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William Furneaux

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For the British science teacher and nature writer, see William Samuel Furneaux.

The Very Reverend
William Mordaunt Furneaux
Dean of Winchester
In office
1903–1919
Personal details
Born29 July 1848
Died10 April 1928 (aged 79)
NationalityBritish
SpouseCaroline Octavia Mortimer

William Mordaunt Furneaux (29 July 1848- – 10 April 1928) was headmaster of Repton School and Dean of Winchester.

Family background and childhood

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Furneaux was born at the Parsonage, Walton D'Eiville, Warwickshire, on 29 July 1848, the eldest son of the Rev. William Duckworth Furneaux and his wife, Louisa (nee Dickins).[1] He was given the middle name "Mordaunt" after Sir Charles Mordaunt, the patron of the living and the owner of the estate where they lived.[2]

William's father belonged to the Furneaux family of Swilly in Devon and had attended Blundell's School, Tiverton, where he won a scholarship to Exeter College, Oxford.[3][4] At Walton, he tutored wealthy pupils and acted as an examiner at Stratford Grammar School.[5][6]

William's mother, Louisa, was the daughter of William Dickens of Cherrington, a local squire, magistrate, and deputy lieutenant of the county.[7] Louisa's maternal grandfather was Sir James Alan Park, a judge and legal writer.[8]

In 1860, the family moved to a more valuable living at Berkley, Somerset, where his father continued with his interest in education, acting as diocesan education inspector for the Frome district.[9][10]

Scholar at Marlborough and Oxford

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From April 1861 to May 1868, William attended Marlborough College, where he achieved outstanding success, winning three scholarships (the “Junior,” the “Cotton,” and the “Senior Exhibition”) and almost every prize on offer.[11][12][13][14]

From May 1868 to 1873, he attended Corpus Christi College, Oxford, having won an open scholarship worth £90 to £95, tenable for five years.[15] He made the most of the opportunity, achieving a "double first."[16]

He combined his studies with athletic pursuits, competing in the annual college sports held in February, where he usually came first or second in the high jump, hammer, hurdles, and shot put.[17] From Michaelmas 1870, he took up rowing and, in 1871, only narrowly missed selection for the boat race against Cambridge.[18][19]

Master at Clifton and Marlborough

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On leaving Oxford, he spent a short time as an assistant master at Clifton College before, in December 1873, joining Marlborough College as a sixth-form teacher.[20][1] As the position required him to take Holy Orders, he was ordained deacon in December 1874 and priest one year later.[21][22]

On 11 April 1877, at Preshute Church, William married Caroline Octavia Mortimer, the youngest daughter of the late Joseph Mortimer, a member of a prosperous cloth-making family who, after failing in business himself, lived a life of genteel leisure in the fashionable resort of Weymouth.[23][24] Since his death in 1861,[25] she had enjoyed financial independence, living with relatives at Puddletown and elsewhere.[26][27] They had three daughters over the next four years: Dorothy, Marjorie, and Edith.[28]

Headmaster of Repton

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From January 1883 to July 1900. Furneaux served as Headmaster of Repton School, Derbyshire, where he instigated substantial changes to enlarge the school, raise standards, and update the curriculum.[29]

As a teacher, he was at his best with sixth-form boys, many of whom found his lessons inspiring. He shared with them his love of poetry and taught them critical approaches to Bible study.[29]

In May 1891, he was made an honorary canon of Southwell Cathedral, just in time for the Queen’s state visit to Derby, where he presented her with a ceremonial address.[30][31] In 1892, he was a Select Preacher at Cambridge.[32]

By the late 1890's, he had lost some of his earlier enthusiasm. At the beginning of 1900, after breaking his ankle while skating in Switzerland, he was forced to take a month off, which gave him time for reflection.[29] By 7 March 1900, he had decided to resign as on that day, he bought a large house in Winchester called the Friary.[33] In July, he left the school.[29]

Dean of Winchester

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The Friary was a substantial residence in the heart of the city, with fine views of the Cathedral and the College.[33][34] Its location suggests that Furneaux was ambitious to advance his career.

His first few years at Winchester were quiet. He and his family participated in the city’s social life, and he took on a light workload, becoming examining chaplain for Southwell in September 1900 and for Winchester in June 1901.[35][36]

Then, early in 1903, his life changed dramatically. The Cathedral Chapter needed to urgently appoint a new Dean before they could appoint a new Bishop. As Furneaux was the right man on the spot, the Church authorities expedited his appointment.[37] On 24 March 1903, the Vice-Dean installed Furneaux as Dean of Winchester.[38]

Tragedy struck one year later when, on 30 April 1904, Furneaux’s wife died after undergoing surgery for an internal complaint.[39] Her funeral was held at the Cathedral four days later.[39]

The period from 1905 to 1912 was the most significant in Furneaux’s life. In the spring of 1905, the diocesan architect identified that the Cathedral was at risk of collapse and that urgent underpinning was required to save it.[40] Ideally suited to lead the project, Furneaux played a crucial role in organising the work and raising the necessary money, which amounted to £120,000.[41]

By January 1911, the work was almost complete,[42] and on St Swithin’s Day, 1912, a thanksgiving service celebrated the Cathedral's preservation.[43]

Retirement, death, and memorials

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In August 1919, Furneaux resigned and went to live at New Milton, where he often helped in the local church.[44][45]

He died at the White Cottage, New Milton, on 10 April 1928, aged 79, and his ashes were placed in his wife's grave three days later.[46][47] He left net unsettled property of £34,350.[48]

In 1930, the Bishop of Winchester unveiled a pair of memorial gates to the Dean.[49] Repton School chapel also has a memorial to him.[50]

Publications

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  • A Companion to the Public School Hymn Book (1904)
  • A Declaration on Biblical Criticism by 1725 Clergy of the Anglican Communion with an explanatory letter by the Dean of Winchester (W. M. Furneaux), ed. by H. Handley (1906)
  • The Acts of the Apostles: A Commentary for English Readers (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1912)
  • The Book of Psalms; a revised version (1923)
  • Introduction to the Lessons of the Lectionary (Winchester: new edition, 1924)

Notes

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  1. ^ a b "Personal", Illustrated London News, 21 March 1903 p.6 (includes a photograph of Furneaux),
  2. ^ Elizabeth Hamilton, A History of Saint James's Church, Walton D'Eivile (1988), pp.6-8.
  3. ^ FURNEAUX, Henry (1876). Pedigree of the Family of Furneaux, of Paignton and Buckfastleigh, Devon; Afterwards of Swilly, Near Plymouth. A.D. 1550-1875. With Pedigrees of Other Families Connected with It, and Notes. Privately printed.
  4. ^ Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 18 June 1836 p.2.
  5. ^ HO 107, piece 2074, folio 127, p.8.
  6. ^ "Stratford-on-Avon Grammar School". Worcester Journal. 8 July 1847. p. 3.
  7. ^ "Death of Mr. William Dickens". Nuneaton Observer. 24 August 1883. p. 5.
  8. ^ "Sir James Allan Park — Preston recorder". Preston History. 2 July 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Ecclesiastical, Collegiate and Scholastic Preferments and Appointments". Sherborne Mercury. 25 December 1860. p. 2.
  10. ^ "Bath and Wells Diocesan Societies". Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette. 24 March 1864. p. 3.
  11. ^ Marlborough College Register 1842-1952 (9th ed., 1952), p.104.
  12. ^ Marlborough College School List. 1846. p. 23.
  13. ^ "Prize Day at Marlborough College". Frome Times. 3 July 1867. p. 3.
  14. ^ "Marlborough College". Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette. 25 June 1868. p. 3.
  15. ^ "Corpus Christi College". Morning Herald (London). 23 March 1868. p. 6.
  16. ^ [Frome News], Frome Times, 29 June 1870, p.2; [Frome News].1 January 1873, p.2; "Rev. Dr. W. M. Furneaux", Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer, 12 April 1928, p.4.
  17. ^ "Corpus Christi College Sports", Sporting Life, 6 February 1869 p.3; "Athletic Sports, Corpus Christi College", Oxford University and City Herald, 19 February 1870 p.9; "Corpus Christi College", The Sportsman, 11 February 1871 p.7; "Corpus Christi College", Oxford Journal, 24 February 1872 p.6.
  18. ^ "Aquatics at Oxford University". The Sportsman. 10 November 1870. p. 4.
  19. ^ "The Oxford and Cambridge Boat-Race". Morning Advertiser. 11 February 1871. p. 2.
  20. ^ "The Universities and Public Schools". Illustrated London News. 3 January 1874. p. 8.
  21. ^ "Salisbury Ordination". Hampshire Advertiser. 23 December 1874. p. 4.
  22. ^ "Salisbury Ordination". Hampshire Advertiser. 22 December 1875. p. 4.
  23. ^ "Wiltshire [News]". Dorset County Chronicle. 19 April 1877. p. 8.
  24. ^ "Edward Horlock Mortimer I (1752/1756 – 1803) – Kruger/Jamison converged family history". Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  25. ^ "Deaths". Dorset County Chronicle. 21 March 1861. p. 22.
  26. ^ Her father's estate was valued at about £12,000, of which she inherited one-quarter (will of Joseph Mortimer dated 17 June 1858, proved at the Principal Registry 2 May 1861).
  27. ^ The 1861 census shows her at Puddletown Vicarage in the household of her brother-in-law's parents (RG 9, piece 1355, folio 77, p.21). She has not been found on the census of 1871.
  28. ^ RG 12, piece 2197, folio 130, p.9.
  29. ^ a b c d Bernard Thomas (ed.), Repton 1557 to 1957 (London, 1957), pp. 70-83.
  30. ^ "Ecclesiastical Appointments". Derby Daily Telegraph. 14 May 1891. p. 2.
  31. ^ "State Visit of Her Majesty the Queen to Derby". Derby Daily Telegraph. 22 May 1891. p. 4.
  32. ^ Crockford's Clerical Directory. 1908. p. 527.
  33. ^ a b "Desirable Freehold Property [advertisement for auction on 7 March 1900]". Hampshire Chronicle, 10 February 1900 p.1. 10 February 1900. p. 1.
  34. ^ RG 13, piece 1083, folio 21, pp.21-22.
  35. ^ "Ecclesiastical Appointments". London Evening Standard. 6 September 1900. p. 8.
  36. ^ "Preferments and Appointments". Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette. 13 June 1901. p. 6.
  37. ^ "What the 'World' Says". Manchester Courier. 4 April 1903. p. 14.
  38. ^ "Winchester Cathedral, Dean Installed and Bishop Elected". Western Gazette. 27 March 1903. p. 12.
  39. ^ a b "Death of Mrs Furneaux". Hampshire Chronicle. 7 May 1904. p. 4.
  40. ^ "Winchester Cathedral, What has been done in the way of restoration". Hampshire Post and Southsea Observer. 1 September 1911. p. 14.
  41. ^ "Winchester Cathedral", Newbury Weekly News and General Advertiser, 9 November 1905, p.3; "Dean Furneaux", Westminster Gazette, 22 August 1919, p.6.
  42. ^ Searle, Rev. H. (18 January 1911). "Winchester in Norman Times". Hampshire Observer and Basingstoke News. p. 5.
  43. ^ "Their Majesties at Winchester". Evening Mail. 17 July 1912. p. 4.
  44. ^ "Dean of Winchester, Resignation Tendered". Hampshire Telegraph. 15 August 1919. p. 3.
  45. ^ "Dean Furneaux's Smile". Hampshire Advertiser. 14 April 1928. p. 9.
  46. ^ "Death of Former Dean of Winchester". Hampshire Telegraph. 13 April 1928. p. 8.
  47. ^ "The Late Dr. Furneaux, Former Dean's Funeral at Winchester". Hampshire Telegraph. 20 April 1928. p. 8.
  48. ^ "Wills and Estates". The Scotsman. 3 July 1928. p. 11.
  49. ^ "Memorial to a Dean". Hampshire Advertiser. 19 April 1930. p. 9.
  50. ^ "The Late Dean Furneaux". Derby Daily Telegraph. 17 June 1930. p. 4.
Church of England titles
Preceded by Dean of Winchester
1903 – 1919 		Succeeded by
Academic offices
Preceded by
Henry Robert Huckin
 Headmaster of Repton School
1883-1900 		Succeeded by
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