William Hayward Roberts (baptised 1734 – 1791) was an English born schoolmaster, poet and biblical critic, cleric and Provost of Eton College.
[1] He was born in Gloucester, the third son of Richard Roberts of Abergavenny and his wife Eleanor.
While William Hayley was at Eton his poetical aspirations were encouraged by Roberts, then an usher in the school.
[2] After the death of Edward Barnard, Roberts was appointed Provost of Eton College on 12 December 1781.
[2] According to William Cole, Roberts held noisy card playing parties at Eton.
[2][4] Roberts in 1755 contributed English verses to the university collection, on the visit of the Duke of Newcastle, In 1758 he gained the members' prize at Cambridge on the subject, Utrum diversarum Gentium Mores et Instituta a diverso earum situ explicari possint?
William Roberts, fellow and vice-provost of Eton College and rector of Worplesdon, Surrey, died on 1 January 1833, aged 71; his third daughter Jane married George Wyndham, 4th Earl of Egremont.