Hi.
I always assumed that the Rev. John Richards, (B1760) had an MA Degree, (Oxon). Recent gravestone photos supplied by Emyr Richards appear to confirm this ... he is always shown with "MA" after his name on various family gravestones. Whilst updating my info on him, I have now come across some anomalies that need to be sorted out regarding his Degree.
My amateur search of archive documents show the following ...
Richards, John.
Entered as Servitor, i March 1776: Caution received, (This appears to be the Rev. John)
SQJ.
One John Richards matriculated, from Jesus, n July 1774,
as fil. Ric. de Llanegwad, Carm. gen. 30 : another of
the same name matriculated, also from Jesus, 9 Dec.
1774, as fil. Joh. de S. Bride's, Glam. pleb. 18.
B.A. Oriel, 14 Jan. 1779 : M.A. 17 May 1783.
Robinson Exhibitioner, 14 Nov. 1781.
Further searches haven't uncovered his actual matriculation and the MA that is always used with his name. In all of the documents that relate to him the MA is not shown. The most obvious cause for suspicion is "Liber Cleri Evidence", supplied by the Clergydatabase.org. The 1808 and the 1826 list show him with the appendage of "Lit." This indicates that he didn't have a degree but was educated enough to become a priest. So too the SPCK list of 1826 where person listed above and below him have their degrees shown ... his qualification space is blank.
Help in clarifying this question would be much appreciated