Edward Betham (1709–1783) was an English scholar and divine. He was born at

Silchester Silchester is a village and civil parish about north of Basingstoke in Hampshire. It is adjacent to the county boundary with Berkshire and about south-west of Reading. Silchester is most notable for the archaeological site and Roman town of ...

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, ...

and was baptized there on 17 November 1709. His father, Robert Betham (d. 1719), who was rector of Silchester, was murdered when Betham was aged ten.

Early life

He was educated at

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

, and in 1728 proceeded to

King's College, Cambridge King's College, formally The King's College of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge, is a List of colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college lies beside the River Cam and faces ...

. He became a fellow of King's College in 1731, and was also for some time bursar. He was subsequently presented by the provost and fellows to the living of

Greenford Greenford () is a large town in the London Borough of Ealing in West London, Greater London, London, England, lying west from Charing Cross. It has a population of 46,787 inhabitants. Greenford is served by Greenford station, Greenford Stati ...

, in Middlesex. He was appointed one of the preachers at Whitehall, and in 1771 the provost and fellows of Eton elected him to a vacant fellowship.

Career

Betham appears to have impressed his contemporaries equally by his learning and his benevolence. 'His fortune was not large, yet his liberality kept more than equal pace with it, and pointed out objects to which it was impossible for his nature to resist lending his assistance.' In 1780 Betham founded and endowed a

charity school Charity schools, sometimes called blue coat schools, or simply the Blue School, were significant in the history of education in England. They were built and maintained in various parishes by the voluntary contributions of the inhabitants to ...

in his own parish of Greenford, having previously erected a schoolhouse there. The schoolhouse known as Betham House, which is now a residential property, at 168 Oldfield Lane, still bears a Latin inscription alluding to his generosity towards his parish. He gave 2,000l. for the better maintaining of the botanical garden at

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

. His affection for Eton was strikingly manifested in his will. He directed a marble statue of Henry VI to be prepared and erected at a cost of 700l. The statue was entrusted to the well-known sculptor Bacon, and it now stands in the chapel of Eton College, bearing the inscription : 'Posuit Edvardus Betham, collegii hujusce socius.' The king holds a model of the college in his hand. A bust of Henry was also given to the college library by Betham, and other benefactions are associated with his name. Betham died in 1783 and buried in the grounds of the Holy Cross Church where he had been the Rector.

Legacy

The Edward Betham Church of England Primary School, in Oldfield Lane South,

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...

continues his legacy. Notable alumni include England footballer,

Bukayo Saka Bukayo Ayoyinka Temidayo Saka (born 5 September 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as a right winger for club Arsenal and the England national team. Known for his creativity, dribbling, and work rate, he is regarded as one ...

and Nigerian jazz musician, Camilla George.

References

18th-century English educators 1783 deaths Fellows of King's College, Cambridge People educated at Eton College 1709 births {{England-academic-bio-stub