Francis Hodgson

Francis Hodgson (16 November 1781 – 29 December 1852; also known as Frank Hodgson in correspondence) was a reforming Provost of Eton, educator, cleric, writer of verse, and friend of Byron.

Hodgson was born on 16 November 1781, son of Rev. James Hodgson, Headmaster of Whitgift School, whose father James Hodgson had moved from Hawkshead, Cumbria, to be rector of Humber, Herefordshire. Francis and one of his half-sisters were the only two of his father's seven children to live beyond the age of 15.

He was educated first at Whitgift School, before proceeding to Eton College as a King's Scholar, and then as a Scholar to King's College, Cambridge.

In 1806 he was appointed assistant master at Eton, a post which he resigned after a year to become a resident tutor and Fellow at King's College, Cambridge. It was there that he met and formed a lifelong friendship with the poet Lord Byron, who was at that time an undergraduate at Trinity College. Their friendship is recorded in the many letters between them that have been published in biographies of Byron.

In 1813 Francis Hodgson wished to marry Susanna Tayler (sister-in-law of Henry Drury, master at Harrow School). However Susanna's mother objected to her daughter marrying Hodgson, due to his association with the infamous Byron. Her objection was overcome by Byron himself, who drove with Hodgson in a post-chaise from London to Oxford to plead the cause of his friend with Susanna's uncle Charles Hall, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford.

In March 1840 Hodgson returned to Eton, having been nominated to be Provost by the Queen on the advice of Prime Minister Lord Melbourne. The Fellows of Eton, however, rejected his nomination on the basis that Hodgson was not a Doctor of Divinity, a qualification that had always previously been required for the post. They instead elected John Lonsdale, but when Lonsdale became aware of the situation, he stood down in favour of Hodgson.

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