Edwards, Thomas

Submitted by edpope on

27.2.1795 at Frend's.

Supposed by Ben Ross Schneider, "Wordsworth's Cambridge Education", and Kenneth Johnston "The Hidden Wordsworth" to be Thomas Edwards DNB 1759-1842, son of Rev Thomas Edwards PCC 1785, which is likely; but various writers have confused him with Rev John Edwards of Birmingham and stated that he helped Coleridge with the Watchman in 1796; and the DNB, following Alum Cantab, confuses him with another Thomas Edwards (Alum Ox) who was vicar of Aldford Cheshire for many years and died 1842. He was curate of Swavesey, Cambs and The Bury & Norwich Post of 5.4.1820 records his death at Huntingdon on his way to Leamington Spa. In 1796 he sold his library. He was also featured in Literary Memoirs of Living Authors p173. If this entry was him there is no reason to think he was any of the other Edwards entries in Godwin's diary

Amendments to Oxford DNB

THOMAS EDWARDS 1759?-1842

CURRENT TEXT "(1759?-1842),"
SUGGESTED CHANGE <(1759?-1820)>

CURRENT TEXT "and later curate, and then rector, of Aldford, Cheshire (1788-1842), and curate of Caldecote, Hertfordshire (1812-14)"
SUGGESTED CHANGE omit

CURRENT TEXT "Edwards died on 4 July 1842 at Aldford."
SUGGESTED CHANGE <Edwards died on 30 March 1820 at Huntingdon on his road to Leamington Spa.>
NOTES This article has followed Venn, Alumni Cantabridgienses in confusing two Thomas Edwards. One is in Alum Ox as son of Thomas of Chester gent BRASENOSE COLL matric 4 June 1791 age 17 BA 1795 MA 1797 curate of Aldford Cheshire 1798 and rector 1832 until his death 4 July 1842. The entry in Alum Cant for Thomas Edwards Adm. pens. at CLARE, June 19, 1776 may be correct except for his curacy and rectorship at Aldford and his date of death. The Bury & Norwich Post of Wed 5.4.1820 under "Cambridge April 3 DIED" has "On Thursday last at Huntingdon on his road to Leamington Spa the Rev Thomas Edwards Ll.D. vicar of Histon in this county". So his date of death would have been 30th March 1820. Alum Cant also gives him as Rector of Caldecote 1812-14 while the DNB says he was curate there in those dates, Foster's Index Eccles. gives R of Caldecot 1812 but makes no attempt to distinguish individuals with the same name. Samuel Valentine Edwards (Alum Cant) was son of Samuel of Westminster and was rector of Caldecot from 1836. This father and son seem to have been a different Edwards family and I think it better to omit the mention of Caldecot

Jan 2015 the DNB have adopted my suggestions with slight changes and credited my website in the Sources.