James Tate (1771-1843) was the highly successful and respected Master of Richmond school for thirty-six years. He was ordained deacon in 1794, priest in 1800, and appointed Canon Residentiary of St Paul's in 1833. The 124 letters to four correspondents, notably the most intimate and revealing of Tate's likeable, learned personality to his old friend John Hutton of Marske Hall, cover the years 1791 to 1843.