The Orange College of Breda provided the formal academic foundation for William Brereton, 3rd Baron Brereton, where he studied Greek and mathematics under the tutelage of John Pell. This education preceded his emergence as both a mathematician and a politician within the Kingdom of England during the turbulent political landscape of the seventeenth century.
Political Engagement and Parliamentary Service
Brereton served as a Member of Parliament for Newton in the Third Protectorate Parliament during 1659. He subsequently represented Bossiney in the April 1660 Parliament. By his own assessment, he maintained a position of limited influence at Court, a standing that paradoxically facilitated his selection for complex administrative oversight roles. He inherited the Irish peerage of Baron Brereton in 1664 following the death of his father, William Brereton, 2nd Baron Brereton.
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In 1667, Brereton assumed the chairmanship of the Committee of Accounts, known as the Brooke House Committee. Tasked with investigating failures within the Navy during the Second Anglo-Dutch War, he encountered significant resistance from Samuel Pepys. The hearings involved public confrontations regarding the interpretation of parliamentary statutes. Brereton attempted to present evidence of bribery against Pepys, though his efforts were undermined by the active support King Charles II and James, Duke of York, provided to the accused. The committee concluded without achieving substantial results, leading to his effective withdrawal from public life.
Scientific Contributions and Royal Society Membership
Brereton was an original Fellow of the Royal Society, achieving membership on 22 April 1663. His interests in the field of mathematical analysis were supported by his early training. In 1668, he demonstrated his patronage of the scientific community by awarding the rectory of Tilston, located near Malpas, to the mathematician Thomas Branker.
Personal Life and Succession
He married Frances, who was the daughter and co-heiress of Francis Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby of Parham, and his wife, Elizabeth Cecil. Brereton died on 17 March 1680 at the age of 48. He was succeeded by his sons, John and Francis. Upon the death of Francis in 1722, the barony became extinct.
Fast facts
- Born: 4 May 1631
- Died: 17 March 1680
- Title: 3rd Baron Brereton
- Citizenship: Kingdom of England
- Fellow of the Royal Society: 22 April 1663
- Notable role: Chairman of the Brooke House Committee
Questions readers ask
What was the main conflict Brereton faced as a politician?
He clashed with Samuel Pepys while chairing the Brooke House Committee, which investigated naval mismanagement.
Did Brereton's title persist after his death?
The title passed to his sons John and Francis, but became extinct in 1722 upon the death of Francis.
