Peter Whalley (clergyman)

Peter Whalley (1722–1791) was an English clergyman, academic and schoolmaster. He is known as an antiquarian author and literary editor, and particularly as editor of John Bridges' county history of Northamptonshire.

Whalley was born on 2 September 1722 at Rugby, Warwickshire, the son of Peter Whalley, an attorney, and his wife Elizabeth. The family had longstanding Northamptonshire associations. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School from 1731 to 1740, and in June 1740 was elected to a scholarship at St John's College, Oxford. He graduated B.A. in 1744, and proceeded B.C.L. in 1768. In 1743 he was elected to a fellowship at St John's College, and held it for some years.

He held a succession of ecclesiastical benefices: Holy Sepulchre in Northampton from 1748 to 1762; Ecton from 1762 to 1763; and Preston deanery from 1753 to 1766. From 1752 he kept a school at Courteenhall, Northamptonshire. In 1760 he succeeded James Townley in the post of upper grammar master at Christ's Hospital, and retained it until the summer of 1776. From 1784 to 1789 he was headmaster of St Olave's Grammar School, Southwark. He was appointed on 5 February 1766 by the corporation of the City of London to the rectory of the united parishes of St Margaret Pattens and St Gabriel, Fenchurch Street, London; and in 1768 he was presented by Christ's Hospital to the vicarage of Horley in Surrey. Both these preferments he retained until his death.

...
Wikipedia