Robert Fellowes

Robert Fellowes, LL.D. (1771 – 6 February 1847) was an English clergyman, journalist and philanthropist.

Life His father William Fellowes of Danbury was the eldest son of William Fellowes of Shotesham Park, Norfolk. After attending Felsted School in Essex Fellowes was educated for the church. He matriculated at Oriel College, Oxford in 1788, graduating B.A. at St Mary Hall, where he graduated BA on 30 June 1796, and an MA on 28 January 1801.

Fellowes took orders, but seems to have held no preferment. For over six years (1804–11) he edited The Critical Review. He was a close friend of Samuel Parr, who introduced him to the embattled Queen Caroline of Brunswick, whose cause he supported. He is said to have written all her replies to the numerous addresses presented to her in 1820. Queen Caroline, wife of King George IV, is greeted by people from Marylebone, caricature by Theodore Edward Hook, in which the Rev. Robert Fellowes stands to the right of the Queen, with a scroll "Socinian Creed" – the figure on the right edge of the drawing is Matthew Wood Francis Maseres left Fellowes at his death in 1824 nearly £200,000. Fellowes erected to the memory of Maseres a monument in Reigate churchyard, with a eulogistic inscription in Latin. He used this fortune in aiding private distress and in forwarding benevolent schemes. In 1826 he gave benefactions to encourage the study of natural philosophy at the University of Edinburgh. He was one of the promoters of London University. Out of gratitude for the professional services of Dr John Elliotson, who held a chair of medicine at University College London he provided there two annual gold medals, the Fellowes Medals, for proficiency in clinical medicine. There were four daughters of the marriage, of whom Anna, the eldest (1807–1872) married in 1833 John Charles Burrow. Secondly, to Sophia Parmenter (1793–1836), daughter of John Parmenter of Castle Hedingham. There were two daughters and two sons of the marriage. Of the daughters, Frances Maseres (1824–1888) married in 1852 Robert William Mackay the freethinker; and Sophia Maseres (1825–1887) married in 1849 John Henry Haycraft of Clifton. Robert Maseres Fellowes (1827–1909) married in 1878 Elizabeth Jacobs, and was father of two sons and two daughters; and William Maseres Fellowes (1829–1877) died unmarried.