Although useful in enabling uneducated persons to read in a short space of time, Frere's system was found to vitiate pronunciation. In 1871 it was in use at only three home institutions. He devised a cheap method of setting up and stereotyping his books. ‘The letters, formed of copper wire, are laid on a tin plate, previously washed over with a solution of zinc; when heat is applied to the under-surface, the letter becomes soldered on to the plate, and such plates produced extremely good printing’ (Chambers, Encyclopædia, new edit., ii. 226). Both T. M. Lucas of Bristol and William Moon of Brighton adopted this system of stereotyping. Aided by Miss Yates of Fairlawn, Frere was enabled to have ‘The Book of the Prophet Isaiah’ printed from embossed metallic plates according to his method, 4to, London, 1843–9. His other works are: 1. ‘A Combined View of the Prophecies of Daniel, Esdras, and S. John, shewing that all the prophetic writings are formed upon one plan … Also a minute explanation of the prophecies of Daniel; together with critical remarks upon the interpretations of preceding commentators, and more particularly upon the systems of Mr. Faber and Mr. Cunninghame,’ 8vo, London, 1815 (2nd edit., same year). 2. ‘On the General Structure of the Apocalypse, being a brief introduction to its minute interpretation,’ 8vo, London, 1826. 3. ‘Eight Letters on the Prophecies relating to the last times; viz. The seventh vial, the civil and ecclesiastical prophetic periods, and the type of Jericho,’ 8vo, London, 1831. 4. ‘Three Letters on the Prophecies … in continuation of eight letters published in 1831,’ 8vo, London, 1833; 2nd edit., with a prefatory address, 8vo, London [1859]. 5. ‘The Art of Teaching to Read by Elementary Sounds,’ 12mo, London, 1840. 6. ‘A Letter to Lord Wharncliffe, in reply to the allegations made by the London Society for Teaching the Blind to Read, against the Phonetic Method of Instruction,’ 8vo, London, 1843. 7. ‘“The Harvest of the Earth,” prior to the vintage of wrath, considered as symbolical of the Evangelical Alliance … Also a letter to Dr. Wolff,’ &c., 12mo, London, 1846. 8. ‘The Great Continental Revolution, marking the Expiration of the Times of the Gentiles, A.D. 1847–8. In reply to a Letter from a Member of a Society of Prophetic Students. To which is added a Reprint of a Letter addressed to the Rev. Dr. Wolff on the expiration of the Times of the Gentiles A.D. 1847, and of other occasional papers, illustrative of the present period,’ 8vo, London, 1848. 9. ‘Preface to the Second Edition of the Great Continental Revolution, containing Remarks on the progress of Prophetic Events during the year 1848–9,’ 8vo, London, 1849 (printed separately, for the convenience of purchasers of the first edition). 10. ‘Notes, forming a brief Interpretation of the Apocalypse,’ 8vo, London, 1850. 11. ‘Directions for Teaching the Blind to Read on the Phonetic Principle,’ 8vo [London, 1851]. 12. ‘Grammar [embossed] for the Blind on the Principle of the Combination of Elementary Sounds,’ 4to, London, 1851.
[Horace Frere's Pedigree of the Family of Frere, 4to, 1874; Brit. Mus. Cat.; Ripley and Dana's American Cyclopædia, ii. 719; Encyclopædia Britannica (9th edit.), iii. 826–8.]
FRERE, JOHN (1740–1807), antiquary, of Roydon Hall, Norfolk, and Finningham, Suffolk, born on 10 Aug. 1740, was the eldest son of Sheppard Frere of Roydon, by his wife Susanna, daughter of John Hatley of London and Kirby Hall, Essex. He belonged to an old family settled in Norfolk and Suffolk. His grandfather, Edward Frere, was a fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and a staunch adherent of Bentley the master. Frere was scholar and fellow of Caius College. He was second wrangler (Paley being senior), and graduated B.A. 1763, M.A. 1766. He became high sheriff of Suffolk in 1766, was a vice-president of the Marine Society in 1785, and was elected M.P. for Norwich in 1799. He was elected fellow of the Royal Society 20 June 1771, and was an active member. He published, in the ‘Archæologia’ for 1800 (xiii. 204), a paper ‘On the Flint Weapons of Hoxne in Suffolk,’ and showed discernment in assigning these stone implements (some of which, presented by him, are still in the collection of the Society of Antiquaries) ‘to a very remote period indeed, even beyond that of the present world’ (cp. John Evans, Ancient Stone Implements, p. 517). Frere also contributed to the ‘Gentleman's Magazine’ and other publications. His son, John Hookham Frere [q. v.], used to regret that more of his father's occasional papers had not been preserved. Frere was intimate with Richard Gough. His brother-in-law, Sir John Fenn, left him his library. Frere died at East Dereham, Norfolk, on 12 July 1807. A painted portrait of him is in the possession of Mr. J. T. Frere of Roydon Hall. He married, in 1768, Jane, only child of John Hookham of Beddington, a rich London merchant. This lady, besides a fortune and good looks, had ‘rare gifts of intellect and disposition.’ They had seven sons and two daughters. The eldest son was John Hookham Frere, the author and diplomatist [q. v.] The fourth, fifth, and sixth sons,
