John Sumner DD (d. 26 February 1772) was an English cleric and academic, Provost of

King's College, Cambridge King's College, formally The King's College of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge, is a List of colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college lies beside the River Cam and faces ...

from 1756.

Career

He the son of William Sumner, born in

Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places *Detroit–Windsor, Michigan-Ontario, USA-Canada, North America; a cross-border metropolitan region Australia New South Wales *Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area Queen ...

. He was educated at

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

and matriculated in 1724 at

, graduating BA in 1729, MA in 1732, and DD in 1744. Sumner was appointed a

Fellow A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned society, learned or professional society, p ...

of King's College in 1727. He was ordained deacon in 1730. He was an assistant master and undermaster at Eton College, 1734–1745, and then its

Headmaster A headmaster/headmistress, head teacher, head, school administrator, principal or school director (sometimes another title is used) is the staff member of a school with the greatest responsibility for the management of the school. Role While s ...

, 1745–1754. As a cleric, Sumner was Rector of

Barwick-in-Elmet Barwick-in-Elmet (pronounced ''Barrick-in-Elmet'') is a village in West Yorkshire, east of Leeds city centre. It is one of only three places in the area to be explicitly associated with the ancient Romano-British kingdom of Elmet, the others b ...

, Yorkshire, 1750–1772, and Rector of

Castleford Castleford is a town within the City of Wakefield district, West Yorkshire, England. It had a population of 45,106 at a 2021 population estimate. Historic counties of England, Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, to the north of the t ...

, 1753–1772. He served as

Canon of Windsor The Dean and Canons of Windsor are the ecclesiastical body of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Foundation The college of canons was established in 1348 by letters patent of King Edward III. It was formally constituted on the feast of S ...

from 1751 to 1772. At the end of his life, he was perpetual curate of

St Benet Fink St Benet Fink was a church and parish in the City of London located on what is now Threadneedle Street. Recorded since the 13th century, the church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London of 1666, then rebuilt to the designs of Sir Christop ...

in the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

, during 1772. Sumner became Provost of King's College, Cambridge in 1756. He served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge 1756–1757, and 1770–1771. Sumner's library was sold some time after his death, on 16 May (and three following days) 1814 by R. H. Evans in London. A copy of the sale catalogue is held at Cambridge University Library (shelfmark Munby.c.163(3)).

Family

Sumner was married, and had sons including: * Robert Sumner, a cleric, father of

John Bird Sumner John Bird Sumner (25 February 1780 – 6 September 1862) was a bishop in the Church of England and Archbishop of Canterbury. Early life John Bird Sumner was born in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, on 25 February 1780. He was the eldest son of the Re ...

and

Charles Richard Sumner Charles Richard Sumner (22 November 179015 August 1874) was a Church of England bishop. Life Charles Sumner was a brother of John Bird Sumner, Archbishop of Canterbury. Their father was Robert Sumner, and their mother was Hannah Bird, a first c ...

* Richard * Humphrey Sumner

Notes

1772 deaths Canons of Windsor Head Masters of Eton College People educated at Eton College Alumni of King's College, Cambridge Year of birth missing Provosts of King's College, Cambridge Fellows of King's College, Cambridge Clergy from Windsor, Berkshire 18th-century English Anglican priests Vice-chancellors of the University of Cambridge {{UCambridge-stub