John Hewitt Jellett
Encyclopedia
John Hewitt Jellett was a college head, provost
of Trinity College, Dublin
. He was also a priest in the Church of Ireland
during the Victorian Era
.
Jellett was the son of Rev. Morgan Jellett (d.1832) and his wife Harriet, daughter of Hewitt Baldwin Poole (d.1800) Esq. of Mayfield, Co. Cork. He was born at Cashel in Tipperary
, Ireland on Christmas Day 1817, and educated at Trinity College, Dublin
, of which he became a fellow in 1840. He graduated B.A. 1838, M.A. 1843, B.D. 1866, and D.D. 1 March 1881. He had been ordained a priest in 1846. In 1848 he was elected to the chair of natural philosophy, and in 1868 he received the appointment of commissioner of Irish national education. A year later the Royal Irish Academy
elected him president.
In 1870, on the death of Dr. Thomas Luby, he was co-opted by the senior fellows of Trinity College as a member of their board. Mr. Gladstone
's government in February 1881 appointed Jellett provost
of Trinity; in the same year he was awarded a Royal Medal
by the Royal Society
.
After the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland he took an active part in the deliberations of the general synod and in every work calculated to advance its interests. He was an able mathematician, and wrote A Treatise of the Calculus of Variations in 1850, and A Treatise on the Theory of Friction in 1872, and several papers on pure and applied mathematics, as well as articles in the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, and some theological essays, sermons, and religious treatises, of which the principal were An Examination of some of the Moral Difficulties of the Old Testament, 1867, and The Efficacy of Prayer, 1878. He died at the provost's house, Trinity College, Dublin, on 19 February 1888, and was buried in Mount Jerome Cemetery
on 23 February.
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
of Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
. He was also a priest in the Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
during the Victorian Era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
.
Jellett was the son of Rev. Morgan Jellett (d.1832) and his wife Harriet, daughter of Hewitt Baldwin Poole (d.1800) Esq. of Mayfield, Co. Cork. He was born at Cashel in Tipperary
Tipperary
Tipperary is a town and a civil parish in South Tipperary in Ireland. Its population was 4,415 at the 2006 census. It is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly, and is in the historical barony of Clanwilliam....
, Ireland on Christmas Day 1817, and educated at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, of which he became a fellow in 1840. He graduated B.A. 1838, M.A. 1843, B.D. 1866, and D.D. 1 March 1881. He had been ordained a priest in 1846. In 1848 he was elected to the chair of natural philosophy, and in 1868 he received the appointment of commissioner of Irish national education. A year later the Royal Irish Academy
Royal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
elected him president.
In 1870, on the death of Dr. Thomas Luby, he was co-opted by the senior fellows of Trinity College as a member of their board. Mr. Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
's government in February 1881 appointed Jellett provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
of Trinity; in the same year he was awarded a Royal Medal
Royal Medal
The Royal Medal, also known as The Queen's Medal, is a silver-gilt medal awarded each year by the Royal Society, two for "the most important contributions to the advancement of natural knowledge" and one for "distinguished contributions in the applied sciences" made within the Commonwealth of...
by the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
.
After the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland he took an active part in the deliberations of the general synod and in every work calculated to advance its interests. He was an able mathematician, and wrote A Treatise of the Calculus of Variations in 1850, and A Treatise on the Theory of Friction in 1872, and several papers on pure and applied mathematics, as well as articles in the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, and some theological essays, sermons, and religious treatises, of which the principal were An Examination of some of the Moral Difficulties of the Old Testament, 1867, and The Efficacy of Prayer, 1878. He died at the provost's house, Trinity College, Dublin, on 19 February 1888, and was buried in Mount Jerome Cemetery
Mount Jerome Cemetery
Mount Jerome Cemetery is situated in Harold's Cross on the south side of Dublin, Ireland. Since its foundation in 1836, it has witnessed over 300,000 burials...
on 23 February.