George Phillips (orientalist)

George Phillips
Portrait of Phillips by Herman Herkomer, 1885.
Born	(1804-01-11)11 January 1804 Dunwich, Suffolk, England
Died	5 February 1892(1892-02-05) (aged 87) Queens' College, Cambridge
Nationality	British
Alma mater	Queens' College, Cambridge
Occupation	Scholar
Spouse	Emily Frances (m. 1848)

George Phillips (11 January 1804 – 5 February 1892), was an English churchman and academic, known as an orientalist and mathematician. He was also the Rector of Sandon, Essex, the President of Queens' College, Cambridge , from 1857 until his death and Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University from 1861 to 1862.^[1]

Early life and education[edit]

Born in Dunwich, Suffolk, he was the son of Francis Phillips, a farmer. After spending his early years in farm work, and acquiring a knowledge of mathematics in his spare time, Phillips became a master at the grammar school in Woodbridge, Suffolk, and later at that in Worcester. While at Worcester he published his first works, A Brief Treatise on the Use of a Case of Instruments (1823) and A Compendium of Algebra (1824).

In 1824 Phillips left Worcester in order to enter Magdalen Hall, Oxford, but after a short residence migrated to Queens' College, Cambridge, in October 1825. He won a scholarship in 1827 and graduated BA in 1829 with a first in mathematics.

Career[edit]

In 1830 he was elected fellow of his college and subsequently became senior tutor. He was ordained deacon in 1831 and priest in 1832. On the death of Joshua King in 1852, he was elected president of Queens' where he lived for the rest of his life. In 1861–2 he was vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge.^[2] As president of Queens' he was noted for his hospitality, and did much to promote the welfare of his college. He gave £1000 to found a scholarship in 1887 and made a generous donation towards building the new chapel in 1891.

As a fellow of Queens', Phillips had at first continued to study mathematics, but soon turned to Hebrew, which he began to teach in the college, although there was then little interest in the subject at Cambridge. He used his position to promote oriental studies in the university, and took a leading part in the establishment in 1872 of the Indian languages tripos and the Semitic languages tripos, examinations for which were first held in 1875. He published editions of several Syriac texts, and rewrote his earlier Elements as A Syriac Grammar (1866). Apart from his academic works, his only publication was Short Sermons on Old Testament Messianic Texts (1863).

Personal life[edit]

He was a staunch conservative, unwilling to accept contemporary developments in biblical criticism.

In August 1848 he married Emily Frances (d. 1898), daughter of Henry Pilkington, of Tore, Westmeath, Ireland; they had no children. Phillips died at his residence in Queens' on 5 February 1892. His funeral service was held in the college on the 11th, but his body was buried at Mullingar in County Westmeath.

Works[edit]

Phillips, George (1864). Scholia on Passages of the Old Testament, by Mar Jacob, Bishop of Edessa. London and Edinburgh: Williams and Norgate.
Phillips, George (1869). A Letter by Mār Jacob, Bishop of Edessa, on Syriac Orthography, also a Tract by the Same Author, and a Discourse by Gregory Bar Hebraeus on Syriac Accents. London and Edinburgh: Williams and Norgate.

References[edit]

^ "Fellows 1800–1899 | Queens' College".
^ Cambridge University. "List of Vice-Chancellors". Archived from the original on 21 February 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2008.

Sources[edit]

J. W. Clark, ‘Phillips, George (1804–1892)’, rev. R. S. Simpson, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 6 Nov 2014

Academic offices
Preceded by Joshua King	President of Queens' College, Cambridge 1857–1892	Succeeded by William Magan Campion
Preceded by Latimer Neville	Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge 1861–2	Succeeded by Edward Atkinson

Presidents of Queens' College, Cambridge

v t e 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 Haynes 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 Byng John Whitgift Andrew Perne John Still Roger Goad Richard Howland Thomas Byng John Hatcher Andrew Perne William Fulke John Bell Richard Howland Robert Norgate Humphrey Tindall John Copcot Thomas Legge Thomas Nevile Thomas Preston Robert Some Thomas Legge John Still John Duport Roger Goad John Jegon Robert Some 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 Gostlin Robert Scott Samuel Ward Leonard Mawe Jerome Beale Thomas Paske John Mansell John Gostlin 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 Minshull 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 John Montagu 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 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 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 Chevallier 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 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 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 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 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 Beck Ernest Stewart Roberts Arthur James Mason Robert Forsyth Scott Stuart Alexander Donaldson M. R. James Thomas Fitzpatrick Arthur Shipley Peter Giles Edmund Pearce Albert Seward George Weekes Thomas Fitzpatrick Allen Beville Ramsay Will Spens J. F. Cameron Godfrey Wilson Henry Roy Dean Ernest Alfred Benians John Archibald Venn Thomas 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

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