William Edward Buckley

For other people with similar names, seeWilliam Buckley (disambiguation).

William Edward Buckley(1817 – 18 March 1892) was aChurch of Englandclergyman, an academic who taught both classical languages and Old English, and also a journalist. He wasRawlinsonian Professor of Anglo-Saxonat theUniversity of Oxfordfrom 1844 to 1849.

Early life

Buckley was the fourth son of Joseph Buckley (died 1858), of the Crescent,Salford,and later ofOrdsall Hill,by his marriage to Jean, a daughter of Frazer Smith of Stromness, Orkney, and was the grandson of John Buckley. He was one of eight children, who all survived to adulthood and were still living in 1874. In 1817 Joseph Buckley wasboroughreeve,and in 1825 he moved his family to Devon. Another of his sons, Joseph Buckley, also went into the church and became Rector ofSopworth,Wiltshire.

Buckley was educated atTiverton Grammar School,Exeter School,andBrasenose College, Oxford,where he was admitted on 10 June 1835. In 1839 he graduatedBAand in theMichaelmas termof the same year was President of theOxford Union.In 1842 his degree was promoted toMA.

Career

In 1842 Buckley became aFellowof Brasenose College and from 1844 to 1849 was alsoRawlinsonian Professor of Anglo-Saxon,succeedingHenry Bristow Wilson.In 1853 he was appointed as Rector ofMiddleton Cheneyand became arural dean.He was also Professor of Classics atHaileybury Collegeuntil it was closed by theEast India Companyin January 1858. For some years he was on the staff ofThe Timesnewspaper and was also a contributor toNotes and Queries.He edited some of the publications of theRoxburghe Cluband in 1884 was elected as its vice-president.

He died at Middleton Cheney on 18 March 1892, leaving a library of some 25,000 books.One obituary said of him "A man of many friends, he was an excellent talker, full of geniality and good stories".His books were sold in two sales atSotheby's,in February 1893 and April 1894, for a total of £9,420.

Selected publications

• The Old English Version of Partonope of Blois(Roxburghe Club, 1862)
• Cephalus and Procris: Narcissus(London: Nichols & Sons, 1882)
• The Kings Prophecie: or, Weeping joy. Expressed in a poem, to the honor of Englands too great solemnities(London: Nichols & Sons, 1882)
• The Brasenose Calendar: A List of Members of the King's Hall and College of Brasenose in Oxford (1509-1888)(University Press, Oxford, 1888)

External links

• Online books by William Edward Buckleyat upenn.edu