arthur James Mason Robert Forsyth Scott Stuart Alexander Donaldson M. R. James Thomas Fitzpatrick Arthur Shipley Peter Giles Edmund Pearce Albert Seward George Weekes Thomas Fitzpatrick Allen Beville Ramsay Will Spens J. F. Cameron Godfrey Wilson Henry Roy Dean Ernest Alfred Benians John Archibald Venn Thomas Hele Henry Thirkill Charles E. Raven Sydney Castle Roberts Sir Lionel Whitby Henry Willink Brian Downs Edgar Adrian Herbert Butterfield Ivor Jennings John Boys Smith Arthur Armitage Eric Ashby Owen Chadwick William Alexander Deer Jack Linnett Rosemary Murray Alan Cottrell Peter Swinnerton-Dyer Harry Hinsley John Butterfield Richard Adrian, 2nd Baron Adrian Michael McCrum
Full-time	Sir David Williams Sir Alec Broers Dame Alison Richard Sir Leszek Borysiewicz Stephen Toope Deborah Prentice

v t Head Masters of Eton College since 1711
Andrew Snape Henry Bland William George William Cooke John Sumner Edward Barnard John Foster Jonathan Davies George Heath Joseph Goodall John Keate Edward Craven Hawtrey Charles Old Goodford Edward Balston James John Hornby Edmond Warre Edward Lyttelton Cyril Alington Claude Aurelius Elliott Robert Birley Anthony Chenevix-Trench Michael McCrum Eric Anderson John Lewis Tony Little Simon Henderson
For Head Masters prior to 1711, see List of Head Masters of Eton College

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF WorldCat
National	United States Netherlands

William Cooke (Provost of King's College)

Life

Works

Family

References

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