Author: Roberts, William Hayward
Biography:
ROBERTS, William Hayward (1734-1791: ODNB)
The third son of Richard Roberts (1701-1757) of Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, and his wife, Eleanor Horton (her surname is identified in her husband’s will), he was baptized at St Nicholas, Gloucester, on 12 Aug. 1734. His grandfather, Walter Roberts, was a medical doctor. His father, who was called to the bar at Middle Temple in May 1725, owned a house in Bath and extensive properties in Wales, Northamptonshire, and Lincolnshire. The poet entered Eton College in 1744, the Inner Temple in Dec. 1752, and King’s College, Cambridge, in 1753 (BA 1757, MA 1760, DD 1773). He was a fellow of King’s from 1756 to 1761 and of Eton from 1756 to 1760. Also at Eton, he was assistant master from 1760 to 1781 and he was elected bursar in 1772. The king appointed him his chaplain in 1772 and promoted him provost of Eton on 18 Dec. 1781. Through the death of his brother John, in 1787 he inherited the family mansion at Abergavenny. Ordained deacon and priest in 1759, he was rector of Whiston (with moiety of chapelry of Denton), Northamptonshire, 1762 to 1782; of Farnham Royal, Buckinghamshire, 1779 to 1792; and of Everdon, Northamptonshire, Aug. 1778 to Sept. 1779. He married twice, firstly at St Mary-de-Lode, Gloucester, on 30 July 1761 to Jane Pitt (1738-1776); secondly to Charlotte Chamberlayne (1741-1808) at St John the Evangelist, Eton, on 17 Mar. 1779. All of his children were by his first marriage, his sons William, John, Henry, and Richard, and his daughters Rosamond and Eleanor. His cousin William Roberts (q.v.) was the father of William Roberts, editor of the British Review. His cousin Radagunda Roberts (q.v.) was a prolific contributor to Lady’s Magazine. Madame D'Arblay wrote of him (Diary and Letters, 23 Nov. 1786), “The Provost is very fat, with a large paunch and gouty legs. He is good humoured, loquacious, gay, civil, and parading. I am told, nevertheless, he is a poet, and a very good one.” He died at Eton on 5 Dec. 1791 and was buried there, in the chapel. His great-nephew Arthur Henry Hallam was Arthur Tennyson’s friend (qq.v.). (ODNB 15 Mar. 2024; freereg.org.uk 15 Mar. 2024; ECA 15 Mar. 2024; CCEd 15 Mar. 2024; Inner temple online 18 Mar. 2024; ACAD; PROB 11/834; PROB 11/1150; PROB 11/1212; Register of Admissions to the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple [1849], 1: 284) JC
Other Names:
- W. H. Roberts
- Dr. [W. H.] Roberts
- Dr. [William Hayward] Roberts