Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hamilton, Henry Parr
HAMILTON, HENRY PARR (1794–1880), dean of Salisbury, born on 3 April 1794, was the son of Alexander Hamilton, M.D. (1739–1802) [q. v.] He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. as ninth wrangler in 1816, was elected fellow, and proceeded M.A. in 1819. In 1830 he was presented by the Marquis of Ailesbury to the rectory of Wath, near Ripon, Yorkshire, and in 1833 obtained from his college the perpetual curacy of St. Mary the Great, Cambridge, which he resigned in 1844, in order to reside permanently at Wath. He became rural dean in 1847. In 1850 he was preferred to the deanery of Salisbury. Towards the restoration of the cathedral he contributed large sums of money. He was also a warm supporter of the board of education and other diocesan institutions. He died on 7 Feb. 1880. By his wife Ellen, daughter of Thomas Mason, F.S.A., of Copt Hewick, Yorkshire (Gent. Mag. vol. ciii. pt. ii. p. 462), who survived him, he had an only daughter, Katharine Jane, married on 29 Nov. 1854 to Sir Edward Hulse. Hamilton's accomplishments won him the regard of Whewell and Sedgwick, and other distinguished men. He was elected F.R.S. on 17 Jan. 1828, and was also F.R.S. Edinb., F.R.A.S., and F.G.S. The more important of his writings are: 1. ‘The Principles of Analytical Geometry,’ 1826. 2. ‘An Analytical System of Conic Sections,’ 1828; 5th edit. 1843. 3. ‘The Education of the Lower Classes. A Sermon,’ 1840; 2nd edit. 1841. 4. ‘Practical Remarks on Popular Education in England and Wales,’ 1847. 5. ‘The Church and the Education Question,’ 1848; 2nd edit. 1855. 6. ‘The Privy Council and the National Society. The question concerning the management of Church of England Schools stated and examined,’ 1850. 7. ‘Scheme for the Reform of their own Cathedral by the Dean and Chapter of Salisbury,’ 1855.
[Guardian, 11 and 18 Feb. 1880; Men of the Time, 10th ed., p. 483; Irving's Book of Scotsmen, pp. 197–8; Clergy Lists, 1843–50; Crockford's Clerical Directory, 1879, p. 419; Burke's Peerage, 1885, p. 710.]