George Fothergill

Who was George Fothergill?

George Fothergill, D.D., was principal of St. Edmund Hall, Oxford.

Fothergill was the eldest son of Henry Fothergill of Lockholme in Ravenstonedale, Westmoreland, and Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Fawcett of Rottenmoor, Warcop, was born at Lockholme on 20 Dec. 1705. After attending the free school in Ravenstonedale, which had been founded in 1668 by Thomas Fothergill, master of St. John's College, Cambridge, he was sent to Kendal school. On 16 June 1722 he entered The Queen's College as batteler. He took the degree of B.A. in 1726, M.A. in 1730, B.D. in 1744, and D.D. in 1749. He became chaplain of Queen's in 1730, and was elected to the fellowship which should next fall vacant in 1734. In 1751 the fellows of Queen's appointed him principal of St. Edmund Hall and Vicar of Bramley. When Dr. Joseph Smith, provost of Queen's, died on 23 Nov. 1756, the fourteen votes of the fellows were equally divided between Fothergill and Dr. Joseph Browne. As the votes remained equal for ten days, it was put to the question whether either candidate had a majority of seniors on his side, and as the number of seniors had apparently never been authoritatively determined, ‘the electors unanimously agreed upon six as the properest number of seniors, and it appearing that this number was equally divided between the two candidates, and Dr. Browne being the senior candidate, he was declared duly elected provost, to which the electors unanimously agreed.’ Fothergill died 5 Oct. 1760, and was buried in St. Edmund Hall.