IV. Prebendary Le Poer Trench.
The next younger brother of the Archbishop of Tuam was Rear-Admiral William Le Poer Trench (“born” 1771, “died” 1846). He was twice married, and was represented at the time of his death by three sons: — (1) William (of whom afterwards); (2) Rev. John Le Poer Trench (“born” 1802, “died” 1866), represented in the Army and Navy; and (3) Frederick Netterville Le Poer Trench.
Returning to William, we memorialise him as Rev. William Le Poer Trench, D.D., born 2d February 1801. He was chaplain to his uncle, the Archbishop, who gave him the rectory of Killereran in 1825. He afterwards is called Rector of Moylough. He was well known as a Prebendary of Tuam. Of him the Rev. Dr. Sirr says, “He was the intimate and admired friend of all the clergy, who were wont to meet from month to month at the palace. He was a careful and diligent student of the Scriptures — an active and zealous clergyman — one who entered with constitutional warmth into the prosecution of every good work and labour of love, . . . . . . was known to every diocese in Ireland as the originator and joint-secretary of the Church Education Society.” That Society was founded in 1838; it grew out of the Education Society of the Diocese of Tuam. The Prebendary died in 1868.
V. Bishop of Peterborough.
George Jeune, or Le Jeune, was a descendant of a good family of Montpelier (formerly of La Marche), Sieurs de Chambeson. Mr. Smiles, to whom the family pedigree was communicated, informs us that he took refuge in Jersey and was settled there, in the parish of St. Brelade, in 1570, in which year he married Marie Hubert. The Register for 1869 mentions his lineal descendant, the late Francis Jeune, Esq., of Jersey, and takes occasion to correct a mistaken report that he was a miller; “there was a mill on his estate formerly attached to a monastery, at which the neighbouring landowners were compelled to grind, and he received the dues, but in no other sense was he a miller.” His eminent son and namesake, Francis, was born in 1806. His early education was received at the College of St. Servan, St. Malo. On its completion he was sent to Pembroke College, Oxford, and took his degree of B.A. in 1827, with honours (first-class in classics); he regularly proceeded to M.A., and was afterwards D.C.L. Soon after taking his first degree he became a Fellow of Pembroke College, and held his Fellowship till his marriage in 1836. From 1834 to 1838 he became celebrated as the Head-Master of King Edward the Sixth’s School in Birmingham, and then received through Lord John Russell the joint-preferments of Dean of Jersey and Rector of St. Helier’s. In 1843 he returned to Oxford as Master of Pembroke College and Canon of Gloucester; during the following twenty years he was a leader in University Reform, having a principal share in founding the Middle-class Examination, in establishing the departments of Law and Modern History, and of Natural Science, and in writing the Report of the Commission of Enquiry. In Theology he was the determined opponent of Dr. Pusey. In 1864, through Viscount Palmerston, he became Dean of Lincoln, and (after a few months’ residence in his Deanery), Bishop of Peterborough. His health began to give way, and he died on 21st August 1868. His personalty was sworn under £35,000. His will, dated 23d March 1868, was to this effect:— “By this my last will I, Francis Jeune, Bishop of Peterborough, commend my soul to Almighty God, through the merits of the Saviour who loved me and gave Himself for me; and bequeath all my estate whatsoever to my good and loving wife, whom I name as guardian of my children under age, if need be, and executrix of this my will.”
The memory of the Bishop of Peterborough is affectionately preserved in Oxford University by the Jeune Memorial Prize, to be competed for annually, and to be awarded for the best Essay on some thesis contained and maintained in the Bishop’s printed works.
This admirable prelate delivered in 1867 his Primary Charge to the Clergy and Churchwardens of the Diocese of Peterborough, which was printed. It proved to be his last and dying charge. It has been reprinted along with five of his great sermons; a new edition has just been issued, under the title of “Primary Charge and Sermons, by the late Right Rev. Francis Jeune, D.C.L., Lord Bishop of Peterborough”. The following is a list of his sermons (all, except the fifth, were preached before the University of Oxford):—
1. The Studies of Oxford Vindicated, June 20, 1845.
2. “Let every man take heed how he buildeth,” October 26, 1845.
