James Yates

James Yates (30 April 1789 � 7 May 1871) was an English Unitarian minister and scholar, known as an antiquary. He was the fourth son of John Yates (1755�1826) by his wife Elizabeth (1750�1819), youngest daughter of John Ashton of Liverpool, andwidow of John Bostock the elder (cf John Bostock (physician)), and was born in Toxteth Park, Liverpool, on 30 April 1789. Joseph Brooks Yates was his eldest brother; another brother, Richard Vaughan Yates (4 August 1785 � 30 November 1856) was the donor of Prince's Park to the inhabitants of Liverpool, while John Ashton Yates became an MP. His father, minister (1777�1823) of the dissenting congregation in Kaye Street, Liverpool, which moved to Paradise Street (1791), was a noted preacher. Receiving early training from William Shepherd, he entered Glasgow University in 1805, and went on for his divinity course (1808) to Manchester College, then at York, under Charles Wellbeloved. While still a student he acted (1809�10) as assistant classical tutor for John Kenrick. From York he went to Edinburgh University (1810), and Glasgow University again (1811). Before graduating M.A. at Glasgow (1812), he became unordained minister (October 1811) of a Unitarian congregation, for which a new chapel was opened (15 November 1812) in Union Place; he create a stable church out of previously discordant elements. With Thomas Southwood Smith, he founded (28 July 1813) the Scottish Unitarian Association. On 6 April 1817 he succeeded Joshua Toulmin as colleague to John Kentish at the new meeting, Birmingham (see also Church of the Messiah, Birmingham), a post which he resigned at the end of 1825; and for a time he left the ministry, and resided at Norton Hall, near Sheffield. In 1827 he spent a semester at the University of Berlin, as a student of classical philology. In 1819 Yates was elected a fellow of the Geological Society; in 1822 of the Linnean Society; in 1831 of the Royal Society; and in 1831 he was appointed secretary to the council of the British Association. In the same year he was elected a trustee of Dr. Williams's foundations (resigned 26 June 1861). In 1832 he succeeded John Scott Porter as minister of Carter Lane Chapel, Doctors' Commons, London. His congregation was increased by a secession (September 1834) from the ministry of William Johnson Fox at South Place Chapel, Finsbury. Yates resigned early in the following year. He remained a member of the Presbyterian section of the "general body" of ministers of the three denominations, and when other unitarians seceded in 1836, Yates retained his connection with the "general body". Shortly Yates left the ministry, and, being unordained, took the style of a layman. He worked for Dr. Williams's trust, introducing the system of competitive examinations for scholarships. His later years were spent in learned leisure at Lauderdale House, Highgate where he had a library and a collection of works of art. He was probably the first to see the antiquarian value of the book Sketches at Carnac (Brittany) in 1834[1] authored by his friend Alexander Blair and Francis Ronalds and ensured it was preserved in the Royal Archaeological Institute's collection.[2] He also helped examine the important fossil Cycadeoidea gibsoniana found by Ronalds� cousin Thomas Field Gibson.[3] Yates died at Lauderdale House on 7 May 1871, and was buried at Highgate Cemetery on 11 May. He married (about 1820) Dorothea, daughter of John William Crompton of Edgbaston, who survived him without issue. His will left benefactions including endowments for chairs in University College, London, but his property did not realise the estimated amount.