Thomas Dampier

The Right Reverend

Thomas Dampier
The Right Reverend; Thomas Dampier
Bishop of Ely
Church	Church of England
Diocese	Diocese of Ely
Elected	1808
Term ended	1812 (death)
Predecessor	James Yorke
Successor	Bowyer Sparke
Other post(s)	Bishop of Rochester; (1802–1809); Dean of Rochester; (1782–1802)
Orders
Consecration	c. 1802
Personal details
Born	1748
Died	13 May 1812; Ely House, London
Denomination	Anglican
Residence	Ely House, London
Parents	Dr Thomas Dampier
Spouse	Elizabeth Sleech
Education	Eton College
Alma mater	King's College, Cambridge

Thomas Dampier (1748 – 13 May 1812) served as Bishop of Rochester and Bishop of Ely.

Life

Memorial to Bishop Thomas Dampier in Ely Cathedral

He was the eldest son of Dr Thomas Dampier, who was lower master at Eton College and from 1774 Dean of Durham.^[1] He was educated at Eton College, and in 1766 elected to King's College, Cambridge. He graduated B.A. 1771, M.A. 1774, D.D. 1780.^[2] After taking his degree he resided for some time at Eton as private tutor to the Earl of Guilford, holding at the same time the vicarage of Bexley in Kent, while a few years later he succeeded to the mastership of Sherburn Hospital, which his father obtained leave to resign in his favour.

In 1782 he was promoted to the deanery of Rochester, and in 1802 to the bishopric of that diocese. As bishop of Rochester, he proposed an address from the clergy thanking the crown for requiring an undertaking from the ministry not to move in the matter of Catholic emancipation. The bishopric of Rochester was a poor one, and it was in his case, for the first time for some years past, separated from the deanery of Westminster. Dampier therefore looked for fresh promotion, and in 1808 was translated to Ely. He died suddenly on the evening of 13 May 1812 at Ely House in London. Dampier published several sermons.

He was known for his love of literature, and for the library and collection of prints which he accumulated throughout his life. He left a bibliophile's account in Latin, the manuscript of which was extensively used by Thomas Frognall Dibdin in compiling his Aedes Althorpianae. His library was sold by his half-brother (lawyer Sir Henry) and widow to the Duke of Devonshire at a valuation amounting to nearly £10,000.

References

^ Alumni Cantabrigienses: A Biographical List of All Known Students, Graduates and Holders of Office at the University of Cambridge, from the Earliest Times to 1900 Part 2 Vol II p221 Chalmers to Fytche John Venn: Cambridge, CUP, 1944 (2011) ISBN 978-1-108-03613-9
^ "Dampier, Thomas (DMR766T)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.

Attribution

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Dampier, Thomas". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

Church of England titles
Preceded by Richard Cust	Dean of Rochester 1782–1802	Succeeded by Samuel Goodenough
Preceded by Samuel Horsley	Bishop of Rochester 1802–1809	Succeeded by Walker King
Preceded by James Yorke	Bishop of Ely 1808–1812	Succeeded by Bowyer Sparke

[1] Alumni Cantabrigienses: A Biographical List of All Known Students, Graduates and Holders of Office at the University of Cambridge, from the Earliest Times to 1900 Part 2 Vol II p221 Chalmers to Fytche John Venn: Cambridge, CUP, 1944 (2011) ISBN 978-1-108-03613-9

[2] "Dampier, Thomas (DMR766T)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.

[1]

[2]

v t e Bishops of Rochester
Pre-Conquest	Justus Romanus Paulinus of York Ithamar Damianus Putta Cwichelm Gebmund Tobias Aldwulf Dunn Eardwulf Diora Waermund (I) Beornmod Tatnoth Badenoth Waermund (II) Cuthwulf Swithwulf Ceolmund Cyneferth Burgric Beorhtsige Ælfstan Godwine (I) Godwine (II) Siward
Conquest to Reformation	Arnost Gundulf Ralph d'Escures Ernulf John (I) John (II) Ascelin Walter Waleran Gilbert Glanvill Benedict of Sausetun Henry Sandford Richard Wendene Lawrence of St Martin Walter de Merton John Bradfield John Kirkby Thomas Ingoldsthorpe Thomas Wouldham Hamo Hethe John Sheppey William Whittlesey Thomas Trilleck Thomas Brinton William Bottlesham John Bottlesham Richard Young John Kemp John Langdon Thomas Brunce William Wells John Low Thomas Rotherham John Alcock John Russell Edmund Audley Thomas Savage Richard FitzJames John Fisher
Post-Reformation	John Hilsey Nicholas Heath Henry Holbeach Nicholas Ridley John Ponet John Scory Maurice Griffith Edmund Allen Edmund Gheast Edmund Freke John Piers John Young William Barlow Richard Neile John Buckeridge Walter Curle John Bowle John Warner Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) John Warner John Dolben Francis Turner Thomas Sprat Francis Atterbury Samuel Bradford Joseph Wilcocks Zachary Pearce John Thomas Samuel Horsley Thomas Dampier Walker King Hugh Percy George Murray Joseph Wigram Thomas Legh Claughton Anthony Thorold Randall Davidson Edward Talbot John Harmer Linton Smith Christopher Chavasse David Say Michael Turnbull Michael Nazir-Ali James Langstaff Jonathan Gibbs

v t e Bishops of Ely
High Medieval	Hervey le Breton Nigel Geoffrey Ridel William de Longchamp Eustace Robert of York John of Fountains Geoffrey de Burgh Hugh of Northwold William of Kilkenny Hugh de Balsham John Kirkby William of Louth John Salmon/John Langton Ralph Walpole
Late Medieval	Robert Orford John Ketton John Hotham Simon Montacute Thomas de Lisle Simon Langham John Barnet Thomas Arundel John Fordham Philip Morgan Lewis of Luxembourg Thomas Bourchier William Grey John Morton John Alcock
Early modern	Richard Redman James Stanley Nicholas West Thomas Goodrich Thomas Thirlby Richard Cox Martin Heton Lancelot Andrewes Nicholas Felton John Buckeridge Francis White Matthew Wren Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) Matthew Wren Benjamin Lany Peter Gunning Francis Turner Simon Patrick John Moore William Fleetwood Thomas Green Robert Butts Thomas Gooch Matthias Mawson Edmund Keene James Yorke
Late modern	Thomas Dampier Bowyer Sparke Joseph Allen Thomas Turton Harold Browne James Woodford Lord Alwyne Compton Frederic Chase Leonard White-Thomson Bernard Heywood Edward Wynn Noel Hudson Edward Roberts Peter Walker Stephen Sykes Anthony Russell Stephen Conway

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