Thomas Bacon (academic)

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Thomas Bacon
Died1 January 1559
Resting placeChelsfield
Alma materGonville Hall, Cambridge

Thomas Bacon (died 1 January 1559) was the fifteenth master of Gonville Hall, Cambridge (later Gonville and Caius College) from 1552.[1][2]

Bacon was educated at Gonville Hall, graduating B.A. 1517–8, M.A. 1521, D.D. 1556–7. He held a scholarship from Michaelmas 1517 to 1519, and a fellowship from 1519 to 1527. In 1521 he was Principal of Physwick Hostel, a university hall annexed to Gonville Hall.[3]

He served as a chaplain to King Henry VIII, and held the following church livings:

Bacon was appointed Master of Gonville Hall in 1552. On Queen Mary's Visitation to Cambridge in 1557, the bodies of two deceased reformers were exhumed and burned; according to Venn, the arrangements for this were made at Bacon's lodge at Gonville Hall.[3]

When in 1557 John Caius refounded Gonville Hall as Gonville and Caius College, Caius' statutes appointed Bacon Master of the new foundation. Caius' character assessment of Bacon was not positive: homo certe gravis, mitis, et amabilis, sed custos inutilis et negligens (certainly a serious, gentle, and amicable man, but a useless and negligent custodian). Bacon died at Chelsfield on 1 January 1559 and was buried there on 3 January; he was succeeded as Master by John Caius.

Offices Held[edit]

Academic offices
Preceded by
John Styrmin
Master of Gonville Hall, Cambridge
1552–1559
Succeeded by
Religious titles
Preceded by
unknown
Canon of Ely
1544–1559
Succeeded by
unknown

References[edit]

  1. ^ C. Brooke, A History of Gonville and Caius College (Boydell and Brewer Ltd., Woodbridge 1985), p. 51 (Google).
  2. ^ C.H. Cooper and T. Cooper, Athenae Cantabrigienses, I: 1500-1585 (Deighton, Bell & Co., Cambridge 1858), p. 191 (Google).
  3. ^ a b John Venn. Biographical History of Gonville and Caius College. pp. 28-29