William Adams (17 August 1706 in Shrewsbury, England – 13 February 1789) was Fellow and Master of Pembroke College, Oxford. Early years and education Adams was born at Shrewsbury on 17 August 1706 and baptised at St Chad's Church, Shrewsbury, on 3 September 1706. He was from an old Shropshire and Shrewsbury family, the eldest son of John Adams and Elizabeth Jorden. He may have attended Shrewsbury School before being educated at John Roysse's Free School in Abingdon (now Abingdon School). He was at Abingdon from c.1716 until 1720 before he was entered into Pembroke College just before his fourteenth birthday, on 6 August 1720. He matriculated at such an early age because he was kin of the co-founder Richard Wightwick. He obtained a B.A., 5 June 1724, master's degree, 18 April 1727 and obtained a fellowship in 1723. Tutorship During 1731 (possibly 1730,) he succeeded his cousin William Jorden as a tutor at Pembroke College, where he remained until after Easter 1732. Curacy On 26 February 1732, he was presented to the curacy, or, as usually called, the vicarage of St. Chad's in Shrewsbury, which resulted in him leaving the college. He became Prebendary of Lichfield in 1747, Rector of Holgate, Salop in 1748, Canon of Llandaff in 1749 and Precentor in 1750. In 1756, he visited Oxford, and completed his degrees of BD and D.D. on 12 July, and then went back to Shrewsbury, where he discharged the duties of his ministry with exemplary assiduity, patience, and affection; and contributed a very active part in the foundation of the Salop infirmary, and in promoting its success. The year before he went last to Oxford, he was presented to the rectory of Cound in Shropshire, by Mrs. Elizabeth Cressett of that place, and retained it during his life. In 1774 he was appointed Rector of Bedwas, Co. Monmouth and of Cwm, Flintshire. Master In 1775, about 43 years after he left college, John Ratcliffe, Master of Pembroke College, died; and although Adams had out-lived almost all his contemporaries, the gentlemen of the college came to a determination to elect him, a mark of respect due to his public character, and highly creditable to their discernment. He accordingly became Master of Pembroke, 26 July 1775, and in consequence obtained a prebend of Gloucester, which is attached to that office. He now resigned the living of St. Chad, to the lasting