James Porter (2 October 1827, Belfast – 2 October 1900, Cambridge)^[1] was a British academic^[2] in the second half of the 19th century.^[3]

Porter was born on 2 October 1827 in Belfast, the son of Rev. James Porter, Presbyterian minister, Rector of Drumlee, Castlewellan, County Down.^[4] Porter's siblings were:

William Archer Porter, a lawyer and educationist who served as the principal of Government Arts College, Kumbakonam and tutor and secretary to the Maharaja of Mysore;
Jane Bailie Porter, who married Alexander Crum Brown, the Scottish organic chemist;
Margaret Archer Porter, who married Peter Tait, the physicist.

Porter graduated M.A. from the University of Glasgow in 1847, and continued to Peterhouse, Cambridge (admitted 8 July 1847, graduated B.A. as 9th wrangler 1851, M.A. 1854, D.D. 1881).^[4]

Porter taught mathematics at Liverpool College^[5] 1851–55, and was ordained deacon in 1853 and priest in 1856.^[4]

He was to spend the rest of his career at Peterhouse. He was appointed Fellow in 1853; Dean in 1856; Bursar in 1861; Assistant Tutor in 1863; Tutor 1866–76; and Master 1876–1900. He also served as Senior proctor in 1868–69 and 1876–77; Vicar of Cherry Hinton 1880–82;^[4] and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge 1881–84.^[6]

"He was endowed with a great activity both mental and physical, which found expression on the one hand in a keen participation in athletic sports, and on the other in whole-hearted efforts to promote the highest interests of the University."^[7] In Dr T. A. Walker's History of Peterhouse (1906) the Rev. James Porter is described as a “man of notable business qualifications and of a rare generosity of spirit.”^[8]

References

^ The Master Of Peterhouse The Times (London, England), Wednesday, Oct 03, 1900; pg. 4; Issue 36263
^ National Archives
^ "Porter, James". Who's Who & Who Was Who. Vol. 1897–1916 (1 December 2007 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 1 August 2018. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Porter, James (PRTR847J)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
^ Look & Learn
^ University web-site
^ Knott, Cargill Gilston (1911). Life and Scientific Work of Peter Guthrie Tait. Cambridge University Press. p. 14.
^ Walker, Thomas Alfred (1906). Peterhouse. London: Hutchinson & Co. p. 187.

Academic offices Preceded byHenry Wilkinson Cookson Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge 1876–1900 Succeeded byAdolphus Ward Preceded byEdward Perowne Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge 1881–1884 Succeeded byNorman Macleod Ferrers

Masters of Peterhouse, Cambridge

Gerard de Hoo
Robert de Winwick
Robert de Mildenhall
Roger de la Goter
Ralph de Holbeche
William de Whittlesea
Richard de Wisbeche
Thomas de Wormenhall
John de Newton
William Cavendish
Thomas de Castro-Bernardi
John Holbroke
Thomas Lane
John Warkworth
Thomas Denman
Henry Hornby
William Burgoyne
John Edmunds
Ralph Aynsworth
Andrew Perne
Robert Some
John Richardson
Thomas Turner
Leonard Mawe
Matthew Wren
John Cosin
Lazarus Seaman
John Cosin
Bernard Hale
Joseph Beaumont
Thomas Richardson
John Whalley
Edmund Keene
Edmund Law
Francis Barnes
William Hodgson
Henry Wilkinson Cookson
James Porter
Adolphus Ward
The Lord Chalmers
William Birdwood
Harold Temperley
Paul Cairn Vellacott
Herbert Butterfield
John Charles Burkill
Grahame Clark
Hugh Trevor-Roper
Henry Chadwick
John Meurig Thomas
The Lord Wilson of Tillyorn
Adrian Dixon
Bridget Kendall

v t e Vice-Chancellors of the University of Cambridge
15th century	Thomas Ashwell Henry Stockton Nicholas de Swaffham Nicholas Gay William Millington John Roclyffe Thomas Stoyle William Uttyng William Smyth Edmund Conisborough Thomas Stoyle William Towne Thomas Tuppin John Riplingham John Camberton William Rawson William Stockdale John Dolman Henry Rudd John Smith John Smith Henry Babington
16th century	John Fisher Humphrey Fitzwilliam Geoffrey Knight John Smith Richard Burton John Eccleston William Robson William Buckenham Thomas Thompson John Fawne John Eccleston Robert Dowsing Edmund Natares John Watson Edmund Natares Thomas Stackhouse John Edmunds Thomas Green Henry Bullock Edmund Natares John Edmunds William Buckmaster John Watson Simon Haynes John Crayford Francis Mallet George Day William Buckmaster John Edmunds Francis Mallet Richard Standish John Edmunds Richard Standish John Edmunds Sir Thomas Smith John Madew Matthew Parker John Madew William Bill Matthew Parker Walter Haddon John Madew Andrew Perne Edward Hawford Edwin Sandys John Young William Glyn Cuthbert Scott Andrew Perne John Pory Robert Brassey Edmund Cosyn Andrew Perne Henry Harvey Philip Baker Francis Newton Edward Hawford Robert Beaumont John Stokes Robert Beaumont Roger Kelke Richard Longworth John Young John May John Whitgift Roger Kelke Thomas Byng John Whitgift Andrew Perne John Still Roger Goad Richard Howland Thomas Byng John Hatcher Andrew Perne William Fulke John Bell Richard Howland Robert Norgate Humphrey Tindall John Copcot Thomas Legge Thomas Nevile Thomas Preston Robert Some Thomas Legge John Still John Duport Roger Goad John Jegon Robert Some John Jegon
17th century	John Duport William Smith John Cowell Richard Clayton Samuel Harsnett Roger Goad Thomas Jegon John Duport Fogge Newton Barnabas Gooch (or Goche) Valentine Cary Clement Corbet Samuel Harsnett Owen Gwyn John Hills John Richardson William Branthwaite John Gostlin Robert Scott Samuel Ward Leonard Mawe Jerome Beale Thomas Paske John Mansell John Gostlin Henry Smyth Thomas Bainbridge Matthew Wren Henry Butts Thomas Comber Benjamin Lany Richard Love William Beale Henry Smyth Thomas Comber Ralph Brownrigg John Cosin Richard Holdsworth Ralph Brownrigg Thomas Hill John Arrowsmith Anthony Tuckney Thomas Horton Benjamin Whichcote Samuel Bolton Richard Minshull Lazarus Seaman John Lightfoot Theophilus Dillingham John Worthington John Bond William Dillingham Henry Ferne Henry Ferne Edward Rainbowe William Dillingham James Fleetwood Anthony Sparrow Francis Wilford John Howorth James Fleetwood Edmund Boldero James Duport John Breton Robert Mapletoft William Wells John Spencer Edmund Boldero Isaac Barrow Sir Thomas Page Thomas Holbech Francis Turner John Eachard Humphrey Gower Nathaniel Coga John Copleston Henry James Samuel Blyth William Saywell John Peachell John Balderston John Montagu John Covel James Johnson Charles Roderick Gabriel Quadring George Oxenden William Stanley Thomas Browne John Eachard Henry James Sir William Dawes Thomas Green Richard Bentley
18th century	Thomas Richardson Charles Ashton George Bramston Sir John Ellys Bardsey Fisher John Balderston Edward Lany John Covel Charles Roderick Nathaniel Lloyd Gabriel Quadring John Adams Thomas Green Thomas Sherlock Daniel Waterland William Grigg Sir Thomas Gooch Thomas Crosse Andrew Snape William Savage John Davies Joseph Craven Robert Lambert John Frankland Robert Lambert Matthias Mawson Charles Morgan Roger Long William Towers John Adams John Wilcox William Richardson John Whalley Edward Hubbard Sir Edward Simpson William Sedgwick Robert Smith William George Kenrick Prescot George Rooke Edmund Castle Francis Parris Thomas Chapman Edmund Keene John Wilcox Philip Yonge Hugh Thomas Edmund Law John Sumner John Green Lynford Caryl Sir James Burrough George Sandby Robert Plumptre Peter Godard William Elliston John Barnardiston William Samuel Powell John Smith Sir James Marriott John Hinchliffe William Richardson John Sumner James Brown William Cooke Lynford Caryl Hon. Barton Wallop Richard Farmer John Chevallier Hugh Thomas Robert Plumptre William Colman Lowther Yates John Barker Richard Beadon John Torkington Peter Peckard Joseph Turner Sir James Marriott William Elliston Richard Farmer Francis Barnes William Pearce William Craven Thomas Postlethwaite Isaac Milner William Colman Lowther Yates Philip Douglas Richard Fisher Belward Robert Cory Humphrey Sumner William Lort Mansel William Gretton
19th century	Joseph Proctor Humphrey Sumner Martin Davy John Torkington Joseph Turner William Pearce Francis Barnes Edward Pearson Isaac Milner Philip Douglas Thomas Browne John Davie Robert Cory William Chafy George Thackeray John Kaye James Wood William Webb George Neville William Frere Christopher Wordsworth William French Henry Godfrey John Lamb Thomas Le Blanc Joseph Proctor Christopher Wordsworth Martin Davy Gilbert Ainslie William Chafy George Thackeray John Graham William Webb Joshua King William French George Archdall Gilbert Ainslie Thomas Worsley William Hodgson Ralph Tatham John Graham George Archdall William Whewell William Hodgson Robert Phelps Ralph Tatham Henry Philpott Robert Phelps Henry Wilkinson Cookson James Cartmell George Corrie Richard Okes James Pulling Thomas Geldart Edwin Guest William Whewell Henry Philpott William Henry Bateson Latimer Neville George Phillips Edward Atkinson Henry Wilkinson Cookson James Cartmell William Hepworth Thompson Edward Atkinson John Power Henry Wilkinson Cookson Samuel Phear Edward Atkinson John Power Edward Perowne James Porter Norman Macleod Ferrers Charles Swainson Charles Taylor Charles Edward Searle Henry Montagu Butler John Peile Augustus Austen Leigh Charles Smith Alexander Hill William Chawner
20th century	Adolphus Ward Frederic Chase Edward Beck Ernest Stewart Roberts Arthur James Mason Robert Forsyth Scott Stuart Alexander Donaldson M. R. James Thomas Fitzpatrick Arthur Shipley Peter Giles Edmund Pearce Albert Seward George Weekes Thomas Fitzpatrick Allen Beville Ramsay Will Spens J. F. Cameron Godfrey Wilson Henry Roy Dean Ernest Alfred Benians John Archibald Venn Thomas Hele Henry Thirkill Charles E. Raven Sydney Castle Roberts Sir Lionel Whitby Henry Willink Brian Downs Edgar Adrian Herbert Butterfield Ivor Jennings John Boys Smith Arthur Armitage Eric Ashby Owen Chadwick William Alexander Deer Jack Linnett Rosemary Murray Alan Cottrell Peter Swinnerton-Dyer Harry Hinsley John Butterfield Richard Adrian, 2nd Baron Adrian Michael McCrum
Full-time	Sir David Williams Sir Alec Broers Dame Alison Richard Sir Leszek Borysiewicz Stephen Toope

Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	Germany
People	Deutsche Biographie