William Gretton

William Gretton (1736–1813), was the master of Magdalene College, Cambridge.

Gretton was the second son of John Gretton, a retailer of Bond Street, London, and his wife Jane. Born in 1736, he was educated at St. Paul's School and Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1758 and proceeded M.A. in 1761.^[1] Having taken holy orders in 1760, he served as curate of St Neots before obtaining the living of Littlebury, Essex, in 1761 and Saffron Walden, Essex, in 1766.

In 1784 Lord Howard de Walden, owner of Audley End House, appointed him his domestic chaplain. Gretton served as a JP for Essex and was made Archdeacon of Essex on 2 December 1795. In 1797 he was elected master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, and was vice-chancellor of the university in 1800-1. He died on 29 September 1813. His memorial is in the chapel of Magdalene College.

A later Master of Magdalene College, the novelist A. C. Benson, borrowed Gretton's name for an officious college dean in his novel Watersprings.^[2]

References

^ "Gretton, William (GRTN754W)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
^ Benson, A. C. (1913). Watersprings.

"Gretton, William" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

Archdeacons of Essex and of West Ham

High Medieval

Theobald
Walter
Richard Ruffus
Robert Banastre
Richard de Hegham
Theobald de Valognes
Thomas de Fauconberg
Hugh de Sancto Edmundo
Stephen de Sandwic
Richard of Gravesend
Adam de Faversham
Roger de La Legh
Robert Winchelsey
Laurence de Fuscis de Bera

Late Medieval

Aldebrand Riccardi de Militiis
Hildebrand de Anibaldis
Stephen de Segrave
John de Elham
William Vygerous
Robert de Canterbury
Hugh de Statherne
John de Bouser
William de Rothwell
John Barnet
John de Cantebrugg
Roger de Freton
Henry de Winterton
Richard Prentys
Edward Prentys
John Shirborne
Zanobius Mulakyn
James Goldwell
John Gunthorpe
John Crall
Edmund Audley
Thomas Jane

Early modern

John de Lopez
Francis de Busleiden
Richard Rawson
Edward Moylle
Thomas Darbyshire
Thomas Cole
John Walker
William Tabor
Samuel Harsnett
George Goldman
Edward Layfield
Thomas Turner
Charles Alston
Thomas Gooch
Reuben Clerke
William Gibson
Thomas Rutherforth
Stotherd Abdy
James Waller

Late modern
(Essex)

William Gretton
Francis Wollaston
Hugh Jones
Carew St John Mildmay
Gaspard-le-Marchant Carey
Alfred Blomfield
Henry Johnson
Thomas Stevens, Bishop of Barking
James Inskip, Bishop of Barking (became Archdeacon of West Ham)

West Ham

James Inskip (previously Archdeacon of Essex)
Hugh Gough
John Elvin
Denis Wakeling
James Adams
John Taylor
Peter Dawes
Roger Sainsbury
Tim Stevens
Michael Fox
Elwin Cockett
Mike Power (announced)

v t e Masters of Magdalene College, Cambridge
Robert Evans Richard Carre Roger Kelke Richard Howland Degory Nicholls Thomas Nevile Richard Clayton John Palmer Barnabas Gooch Henry Smyth Edward Rainbow John Sadler Edward Rainbow John Howorth James Duport John Peachell Gabriel Quadring Daniel Waterland Edward Abbott Thomas Chapman George Sandby Barton Wallop Peter Peckard William Gretton George Neville-Grenville Latimer Neville (Lord Braybrooke) Stuart Alexander Donaldson A. C. Benson Allen Beville Ramsay Sir Henry Willink Walter Hamilton Sir Derman Christopherson Sir David Calcutt Sir John Gurdon Duncan Robinson Lord Williams of Oystermouth

Masters of Magdalene 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