Christopher Stannard graduated BA from St John's in 1799, before proceeding MA and BD, and becoming a Fellow (1805-33). He was ordained and eventually became rector of St Peter's Hungate in Norwich and Great Snoring in Norfolk.

Stannard's bequest

Stannard left around 400 volumes to the College Library. These are chiefly 18th-century works on Anglican theology, but include some older items, such as contemporary works by Calvin, and a 16th-century herbal.

Provenance markings

James Wood was the first of several notable mathematicians to emerge from St John's in the late 18th and 19th centuries who left collections to the Library. He graduated in 1782 as senior wrangler and first Smith's prizeman, and become a Fellow, proceeding MA in 1785, BD in 1793, and DD in 1815. During his sixty years residence he played a central role in the life of the College, serving as President and Master, as well as being a notable benefactor. He was also ordained, and became Dean of Ely in 1820. He produced several successful academic textbooks for students of mathematics.

Born in Lancashire, Isaac Pennington entered St John's in 1762, and became a Fellow in 1768. He gained his MA in 1770, and his MD in 1777, and served as Professor of Chemistry for twenty years, before becoming Professor of Physic for a further twenty. He was also physician to Addenbrooke's hospital and a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.

Pennington's bequest

Sir Soulden Lawrence graduated BA in 1771, before becoming a Fellow in 1774. He later became a pre-eminent lawyer and was knighted in 1794. In the same year he became a judge in the Court of Common Pleas, and then transferred to the King's Bench, where he served for fourteen years, before returning to the Common Pleas in 1808. During this time he was part of the special commission that tried John Horne Tooke for treason. He was also an art connoisseur, and had a notable collection of paintings.

Thomas Gisborne was admitted to St John's in 1744, and gained his BA in 1747, MA in 1751 and MD in 1758. He practised as a physician in St George's Hospital in London, before being admitted to the Royal College of Physicians, of which he later became president three times. During this time he was also physician to George III. At the time of his death he was senior fellow of St John's and left a large part of his library to the College, although all his medical books went to the library of the Royal College of Physicians.

Gisborne's bequest

Hugh Percival Wharton Gatty followed his father to St John's in 1925 to read history. After graduating in 1928 he spent time in Austria and developed a strong interest in German culture. He also had an enthusiasm for eighteenth-century art and literature. In 1936 he was appointed College lecturer in history, and in 1937 he became Librarian, allowing him to indulge his passion for the College's historical treasures.

Ralph Hare Griffin came to St John's in 1873, was admitted to the Inner Temple in 1878, and was called to the Bar in 1881. He was Registrar of Patents and Designs for thirty years, but had active interests outside his legal career, serving as Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries from 1921 to 1927, and Honorary Keeper of monumental brass rubbings at Cambridge University's Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology.

Richard Pendlebury entered St John's in 1866 and graduated senior wrangler in 1870. A fellowship followed, and from 1888 he served as University Lecturer in Mathematics. He collected both early mathematical texts and printed music, and was a pioneering Alpine mountaineer.

Pendlebury's bequest to the Library

After his death Pendlebury's collections of music were left to the Fitzwilliam Museum, but his mathematical collections came to St John's. They include many items of interest, in particular eight items of mathematical incunabula. Highlights include:

George Udny Yule was born near Haddington, and studied civil engineering at University College London, and later also physics at Bonn University. He returned to London and became assistant professor of applied mathematics at University College in 1896. On marrying, Yule moved jobs becoming both an assistant to Sir Philip Magnus, at the department of technology at the City and Guilds Institute, as well as Newmarch Lecturer in Statistics at UCL.

Rollo Brice-Smith graduated in classics from St John's in 1908, proceeding MA in 1912. He was an educationalist who became headmaster of Llandaff Cathedral School in 1911, and of Brightlands in Newnham on Severn in 1932.

Brice-Smith's gift to the Library

Among other gifts to the College, Brice-Smith gave a fine collection of around 380 volumes from private presses which were presented to the Library by his sister Margaret on his death. The presses represented include Curwen, Golden Cockerel, Gregynog, Haslewood, Nonesuch, and Shakespeare Head.