David Gregory (1696–16 September 1767) was an English churchman and academic,

Dean of Christ Church, Oxford The Dean of Christ Church is the dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford and head of the governing body of Christ Church, a constituent college of the University of Oxford. The cathedral is the mother church of the Church of England Diocese of ...

and the first

Regius Professor of Modern History at Oxford The Regius Professor of History (until 2011, Modern History) at the University of Oxford is a long-established professorial position. Holders of the title have often been medieval historians. The first appointment was made in 1724. The term "Regi ...

Life

He was the son of David Gregory (1661–1708), the mathematician. Two years after his father's death Gregory was admitted a queen's scholar of

Westminster School Westminster School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Westminster, London, England, in the precincts of Westminster Abbey. It descends from a charity school founded by Westminster Benedictines before the Norman Conquest, as do ...

, from which in 1714 he was elected to

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

. He graduated B.A. 8 May 1718, and M.A. 27 June 1721, and on 18 April 1724 became the first Professor of Modern History and Languages at Oxford. He soon afterwards took orders and was appointed rector of

Semley Semley is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Sedgehill and Semley, in Wiltshire, England, about north-east of Shaftesbury in neighbouring Dorset. The hamlet of Sem Hill lies about a quarter of a mile west of the village. I ...

Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated to Wilts) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It borders Gloucestershire to the north, Oxfordshire to the north-east, Berkshire to the east, Hampshire to the south-east, Dorset to the south, and Somerset to ...

; proceeding B.D. 13 March 1731 and D.D. in the following year (7 July 1732). He continued to hold his professorship till 1736, when he resigned it on his appointment to a

canonry Canon () is a Christian title usually used to refer to a member of certain bodies in subject to an canon law, ecclesiastical rule. Originally, a canon was a cleric living with others in a clergy house or, later, in one of the houses within the p ...

in Christ Church Cathedral (installed 8 June). While canon (1750) he repaired and adorned Christ Church Hall, and presented to it busts of kings George I and George II. He was promoted to the deanery (installed 18 May 1756). Under his directions while dean the upper rooms in the

college library An academic library is a library that is attached to a higher education institution, which supports the curriculum and the research of the university faculty and students. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are an es ...

were finished (1761), and he is said to have restored the terraces in the great quadrangle ( Tom Quad). On 15 September 1759 he was also appointed Master of

Sherburn Hospital Sherburn Hospital (also known as Christ's Hospital in Sherburn) is a medieval hospital located in the hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by Will ...

County Durham County Durham, officially simply Durham, is a ceremonial county in North East England.UK General Acts 1997 c. 23Lieutenancies Act 1997 Schedule 1(3). From legislation.gov.uk, retrieved 6 April 2022. The county borders Northumberland and Tyne an ...

, where he started to cut down a wood on the hospital estates, and with the proceeds from the timber improved the accommodation, as mentioned by an anonymous eulogy ''Essay on the Life of David Gregory, late Dean of Christ Church, London'' (1769). In 1761 he was

prolocutor A prolocutor is a chairman of some ecclesiastical assemblies in Anglicanism. Usage in the Church of England In the Church of England, the Prolocutor is chair of the lower house of the Convocations of Canterbury and York, the House of Clergy. The P ...

of the lower Convocation House. He died at the age of seventy-one, 16 September 1767, and was buried under a plain slab with a short Latin inscription in the cathedral, his wedding ring tied to his finger. Gregory was a considerable benefactor both to his college and Sherburne Hospital.

Works

Gregory wrote Latin verses, and testified his loyalty by Latin poems on the death of George I and the accession of George II, lamenting also in verse the death of the latter, and congratulating George III when he succeeded his grandfather.

Family

He was son-in-law to

Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Kent Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Kent, Order of the Garter, KG, Privy Council of England, PC (16715 June 1740) was a British politician and courtier. None of his sons outlived him, so his new title became extinct on his death. Though the house he buil ...

, having married

Lady Mary Grey Lady Mary Keyes (née Grey; 20 April 1545 – 20 April 1578) was the youngest daughter of Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk, and Frances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk, Frances Brandon, and through her mother had a succession to Elizabeth I of England, ...

, who died before him (in 1762, aged 42), and lies in the same grave.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gregory, David 1696 births 1767 deaths Deans of Christ Church, Oxford Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Regius Professors of History (University of Oxford) People educated at Westminster School, London