Joseph Drury (11 February 1750 – 9 January 1834) was Head Master of Harrow School 1785–1805, and first of a dynasty of Drurys to teach at Harrow.
Life
Drury was educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge.[1] Admitted to Trinity in 1768, he was unable to continue at Cambridge due to lack of means, and in 1769 became an assistant master at Harrow School.[2]
In 1771, Drury turned down the chance to join Samuel Parr's breakaway school at Stanmore.[2] He was ordained deacon in 1773 and priest in 1779. He was re-admitted to Trinity in 1774 as a "ten-year man", graduating B.D. in 1784 and D.D. in 1789.[1]
Drury succeeded Benjamin Heath the younger, his brother-in-law, as headmaster of Harrow School in 1785.[2]
Family
In 1775 Drury married Louisa Heath, daughter of Benjamin Heath. Of their three sons Henry Joseph Thomas Drury (1778–1841) was a master at Harrow, and Benjamin Heath Drury (1782–1835), became an assistant-master at Eton College; and their daughter Louisa Heath Drury married John Herman Merivale.[2]
His brother Mark Drury was Second Master at Harrow. He married Catherine Angelo, daughter of the fencing master Domenico Angelo.[3]
