Wright, Robert (b. 1682), alumnus of Trinity College, Cambridge

Wright was the son of Charles Wright (d. 1711), Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and Professor of Arabic in the University, and his wife Ann. He was baptised on 18 or 19 August 1782 at North Runcton in Norfolk, where his father was rector (the day of the month in the parish register as been altered from 18 to 19 or vice versa); his age on his admission to Trinity implies that he was born before 28 July.

He attended the grammar school at King's Lynn, about four miles from his birthplace, and was admitted at Trinity on 27 July 1696, aged 14, where he was elected a Scholar on 28 April 1699. He took his BA in 1701 and 1704.

On 29 January 1704 the Master of Trinity, Richard Bentley, wrote to a Mr Leeds of Bury St Edmunds recommending Wright ('son to Dr. Wright our Arabic Professor') as a tutor to a gentleman's son. 'I had a thorough examination of him,' Bentley noted, 'when he was candidate last September for a fellowship; and can pass my word for his abilities not only in Greek and Latin, but Philosophy, Geography, Geometry, History, &c. so that he is every way well qualified for the place he now desires. If there had been one fellowship more void, I believe it would have fain to his share.' (The Diary of Edward Rud ... to which are added several unpublished letters of Dr Bentley, ed. H. R. Luard (1860), p. 40.)

There are a few apparent references to him in the Calendar of Correspondence and Documents relating to the Family of Oliver Le Neve of Witchingham, Norfolk, compiled by Francis and Amy Rye, ed. Walter Rye (1895), p. 126, etc.

Nothing certain is known of his later life, but he has been tentatively identified as the author of the letter catalogued as Add. MS a. 790, though the specimen of his writing in the College Admission Book does not closely match that of the letter.

Alumni Cantabrigienses
Parish register of North Runcton, Norfolk