Thomas Hayter

Thomas Hayter (1702 – 9 January 1762) was an English divine, who served as a Church of England bishop for 13 years.

He was born in Chagdord, Devon, officially the son of George Hayter. It has often been claimed that Lancelot Blackburne was his father, but there is no conclusive evidence either way. Although he did not identify Hayter as his son, he did leave a sizable portion of his estate to Hayter. Hayter studied at Blundell's School, Tiverton, Balliol College, Oxford (BA 1724) and Emmanuel College, Cambridge (MA 1727).^[1]

He was ordained deacon and priest in 1727). He was appointed private chaplain to Archbishop Lancelot Blackburne of York, then made Prebendary of York (1728-1749), Prebendary of Southwell (1728-1749), Rector of Kirkby Overblow, Yorkshire (1729-1749), Sub-dean of York (1730-1749), Archdeacon of York (1730-1751), Rector of Etton, Yorkshire (1731), Chaplain to the King (1734-1749), Vicar of Kirkby-in-Cleveland, (1737-1749) and Prebendary of Westminster (1739-1749).

He was Bishop of Norwich from 1749 to 1761. In 1758, Hayter asked noted surgeon Benjamin Gooch to visit all the great hospitals in London with a view to building a general hospital for the County of Norfolk and the City of Norwich jointly. After Bishop Hayter's death in 1762, a friend and wealthy landowner, William Fellowes of Shotesham Park, stepped in 'to revive the plan' and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital was founded in 1771.

In 1751, Hayter was chosen to replace Francis Ayscough as the tutor to the future George III after the death of his father.^[2]

In 1761, Hayter was translated to Bishop of London, a post he held until his death in 1762. He was made a Privy Councillor the same year.

Hayter was buried in the churchyard of All Saints Church, Fulham, London on 16 January 1762.

He had been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in March 1750 ^[3]

References

External References

• Papers and correspondence

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