Peter Newcome (1715–1779) was an English educator and

Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...

Life

He was the son of Henry Newcome LL.D. of Hackney (died 1756) and Lydia Morland. His father established

Newcome's School Newcome's School was a fashionable boys' school in Hackney, then to the east of London, founded in the early 18th century. A number of prominent Whig families sent their sons there. The school closed in 1815, and the buildings were gutted in 182 ...

there, a noted private academy.

Richard Newcome Richard Newcome (Newcombe) (1701 – 3 June 1769) was an English bishop of Llandaff and bishop of St Asaph. Life He was the sixth son of Peter Newcome, vicar of Aldenham, Hertfordshire. He was admitted to Queens' College, Cambridge in 1718, matr ...

was his uncle. His paternal grandfather was Peter Newcome, son of

Henry Newcome Henry Newcome (November 1627 – 17 September 1695) was an English nonconformist preacher and activist. Life Henry Newcome was born at Caldecote, Huntingdonshire, the fourth son of Stephen Newcome, rector of Caldicote. He was baptised on 27 ...

the

nonconformist Nonconformity or nonconformism may refer to: Culture and society * Insubordination, the act of willfully disobeying an order of one's superior *Dissent, a sentiment or philosophy of non-agreement or opposition to a prevailing idea or entity ** ...

minister, and his maternal grandfather was Benjamin Morland; the school was previously run by Morland. Peter Newcome the son matriculated at

Queens' College, Cambridge Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Queens' is one of the oldest colleges of the university, founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou. The college spans the River Cam, colloquially referred to as the "light s ...

in 1732, graduating B.A. in 1735 and M.A. in 1738. He was then a fellow of the college from 1740 to 1742. The Newcome family had a social connection to the family of

Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Kent Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Kent, KG, PC (16715 June 1740) was a British politician and courtier. None of his sons outlived him, so his new title became extinct on his death. Though the house he built at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire has gone, parts ...

, who died in 1740.

Lord Charles Cavendish Lord Charles Cavendish Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS (17 March 1704 – 28 April 1783) was a British nobleman and British Whig Party, Whig politician. Cavendish was the youngest son of William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire, and Rachel Rus ...

married the Duke's daughter Anne Grey, and

Henry Cavendish Henry Cavendish ( ; 10 October 1731 – 24 February 1810) was an English natural philosopher and scientist who was an important experimental and theoretical chemist and physicist. He is noted for his discovery of hydrogen, which he termed "infl ...

the natural philosopher was their son, and a pupil at Newcome's School from 1742. His father recommended Peter Newcome for the Royal Society in the same year. The other sponsors were Philip Yorke who was an alumnus of Newcome's School,

Thomas Birch Thomas Birch (23 November 17059 January 1766) was an English historian. Life He was the son of Joseph Birch, a coffee-mill maker, and was born at Clerkenwell. He preferred study to business but, as his parents were Quakers, he did not go to t ...

and

Daniel Wray Daniel Wray (28 November 1701 – 29 December 1783) was an English antiquary and Fellow of the Royal Society. Life Born on 28 November 1701 in the parish of St. Botolph, Aldersgate, he was the youngest child of Sir Daniel Wray (died 1719), a Lo ...

. Through this connection to the Cavendish circle, Newcome participated in scientific life in London. He joined the informal Royal Society dining club in 1744. He attended Sir William Watson's 1747 experiments in the conduction of electricity across the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, se ...

. Later, in the 1760s, Newcome was on the Royal Society's council. He published in the ''

Philosophical Transactions ''Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society'' is a scientific journal published by the Royal Society. In its earliest days, it was a private venture of the Royal Society's secretary. It was established in 1665, making it the first journa ...

'' a paper on an earthquake of 1750.''A Letter from Mr. Peter Newcome F. R. S. to the President, concerning the Same Shock Being Felt at Hackney, Near London (January 1, 1753)''.
/ref> Newcome took over the school on his father's death. He inherited local property rights, in Clapton, on condition that he continued as the school head; he did so, but for three years only. Newcome's School was fashionable, and was noted for its drama;

David Garrick David Garrick (19 February 1717 – 20 January 1779) was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of European theatrical practice throughout the 18th century, and was a pupil and friend of Sa ...

contributed to one in 1763. Eventually Newcome ceded control to his half-brother Henry, who was succeeded by his son Richard.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Newcome, Peter 1779 deaths Heads of schools in London Fellows of Queens' College, Cambridge Fellows of the Royal Society 1715 births Alumni of Queens' College, Cambridge