The Times/1891/Obituary/Henry Richards Luard

Layout 2The Rev. Henry Richards Luard, D.D., Senior Fellow of Trinity College, and Registrary of the University of Cambridge, died on Friday night at his residence, St. Peter's-terrace, Cambridge. Although he had been in a precarious state of health for some years, and was compelled occasionally to travel abroad to avoid the perils of an English spring, the end came as a shock to his numerous friends in the University when the intelligence was circulated on Saturday morning. Dr. Luard was born in 1825, and was a son of Mr. Henry Luard. He received his early education at Cheam, and in due course entered at Trinity College, of which society he was a scholar. He graduated in the Mathematical Tripos of 1847, being fourteenth Wrangler, and two years afterwards was elected to a Fellowship. He entered holy orders and remained in his residence, taking part in the educational work of his college and filling the offices of Assistant Tutor. He early developed literary tastes, and in 1857 contributed a "Life of Person" to the "Cambridge Essays" of that year. He was responsible for the catalogue of the Theological MSS. in the University library. From 1858 to 1869 he was a contributor to the series of Mediæval Chronicles, and he published the "Correspondence of Person" in 1867; "On the Relations between England and Rome in the Reign of Henry III" (1877) edited "Chronica Majora Matthai Parisiensis" (in seven vols.) and "Annales Monastci" (five vols.). He was also the author of several sermons, and issued when Registrary two editions of the "Graduati Cantabrigienses," the last being published in 1884. In 1862 a vacancy occurred in the office of the Registrary by the resignation of Rev. Joseph Romilly, and Dr. Luard was elected is successor in January of that year, the votes recorded being —for Dr. Luard, 396, and the Rev. J. Power, 253. He soon afterwards married the youngest daughter of the late Archdeacon Hodson, but his wife predeceased him in 1889. In succeeding Mr. Romilly, the first official act which fell to the new Registrary was the election and installation of the Duke of Devonshire as Chancellor. The labours of the Registrary have, in consequence of the large annual increase in the number of undergraduates and the extended work of the University, becomes very onerous, and it was felt that some relief should be given, so in 1885 an Assistant Registrary was elected ad the stipend of the Registrary raised to £700. Some idea can be formed of the increase of the University from the following figures. In 1863 the total number of degrees was 629 and the matriculations 448. In 1884 the number of degrees was 1,731 and the matriculations 973. This year will show still further increase. The many generations of members of the University who have been brought into contact with Dr. Luard will retain a pleasant memory of his unvarying courtesy. He was remarkable for his accuracy, and he took a keen delight in keeping the records of the University in the most perfect manner. To the antiquary who desired to search the records or to obtain the information Dr. Luard grudged no time or trouble, and cheerfully rendered assistance. He was a ripe scholar, a good linguist, and an indefatigable worker. For 27 years he discharged the duties of vicar of Great St. Mary's, Cambridge, in addition to his official and literary work, and by his death the University is deprived of its best known, and certainly one of the most popular, of its permanent officials. The election to the office of Registrary is vested in the members of the Senate. The council nominate two persons, and by the statutes the election must take place within 14 days of the notification of the vacancy to the Vice-Chancellor.