James Tunstall (1708?–1762) was an English cleric and classics scholar.
The son of James Tunstall, an attorney at Richmond, Yorkshire, he was born about 1708. He was educated at Slaidburn grammar school under Bradbury, and was admitted a sizar at St John's College, Cambridge, on 29 June 1724, aged over 16, being supported at university by an uncle. He graduated B.A. in 1727, M.A. in 1731, B.D. in 1738, and D.D. on 13 July 1744. His act for the doctor's degree was much applauded. On 24 March 1728–9 he was elected to a fellowship at his college, and ultimately became its senior dean and one of the two principal tutors. He was known as a "pupil monger", for his classical knowledge and manner.[1] Tunstall, on the presentation of Edward Harley, 2nd Earl of Oxford, was instituted on 4 December 1739 to the rectory of Sturmer, Essex, and held it until early in 1746. In October 1741 he was elected to the post of Public Orator at Cambridge, polling 160 votes against 137 recorded for Philip Yonge, and held it though absent from the university, until 1746, when his grace for a continuance of the permission was refused. This absence was caused by his appointment about 1743 as domestic chaplain to John Potter, the archbishop of Canterbury.[1]
The archbishop offered Tunstall in 1744 the rectory of Saltwood in Kent, but it was declined. He accepted, however, the vicarage of Minster-in-Thanet (collated 12 February 1747), and the rectory of Great Chart (collated 6 March 1747). He had become a senior fellow of his college on 12 November 1746, but after these preferments he vacated his fellowship in February 1748. From 1746 to his death he was treasurer and canon residentiary of St. Davids.[1]
On the nomination of archbishop Matthew Hutton he was collated on 11 November 1757 to the vicarage of Rochdale; but his ambition was prebendal stall at Canterbury Cathedral. He died at the house of a brother in Mark Lane, London, on 28 March 1762, and was buried in the chancel of St. Peter, Cornhill, on 2 April.[1]
Tunstall published:[1]
Tunstall's other works were:[1]
Tunstall gave critical annotations to the first edition of William Duncombe's Horace, and obtained William Warburton's notes on Hudibras for Zachary Grey. Warburton was a friend, and his letters to Grey were printed. Other friends included Thomas Baker and John Byrom. His library was sold in 1764, and 152 manuscript sermons by him passed to Sir Everard Home.[1]
Tunstall married, about 1750, Elizabeth, daughter of John Dodsworth of Thornton Watlass, Yorkshire, by his wife Henrietta, daughter of John Hutton of Marske, and sister of Matthew Hutton, successively archbishop of York and Canterbury. His widow moved to Hadleigh in Suffolk, and died there on 5 December 1772, in her forty-ninth year. A marble slab to her memory is at the west end of the north aisle.[1]
Seven daughters at least survived Tunstall. The three that were living in 1772 were sent to Lisbon for their health. Henrietta Maria, the second, married, on 14 June 1775, John Croft, merchant at Oporto, and was mother of Sir John Croft FRS;[2] Catherine, the sixth daughter, married, first, the Rev. Edward Chamberlayne, and, secondly, Horatio, Lord Walpole; Jane, the seventh daughter, married, first, Stephen Thompson, and, secondly, Sir Everard Home.[1]
The Mortimer-Percy
. 113. 1 July 2001. Heritage Books. 978-0-7884-1872-3.