Author: LUCAS, Robert
Biography:
LUCAS, Robert (1747-1812: ODNB)
He was born on 25 June 1747 and baptised at All Saints, Northampton, on 21 July, the son of Robert Lucas, innkeeper of the Red Lion and Mayor of the town (1756-7) and his second wife Martha Judkins, who had married in Northampton in 1738. He was educated at Northampton Grammar School and then went up to Trinity College Cambridge in Dec. 1776 (matric. 1784, BD 1787, DD 1793)—this range of dates indicating that he was not always resident. He had entered the established church before starting at Cambridge and was Curate of Brixworth, (1772-78) and of Hardingstone (1778-82), and Vicar of Pattishall (1782-1812), all parishes in Northamptonshire. He then moved to Ripple, Worcestershire, where he was Rector from 1787 to 1812. He was also a magistrate in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire. He married Hannah Hurd (1756-1831), a niece of Bishop Richard Hurd (q.v.) on 16 July 1782 at Shifnal, Shropshire. They had at least twelve children. He died on 1 Mar. 1812 at the rectory, Ripple. His wife survived him and died at Gloucester in 1831. He first came to notice with his translation, Homer’s Hymn to Ceres (1781) with notes (reprinted in the other work listed here). He also published sermons, including Three Sermons on the Subject of Sunday Schools (1787). (ODNB 26 May 2022; ancestry.co.uk 26 May 2022; Northampton Mercury 22 July 1782, 21 Mar. 1812, 17 Dec. 1831; GM May 1812, 497) AA