Richard FitzWilliam FRS (1745 - 1816)

Ancestors

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Richard FitzWilliam FRS is Notable.

Richard founded the Fitzwilliam museum in Cambridge with the bequest of his library and art collection.

Biography

Richard Fitzwilliam

He was born 1 Aug 1745, the eldest son of Richard Fitzwilliam, 6th Viscount Fitzwilliam and Catherine Decker, daughter of Sir Matthew Decker, 1st Baronet ^[1]

Educated at Charterhouse school, and Trinity College, Cambridge, ^[2] he received his M.A. in 1745, and succeeded to his father's title, on his death in 1776. ^[3]

He became a fellow of the Royal Society in 1789. ^[4]

Richard Fitzwilliam never married.

Richard Fitzwilliam is best remembered for his bequest to the University of Cambridge of his rich collection of paintings and substantial library. Additionally he bequethed £100,000 in South Sea annuities, to allow for the building of a Museum in Cambridge. This became the Fitzwilliam museum, opened to the public in 1848. ^[5]

He was buried at St Mary, Richmond upon Thames, England on 13 Feb 1816. ^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-9660
2. ↑ https://p16163597.wixsite.com/mollyclark/single-post/2017/08/13/fitzwilliam-museum-cambridge
3. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_FitzWilliam,_6th_Viscount_FitzWilliam
4. ↑ https://catalogues.royalsociety.org/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Persons&id=NA5408
5. ↑ https://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/gallery/hiddenhistories/biographies/bio/love/fitzwilliam_biography.html
6. ↑ St Mary, Richmond, Richmond upon Thames, England parish register images at www.ancestry.co.uk Richard Viscount Fitzwilliam of "The Green' buried Feb 13 1816 aged 70

• wikipedia:Richard FitzWilliam, 7th Viscount FitzWilliam

• FitzWilliam, Viscount (I, 1629 - 1833) Cracroft's Peerage

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52008801/richard-fitzwilliam