IRELAND

ireland, john (1761-1842), english divine and dean of westminster, was born at ashburton, devonshire, on the 8th of september 1761, his father being a butcher in that town. for a short time he worked in a shoemaker's shop. subsequently he proceeded to oxford, and in due course took holy orders. through the interest of the earl of liverpool he was in 1802 appointed a prebendary of westminster abbey, in 1815 he was promoted to the deanery of westminster, and from 1816 to 1835 he was also rector of islip, oxfordshire. in 1825 he gave l4000 for the foundation at oxford of four "ireland" scholarships of the value of l30 a year each, "for the promotion of classical learning and taste." he also gave l500 to westminster school for the establishment of prizes for latin hexameters. he died at westminster on the 2nd of september 1842, and was buried in the abbey.