Robert Francis Walker (1789–1854) was an English cleric and author, known as a translator of works of German

evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...

writers.

Life

The son of Robert Walker of Oxford, he was born there on 15 January 1789. He received his earlier education at

Magdalen College School, Oxford Magdalen College School (MCS) is a private day school in the British public school tradition located in Oxford, England, for boys aged seven to eighteen and for girls in the sixth form (i.e. ages sixteen to eighteen). It was founded by Willia ...

, and as a chorister in chapel is said to have been tipped by

Lord Nelson Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte ( – 21 October 1805) was a Royal Navy officer whose leadership, grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics brought about a number of decisive British naval victories during the French ...

. Walker entered

New College, Oxford New College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1379 by Bishop William of Wykeham in conjunction with Winchester College as New College's feeder school, New College was one of the first col ...

, in 1806, and graduated B.A. in 1811, M.A. in 1813. In 1812 he was appointed chaplain to New College. For the period 1813–5 he was curate at

St Ebbe's Church, Oxford St Ebbe's is a Church of England parish church in central Oxford, named after the seventh-century abbess Æbbe of Coldingham Æbbe, also called Tabbs, ( – 683) was an Anglian abbess and noblewoman. She was the daughter of Æthelfrith, kin ...

, an evangelical stronghold. In 1815 Walker became curate at

Taplow Taplow is a village and civil parish in the Unitary Authority of Buckinghamshire, England. It sits on the left bank of the River Thames, facing Maidenhead in the neighbouring county of Berkshire, with Cippenham and Burnham to the east. It is th ...

; at the end of 1816 or the beginning of 1817 he removed to Henley-on-Thames; and in 1819 he went to

Purleigh Purleigh is a village on the Dengie peninsula about south of Maldon in the English county of Essex. The village is part of the Purleigh ward of the Maldon district. The place-name 'Purleigh' is first attested in a charter of 998, where it a ...

, Essex, where he was curate in charge to an absentee rector,

Edward Copleston Edward Copleston (2 February 177614 October 1849) was an English churchman and academic, Provost of Oriel College, Oxford, from 1814 till 1828 and Bishop of Llandaff from 1827. Life Born into an ancient West Country family, Copleston was born ...

, the Provost of

Oriel College, Oxford Oriel College () is Colleges of the University of Oxford, a constituent college of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. Located in Oriel Square, the college has the distinction of being the oldest royal foundation in Oxford (a title for ...

. Walker remained at Purleigh for 30 years, until poor health compelled him to give up his charge. In 1848, struck with paralysis, he went to reside at

Great Baddow Great Baddow is a major village and civil parish in the Chelmsford borough of Essex, England. It is close to the city of Chelmsford and, with a population of over 13,000,Chelmsford Chelmsford () is a city in the City of Chelmsford district in the county of Essex, England. It is the county town of Essex and one of three cities in the county, along with Colchester and Southend-on-Sea. It is located north-east of London ...

, and there he died on 31 January 1854. He was buried at Purleigh.

Works

Walker translated several German evangelical works: * ''Sermons'', 1835, by Ludwig Hofacker. * ''Elijah the

Tishbite Tishbite is a demonym predicated of the Prophet Elijah in the Hebrew Bible. Scholars dispute the precise denotation of the word. The words of 1 Kings 17:1 are usually rendered as "Elijah the Tishbite of Tishbe in Gilead". As translated into ...

'', 1836, by Friedrich Wilhelm Krummacher. * ''Glimpse of the Kingdom of Grace'', 1837. * ''Elisha'', 1838. * ''Memoirs'' of

Johann Albrecht Bengel Johann Albrecht Bengel (24 June 1687 – 2 November 1752), also known as ''Bengelius'', was a Lutheran pietist clergyman and Greek-language scholar known for his edition of the Greek New Testament and his commentaries on it. Life and career B ...

, 1837, by Johann Christian Friedrich Burk. * ''History of the Church'', 1840, by

Christian Gottlob Barth Christian Gottlob Barth (31 July 1799 – 12 November 1862) was a German Protestant minister, writer and publisher. He founded the publishing house Calwer Verlag in 1833. A representative of pietism in Württemberg, he is regarded as one of the f ...

. * ''Christian Missions'', 1844, by Christian Gottlieb Blumhardt. * ''Memoir'' of Hilmar Ernst Rauschenbusch, by Wilhelm Leipoldt. He left other works in manuscript.

Family

Walker was twice married: # To Frances Langton at

Cookham Cookham is a historic River Thames, Thames-side village and civil parishes in England, civil parish on the north-eastern edge of Berkshire, England, north-north-east of Maidenhead and opposite the village of Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, Bourne ...

, Berkshire, in 1814 (by her he had four sons and one daughter, and she died in 1824); and # To Elizabeth Palmer at

Olney, Buckinghamshire Olney (, rarely , rarely ) is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority area of the City of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. At the 2021 Census, it had a population of 6,600. Lying on the left bank of the River Great O ...

, on 30 September 1830 (by her he had five sons, and she died in 1876).

Notes

Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Robert Francis 1789 births 1854 deaths 18th-century English people 19th-century English Anglican priests English translators English evangelicals Clergy from Oxford Writers from Oxford People educated at Magdalen College School, Oxford Alumni of New College, Oxford People from Maldon District 19th-century British translators