Background
He was born in Gloucester, the third son of Richard Roberts of Abergavenny and his wife Eleanor.
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William Roberts
Edit ProfileEducation
He was educated at Eton College, and elected to a scholarship at King"s College, Cambridge. He graduated Bachelor of Arts in 1757, and became an assistant master at Eton in the same year.
Career
He was a Fellow of King"s, from 1756 to 1761. While William Hayley was at Eton his poetical aspirations were encouraged by Roberts, then an usher in the school. In 1760 Roberts commenced Master of Arts, and in 1771 he was appointed to a fellowship at Eton College.
He was created Doctor of Divinity at Cambridge in 1773, was presented to the rectory of Everdon, Northamptonshire, in 1778, and was inducted to the rectory of Farnham Royal, Buckinghamshire, on 3 June 1779.
After the death of Edward Barnard, Roberts was appointed Provost of Eton College on 12 December 1781. Foreign many years he was one of the king"s chaplains.
He died at Eton on 5 December 1791. According to William Cole, Roberts held noisy card playing parties at Eton.
Fanny Burney found him "good-humoured, loquacious, gay, civil, and parading".
Both remarked on how fat he was. Roberts was twice married. Other children (George, Henry, Rosamond, and Eleanor) are also taken to be from this marriage.
Also to George Chamberlayne, a Catholic convert.
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Born
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Died
1791 (aged 57) -
Nationality
Kingdom of Great Britain -
Religion
Catholic