George Richards

1767 (age 70)

He was admitted at Christ"s Hospital, London, in June 1776, and was then described as from Hadleigh in Suffolk. Charles Lamb knew him at school, and calls him ‘a pale, studious Grecian.’ On 10 March 1775 he matriculated at Trinity College, Oxford, becoming a scholar of his college in 1786. He gained two chancellor"s prizes: in 1787 for Latin verse, and in 1789 for an English essay ‘On the characteristic Differences between Ancient and Modern Poetry’. The poem was printed separately and in sets of ‘Oxford Prize Poems.’ lieutenant was praised by Lord Byron (English Bards and Scotch Reviewers). Richards graduated Bachelor of Arts on 4 November 1788, Master of Arts on 11 July 1791, and Bachelor of Divinity and Doctor of Divinity in 1820. In 1790, when he took holy orders, he was elected to a fellowship at Oriel College, and remained there until 1796. He was appointed Bampton lecturer in 1800, and select preacher in 1804 and 1811. In July 1824 he was appointed to the more valuable vicarage of Street Martin-in-the-Fields in Westminster. There he built a new vicarage, contributed towards the erection of the church of Saint Michael in Burleigh Street, Strand, and served for some years as treasurer of Charing Cross Hospital. In 1822 he became a governor of Christ"s Hospital. In 1799 he was elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. He died at Russell Square, London, on 30 March 1837, and was buried in a special vault in the churchyard of Saint Martin"s-in-the-Fields on 6 April.

George Richards

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clergyman governor poet

Background

The son of James Richards, later vicar of Rainham, Kent, George Richards was baptised on 15 September 1767.

Education

Trinity College; Christ"s Hospital.

Career

He was admitted at Christ"s Hospital, London, in June 1776, and was then described as from Hadleigh in Suffolk. Charles Lamb knew him at school, and calls him ‘a pale, studious Grecian.’ On 10 March 1775 he matriculated at Trinity College, Oxford, becoming a scholar of his college in 1786. He gained two chancellor"s prizes: in 1787 for Latin verse, and in 1789 for an English essay ‘On the characteristic Differences between Ancient and Modern Poetry’.

The poem was printed separately and in sets of ‘Oxford Prize Poems.’ lieutenant was praised by Lord Byron (English Bards and Scotch Reviewers).

Richards graduated Bachelor of Arts on 4 November 1788, Master of Arts on 11 July 1791, and Bachelor of Divinity and Doctor of Divinity in 1820. In 1790, when he took holy orders, he was elected to a fellowship at Oriel College, and remained there until 1796.

He was appointed Bampton lecturer in 1800, and select preacher in 1804 and 1811. In July 1824 he was appointed to the more valuable vicarage of Street Martin-in-the-Fields in Westminster.

There he built a new vicarage, contributed towards the erection of the church of Saint Michael in Burleigh Street, Strand, and served for some years as treasurer of Charing Cross Hospital.

In 1822 he became a governor of Christ"s Hospital. In 1799 he was elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. He died at Russell Square, London, on 30 March 1837, and was buried in a special vault in the churchyard of Saint Martin"s-in-the-Fields on 6 April.

Achievements

In 1791 George Simon Harcourt, 2nd Earl Harcourt gave anonymously a prize for an English poem on the ‘Aboriginal Britons.’ This Richards won, and the donor of the prize became his lifelong friend.

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George Richards

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Oxford Prize Poems