The Norrisian Professorship was founded by the bequest of John Norris (d. 1777) of an annuity of £105. The endowment was augmented in 1852 by the bequest of Benedict Chapman, Master of Gonville and Caius, of £1000; by a further sum of £120, being the stipend of George Elwes Corrie for the year 1850-51 when his tenure of the Vice-Chancellorship prevented him from lecturing and the stipend reverted to Lord Wodehouse, owner of the Norrisian estate, who donated the sum to the university; and, by Statute of 1860, by the rectorial tithe rent-charge of Terrington St John's and a portion of the rent-charge of Terrington St Clement's. The original electors were the Heads of Houses, eleven of whom must be present and vote. In the case of equality of votes after three scrutinies, the casting vote lay with the Master of Trinity, or, in his absence, the Provost of King's, or, in the absence of both, with the Master of Caius. In 1934 the Norrisian and Hulsean chairs were merged to form the Norris-Hulse Professorship.