William Atkinson

William Atkinson (1757–1846), was an English cleric, academic, poet and pamphleteer.

Life He was born at Thorp Arch, in the ainsty of the city of York, in 1757, the son of Christopher Atkinson, rector of Thorp Arch and sometime master of Macclesfield Grammar School, and his wife Jane Johnson; Miles Atkinson was an elder brother. He was admitted a sizar of Jesus College, Cambridge, 29 December 1775, graduating B.A. in 1780. He was elected a Fellow of his college, and proceeded to the degree of M.A. in 1783.

Having taken holy orders, Atkinson was appointed lecturer at the parish church of Bradford, in Yorkshire. Subsequently, in 1792, he was presented by the lord chancellor to the rectory of Warham All Saints, in Norfolk. He died at Thorpe Arch 30 September 1846.

Works Atkinson published a small volume of Poetical Essays, Leeds, 1786, which was sarcastically reviewed by "Trim" (Edward Baldwyn), in A Critique on the Poetical Essays of the Rev. William Atkinson, London, 1787. Baldwyn, headmaster of Bradford Grammar School, resented Atkinson's appointment as lecturer.