Francis Barnes (philosopher)

Francis Barnes (13 January 1744 - 1 May 1838) was an English philosopher and a Knightbridge Professor of Philosophy.

Francis Barnes by John Jackson

by and published by Robert Dighton, hand-coloured etching, published January 1810

Early life and education

Barnes was born in Bolton-le-Sands, Lancashire the son of Joseph Barnes a yeoman farmer. He attended local schools at Kellett and Silverdale, but his teachers noticed his abilities and he won a place at Eton College. His family were not wealthy and it was said that he travelled to Eton seated behind his father on one of the farm's horses.[1] After finishing his schooling he went up to King's College, Cambridge. He graduated in 1764 at the age of twenty.[2]

Career

Barnes took a Bachelor in Divinity and Doctor of Divinity at Cambridge in preparation for a career in the church. He was ordained in 1769 held various livings in Norwich and Wattisham, Suffolk, and became Vice-Provost of King's.

In 1788 Barnes became Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University as well as Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge. His appointment to the latter post was highly contentious. He was only nominated to prevent the election of another man and had not particularly wanted the position.[3] It was said by a Peterhouse Fellow that he was unsuited to "any duty which required the exercise of high notions of morality, and a careful regard to what is just, decent, and venerable".[4] He held the Mastership for over 50 years.

In 1813 Barnes was elected to the Knightbridge Professorship of Moral Philosophy. As with his appointment to Master of Peterhouse, this election has been the subject of controversy. There were four electors for the vacant Professorship: the Vice-Chancellor, the Regius and the Lady Margaret's Professors of Divinity, and the Master of Peterhouse. The casting vote belonged to the last of these if the vote was split. There is a popular story that Barnes, as well as being Master of Peterhouse, was Vice-Chancellor; that as Vice-Chancellor, he nominated himself for the Professorship; that as Master of Peterhouse he seconded himself; and that, by two original votes and a casting vote, he elected himself to the Professorship. [5] The story is almost certainly apocryphal. Although Barnes had been Vice-Chancellor in 1788 and 1807, he did not hold the post in 1813, the year of his election to the Knightbridge. As was common for incumbents of the chair in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, he seems to have given no lectures,[6] and did not publish anything.

Barnes had the distinction of being the last wearer of the eighteenth century wig in Cambridge University.[7] He died in 1838 at the age of 95 and is buried in the chapel at Peterhouse.

References

"The Gentleman's Magazine". 165. 1838: 554. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
Venn, John (2011). Alumni Cantabrigienses Vol. 2. Cambridge University Press. p. 162.
Winstanley, D.A. (1940). Early Victorian Cambridge. Cambridge University Press. p. 284.
Walker, Thomas (1906). Peterhouse (College Histories). Hutchinson & Co. p. 179.
Walker, Thomas (1906). Peterhouse (College Histories). Hutchinson & Co. p. 183.
Winstanley, D.A. (1935). Unreformed Cambridge: A study of certain aspects of the university in the eighteenth century. Cambridge University Press. p. 138.
Walker, Thomas (1906). Peterhouse (College Histories). Hutchinson & Co. p. 153.

Academic offices
Preceded by Edmund Law	Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge 1788–1838	Succeeded by William Hodgson

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[1] "The Gentleman's Magazine". 165. 1838: 554. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

[2] Venn, John (2011). Alumni Cantabrigienses Vol. 2. Cambridge University Press. p. 162.

[3] Winstanley, D.A. (1940). Early Victorian Cambridge. Cambridge University Press. p. 284.

[4] Walker, Thomas (1906). Peterhouse (College Histories). Hutchinson & Co. p. 179.

[5] Walker, Thomas (1906). Peterhouse (College Histories). Hutchinson & Co. p. 183.

[6] Winstanley, D.A. (1935). Unreformed Cambridge: A study of certain aspects of the university in the eighteenth century. Cambridge University Press. p. 138.

[7] Walker, Thomas (1906). Peterhouse (College Histories). Hutchinson & Co. p. 153.

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 Heynes 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 Bynge John Whitgift Andrew Perne John Still Roger Goad Richard Howland Thomas Bynge John Hatcher Andrew Perne William Fulke John Bell Richard Howland Robert Norgate Humphrey Tindall John Copcot Thomas Legge Thomas Nevile Thomas Preston Robert Soame Thomas Legge John Still John Duport Roger Goad John Jegon Robert Soame 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 Gostlyn Robert Scott Samuel Ward Leonard Mawe Jerome Beale Thomas Paske John Mansell John Gostlyn 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 Minshall 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 Hon. John Mountague 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 Sir 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 Henry 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 Chevalier 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 Towerson 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 Towerson 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 Charles 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 George 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 Anthony Beck Ernest Stewart Roberts Arthur James Mason Robert Forsyth Scott Stuart Alexander Donaldson M. R. James Thomas Cecil Fitzpatrick Arthur Shipley Peter Giles Edmund Pearce Albert Seward George Weekes Thomas Cecil Fitzpatrick Allen Beville Ramsay Will Spens J. F. Cameron Godfrey Wilson Henry Roy Dean Ernest Alfred Benians John Archibald Venn Thomas Shirley 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