Henry Hobart's was born in Nocton, Lincolnshire, the son of George Hobart, 3rd Earl of Buckinghamshire, a fairly unenthusiastic Member of the British House of Commons, initially as a Grenville Whig, from 1754 until 1780 and briefly secretary to the British embassy in Saint Petersburg.
As the son of an earl he had many avenues of preferment open to him, largely exploiting family and political connections.
When Victoria gave birth to the future Edward VII in November 1841, Hobart congratulated her on "thus saving us from the incredible curse of a female succession.
St Peter's Collegiate Church was the centre of a large parish, extending far into the Black Country and rural Staffordshire.
However, the deanery and prebends were virtual sinecures, as the parish had long been used to absentee clergy and the work was done by poorly paid curates.
The Wolverhampton deanery became synonymous with clerical corruption and negligence: the small spiritual contribution of the clergy was contrasted with the revenues they took out.
In 1836 the Ecclesiastical Commission was established, charged with reviewing and redistributing Church of England revenues.
[9] Section 51 restricted the rights of any appointees to positions within the colleges but allowed Hobart and the other deans to continue in office until their deaths.
[10] The prebends were left vacant in readiness and, on Hobart's death in 1846, the deanery was abolished, followed two years later by the college itself.