London on 18 Dec. 1888. He was buried at Gillingham, Kent, on the 22nd. He left a widow and one son, William George (1861–1907), the second and last baronet.
[Times, 18, 19, 24 Dec.; Engineer, 21 Dec.; Engineering, 21 Dec. 1888.]
PEARCE, ZACHARY (1690–1774), bishop of Rochester, born on 8 Sept. 1690 in the parish of St. Giles's, High Holborn, was son of John Pearce, a distiller, who made a fortune and bought an estate at Little Ealing. After living there for forty years, he died, aged 85, on 14 Aug. 1752. After some education in a school at Great Ealing, Zachary was sent to Westminster, 12 Feb. 1704, and in 1707 was granted a queen's scholarship. He was elected to Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1710. While at college he wrote a paper in the ‘Guardian,’ and two in the last series of the ‘Spectator’ (Nos. 572 and 633), and afterwards one in Ambrose Philips's ‘Freethinker’ (No. 114). In 1716 he printed an edition of Cicero's ‘De Oratore’ at the university press. A friend of his was known to Chief-justice Thomas Parker, afterwards (1721) Lord Macclesfield [q. v.], and obtained Parker's consent to receive a dedication. Parker was so much gratified that he requested Bentley to obtain Pearce's election to a fellowship. Bentley consented, but apparently with some reluctance (Monk, Bentley, i. 411), for which perhaps he had reasons. At any rate, Pearce soon afterwards encouraged Colbatch in his famous struggle against the master. Pearce upon thanking Parker received a present of fifty guineas from his patron. He was ordained deacon in 1717, and priest in 1718, by Bishop Fleetwood. Parker upon becoming chancellor in 1718 appointed Pearce to a chaplaincy. He lived in the chancellor's family for three years. In December 1719 he became rector of Stapleford Abbots, Essex, and on 19 March 1719–20 was inducted into the rectory of St. Bartholomew's, in the gift of the chancellor. The chancellor said that when applying to Bentley for the Trinity fellowship he had promised to make a vacancy as soon as possible. The Duke of Newcastle, dining one day at the chancellor's, recognised Pearce as an old schoolfellow, and made him one of the king's chaplains. In February 1721–2 he married Mary, daughter of Benjamin Adams, a rich distiller in Holborn. On 10 Jan. 1723–4 he was inducted into the vicarage of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, worth 500l. year, which was at the chancellor's disposal in consequence of the translation to Ely of Dr. Thomas Green [q. v.], who had held it in commendam with the bishopric of Norwich. The chancellor then obtained for Pearce a degree of D.D. from the archbishop of Canterbury. Pearce showed his gratitude for this series of favours by dedicating an edition of Longinus, ‘On the Sublime,’ to his patron. The chancellor's impeachment in 1725 put an end to his power of helping Pearce; but they remained on friendly terms till Macclesfield's death in 1732. The plan for rebuilding the church of St. Martin's in 1724 made an act of parliament necessary in order to raise additional funds. Pearce waited upon Pulteney, who had large property in the parish, to ask his concurrence; and Pulteney, also a Westminster boy, became a warm friend and patron. Lord Sundon, another parishioner, made Pearce's acquaintance, and Lady Sundon introduced him to Queen Caroline, with whom she had great influence (see Walpole, Reminiscences in Letters i. cxxx.; and Hervey, Memoirs, i. 90). The queen took a liking to the popular doctor, ordered him to preach before her, and made two offers of preferment, which were accidentally frustrated. She also spoke in his favour to Sir Robert Walpole, but died before she could do anything for him. Pearce asked Walpole in 1739 for the deanery of Wells; and Pulteney, then in the heat of opposition, begged that his friendship with Pearce might not hinder the preferment. Walpole politely promised, but kept the deanery vacant until the death of Nailor, dean of Winchester. On 4 Aug. 1739 Pearce was instituted to the deanery of Winchester, worth 600l. year, in consequence, as he believed, of a promise made by Walpole to the queen. Pulteney, after joining the cabinet, proposed Pearce for a bishopric; but the Duke of Newcastle would only promise for the next occasion, and Pulteney ceased to have influence. Archbishop Potter applied on his behalf in 1746, without success, when Pearce declared that upon his father's death he should resign his living and be content with his deanery. In 1747 Matthew Hutton (1693–1758) [q. v.], bishop of Bangor, was translated to York, and the Duke of Newcastle offered the vacant see to Pearce, allowing him to hold St. Martin's in commendam. Pearce at first declined, and even persuaded his father and Pulteney, now Lord Bath, to allow him to refuse ‘without their displeasure.’ Newcastle, however, pointed out that, if clergymen of merit refused bishoprics, ministers could not be blamed for appointing men of less merit. Pearce did not see his way to answer this argument, and was consecrated bishop of Bangor on 21 Feb. 1748. Bath had, he thinks, reminded Newcastle of his old promise. He visited his diocese annually (with one exception) till 1753, when his health became
