FREWIN, RICHARD, son of Ralph Frewin, London; b.; adm.; KS 1693; Capt. of the School 1697; elected head to Christ Church, Oxford 1698, matr. 4 Jul 1698, aged 17, Westminster Student 24 Dec 1689 - Dec 1709, Tutor 1705-8, Faculty Student 24 Dec 1709 - 24 Mar 1715; BA 1702; MA 22 Mar 1704/5 (incorp. Cambridge 1707); MB 1707; MD 1711; taught chemistry at Christ Church; Camden Professor of Ancient History, Oxford Univ., from 12 Aug 1727; had an excellent reputation as a physician; attended Henry Aldrich (qv) on his death bed, and made a fitting speech at his funeral in Christ Church Cathedral; bequeathed £2000 in trust for those elected from Westminster to Christ Church, and another £2000 in trust for the physicians of the Radcliffe Infirmary, his house at Oxford (now known as Frewin Hall) to the Regius Professor of Medicine, and his books to the Radcliffe Library; m. 1st, Dorothy, widow of Sir Thomas Tyrrell, Bart., Hanslope, Bucks., and dau. of Sir Giles Eyre, Brickworth, Wilts., a Judge of the Court of King’s Bench; m. 2nd, 26 Feb 1726/7 Elizabeth Woodward, a niece of Rev. Joseph Woodward DCL, Rector of Boxford, Berks.; m. 3rd, 4 Mar 1731/2 (IGI) Ellen Graves, widow, dau. of Peter Cranke; d. 29 May 1761. DNB. [Presumably Richard Frewen, son of Ralph Frewen, and Susannah ---, bapt. All Hallows, Honey Lane, London 15 May 1678 (IGI)]
By his will dated 6 Sep 1757 (proved 4 Jul 1761) he devised certain lands and tithes to the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford, upon trust after payment of outgoings and of certain expenses in connection with the property, to pay the surplus income to “all those scholars equally share and share alike as shall be yearly chosen at the publick Westminster Election out of St.Peter’s College at Westminster to Christ Church in Oxford”, subject to certain conditions as to forfeiture by non-residence. By the Ordinances attached to the Christ Church (Oxford) Ordinance Act 1867 the income was directed to be applied, with other funds, towards the maintenance of the Westminster Junior Studentships.
According to E,G.W.Bill, op.cit., p.105, n.2, “In 1761 Richard Frewin … bequeathed an estate near Ramsbury, Wilts, for the benefit of the Westminster Students during the period between election and admission. It proved an uncertain source of income and was sold in 1775 for the sum of £2000, which was invested in South Sea Annuities”.