Arthur Charlett

Dr Arthur Charlett (1655 – 4 November 1722) was an Oxford academic and administrator. He was Master of University College, Oxford for thirty years until his death in 1722. He was noted for his love of society, and for his expensive way of living.

He was son of Arthur Charlett, rector of Collingbourn Ducis, Wiltshire, by Judith, daughter of Mr Cratford, a merchant of London, and was born at Shipton, near Cheltenham, on 4 January 1655. After receiving his early education at the free school at Salisbury, he matriculated at Trinity College, Oxford, on 13 January 1669, having just completed his fourteenth year. He obtained a scholarship there college and proceeded B.A. on 17 April 1673, and M.A. 23 November 1676. He was chosen Fellow at the election of 1680, and the same year received deacon's orders from John Fell, bishop of Oxford. In 1683 he was chosen junior proctor. He was appointed tutor to Francis North, 2nd Baron Guilford in 1688.

On 17 December 1684 he took the degree of B.D., and when in 1692 the mastership of University College was refused by internal candidates he was chosen master on 7 July, with the backing of John Hudson, and the next day proceeded D.D. Charlett saw that the Clarendon Press annually printed some classical work, and then himself presented a copy of it to each of the students of his college. He was an interfering academic politician, satirised in No. 43 of The Spectator where Charlett, under the name of Abraham Froth is made to write a letter describing the business transacted at the meetings of the hebdomadal council. He promoted the first attempt at a university newspaper, published in 1707, with the title of Mercurius Oxoniensis, or the Oxford Intelligencer.

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