Samuel Butler (schoolmaster)

The Right Reverend Samuel Butler
Bishop of Lichfield

Diocese	Diocese of Lichfield
In office	1836–1839
Predecessor	Henry Ryder
Successor	James Bowstead
Personal details
Born	(1774-01-30)30 January 1774
Died	4 December 1839(1839-12-04) (aged 65)
Nationality	British
Denomination	Anglican
Education	Rugby School
Alma mater	St John's College, Cambridge

Samuel Butler FRS (30 January 1774 – 4 December 1839) was an English classical scholar and schoolmaster of Shrewsbury, and Bishop of Lichfield. His grandson was Samuel Butler (1835–1902), noted author of the novel Erewhon.

Butler was born at Kenilworth, Warwickshire. He was educated at Rugby School, and in 1791 was admitted to St John's College, Cambridge.^[1] Butler's classical career was meritorious. He obtained three of Sir William Browne's medals, for the Latin (1792) and Greek (1793, 1794) odes, the medal for the Greek ode in 1792 being won by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. In 1793 Butler was elected to the Craven scholarship, amongst the competitors being John Keate, afterwards headmaster of Eton, and Coleridge. In 1796 he was fourth senior optime and senior chancellor's classical medallist. In 1797 and 1798 he obtained the members prize for Latin essay. He acquired the degrees of BA in 1796, MA in 1799, and DD in 1811. In 1797 he was elected a fellow of St John's and ordained deacon in the Church of England, and in 1798 became headmaster of Shrewsbury school, the same year as his ordination as priest, at the age of 24.^[1]

As a clergyman, he was perpetual curate of Berwick Chapelry near Shrewsbury from 1801 to 1815 and in 1802 he was appointed as vicar of Kenilworth, in 1807 to a prebendal stall in Lichfield Cathedral, and in 1822 to the archdeaconry of Derby; all these appointments he had at the same time as his headmastership, but in 1836 he was promoted to the bishopric of Lichfield (and Coventry, which was separated from his diocese during the same year).^[1]

It is in association with Shrewsbury school that Butler is chiefly remembered. During his headmastership its reputation increased greatly, and in the standard of its scholarship was the equal of any other public school in England. He was considered to be "in all essential respects, the originator" of the Praeposter system of placing older boys in authority over younger at the school.^[2] He worked despite having for 37 years "a state of permanently impossible relations" with his second master (deputy), John Jeudwine, which, according to school historian J.B. Oldham, "embittered both their lives to the detriment of the school, the scandal of the town and the embarrassment of Butler's every action".^[3]

However, there were shortcomings in the welfare of pupils. Fights between boys were said to average seventy a week and were regarded by Dr Butler "with a blind eye", comfort for boarders was minimal, and complaints about food were continuous, on one occasion leading to a riot. His initials "S.B." over the gateway to the house he built himself next to the school were said to be a sign for "stale bread, sour beer, salt butter, and stinking beef sold by Samuel Butler".^[4] He tried to suppress games at Shrewsbury, considering football (pre-FA) as "only fit for butcher boys" and "more fit for farmboys and labourers than for young gentlemen".^[2]

Charles Darwin, who recalled loathing the rote learning, was among his notable pupils, as was Butler's immediate successor as headmaster, Benjamin Hall Kennedy.

His edition of Aeschylus, with the text and notes of Stanley, was published during 1809–1816, and was somewhat severely criticised by the Edinburgh Review, but Butler was prevented by his appointment to the episcopate from revising it. He also wrote a Sketch of Modern and Ancient Geography (1813, reprinted frequently) for use by schools, and published atlases of ancient and modern geography. His large library included a fine collection of Aldine editions and Greek and Latin manuscripts.

Samuel Butler, Bishop of Lichfield

When he became bishop his health was overshadowed by asthma and he died at Eccleshall Castle, Staffordshire (the episcopal country residence), in December 1839 aged 65.^[5] Bishop Butler is buried in the church yard of the Collegiate Church of St Mary the Virgin Shrewsbury – the former parish church of Shrewsbury School. After his death the Aldines were sold by auction, the manuscripts purchased by the British Museum. In his will he left a mansion with land at Whitehall in Shrewsbury, which he had bought in 1834 as an intended retirement home, to his grandson Samuel. When the latter had the land redeveloped for housing after the death of his own father, he named one of the roads laid out, Bishop Street, in honour of the grandfather.^[6]

Butler's life has been written by his grandson Samuel Butler, author of Erewhon (Life and Letters of Dr Samuel Butler, 1896); see also Baker's History of St John's College, Cambridge (ed. JEB Mayor, 1869); Sandys, Hist. Class. Schol. (ed. 1908), vol. iii. p. 398.

Butler collected some Greek manuscripts (e.g. Minuscule 202).

References

1 2 3 "Butler, Samuel (BTLR791S)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
1 2 Beale, Catherine (2011). Born out of Wenlock, William Penny Brookes and the British origins of the modern Olympics. DB Publishing. p. 118. ISBN 978-1-85983-967-6.
↑ Oldham, J.B. (1952). A history of Shrewsbury School. p. 73.
↑ Shrewsbury Library, Its History and Restoration. Shropshire Libraries. 1983. ISBN 0-903802-26-0. (Unpaginated.) The then Shrewsbury School premises later became Shrewsbury Public Library.
↑ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Volume 8. Oxford University Press. 2004. p. 212. ISBN 0-19-861359-8. Article by J.H.C. Leach.
↑ Trinder, Barrie (1984). Victorian Shrewsbury, Studies in the History of a County Town. Shropshire Libraries. pp. 117–118. ISBN 0-903802-30-9. Chapter 10:Cherry Orchard, the growth of a Victorian suburb.

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Butler, Samuel (bishop)". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

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Church of England titles
Preceded by The Honourable Henry Ryder	Bishop of Lichfield 1836–1839	Succeeded by James Bowstead

Archdeacons of Derby

High Medieval	G. Richard Froger N. Godfrey de Luci Yvo Vivian de Stagno William de Muschamp William de Luteby David de Sancta Frideswida William de Weston Simon Jordan de Wymburne Elias de Napton

Late Medieval	Geoffrey de Blaby/Glaston Anthony de Monte Peliologo John de Asheby John de Marisco Hugh de Marisco Robert de Stretton William Lombe John de Outheby Walter Bullock John Bride William Chauntre Edmund Hals

Early modern	Nicholas West John Taylor Richard Strete David Pole John Ramridge Richard Walker Laurence Nowell Luke Gilpin Walter Marsh John Walton Valentine Overton Christopher Helme Samuel Clerk William Higgins Thomas Brown/Browne Francis Ashenhurst Thomas Goodwin Henry Ryder Sneyd Davies Henry Egerton

Late modern	James Falconer Edmund Outram Samuel Butler Francis Hodgson Walter Shirley Thomas Hill Southwell diocese: Edward Balston Henry Freer Edward Were Derby diocese: Edward Noakes Henry FitzHerbert John Richardson Robert Dell Ian Gatford Christopher Cunliffe

Bishops of Lichfield (including precursor offices)

Mercia	Diuma Ceollach Trumhere Jaruman Chad, Bishop of the Mercians & the Lindisfaras

Lichfield	Winfrith Seaxwulf Headda Aldwine Witta Hemele Cuthfrith Berhthun Hygeberht (Archbishop of Lichfield) Ealdwulf Herewine Æthelwold Hunberght Cynefrith Tunberht Wulfsige Burgheard Eadberht Wulfred Wilferth Ælfwine Wulfgar Cynesige Wynsige Elphege Godwin Leofgar Brihtmær Wulfsige Leofwin Peter (became Bishop of Chester) Peter, Bishop of Chester

Coventry	Robert de Limesey, Bishop of Chester Robert de Limesey (previously Bishop of Chester) Robert Peche Roger de Clinton Walter Durdent Richard Peche Gerard la Pucelle Hugh Nonant Geoffrey de Muschamp William de Cornhill Alexander de Stavenby

Coventry & Lichfield	Alexander de Stavenby Hugh de Pateshull Roger Weseham Roger de Meyland Walter Langton Roger Northburgh Robert de Stretton Walter Skirlaw Richard le Scrope John Burghill John Catterick James Cary William Heyworth William Booth Nicholas Close Reginald Boulers John Hales William Smyth John Arundel Geoffrey Blythe Rowland Lee

Lichfield & Coventry	Rowland Lee Richard Sampson Ralph Baines Thomas Bentham William Overton George Abbot Richard Neile John Overall Thomas Morton Robert Wright Accepted Frewen John Hacket Thomas Wood William Lloyd John Hough Edward Chandler Richard Smalbroke Frederick Cornwallis John Egerton Brownlow North Richard Hurd James Cornwallis Henry Ryder Samuel Butler

Lichfield	Samuel Butler James Bowstead John Lonsdale George Selwyn William Maclagan Augustus Legge John Kempthorne Edward Woods Stretton Reeve Kenneth Skelton Keith Sutton Jonathan Gledhill Clive Gregory (acting) Michael Ipgrave

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 9837738 LCCN: n85207910 ISNI: 0000 0000 7357 1358 GND: 1055386408 SUDOC: 095000275 BNF: cb106962529 (data)

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