Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Halton, Timothy

499356Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 24 — Halton, Timothy1890Nigel Douglas Frith Pearce

HALTON, TIMOTHY, D.D. (1632?–1704), provost of Queen's College, Oxford, was probably the Timothy Halton, son of Miles Halton of Greenthwaite Hall, Cumberland, who was baptised at Greystoke Church 19 Sept. 1633, and in that case he was a younger brother of Immanuel Halton [q. v.] (Notes and Queries, 6th ser. iii. 45). He entered Queen's College as batler 9 March 1648-9, and was elected fellow April 1657 (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1656-7, p. 338). He proceeded B.D. 30 April 1662, D.D. 27 June 1674 (Cat. Oxf. Grad. p. 288; see also Wood, Athenae Oxon. ed. Bliss, iv. 520). On 17 March 1661 Halton writes to Joseph Williamson that he had offers of chaplaincies from William Lucy, bishop of St. David's, and from the queen of Bohemia (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1660-1, p. 535). Eventually he refused them both, preferring to retain his position at Oxford. The first offer, however, led to a Welsh connection (ib. pp. 551, 562, 572, 587). He became archdeacon of Brecknock 8 Feb. 1671-2 (Le Neve, i. 312), and was canon of St. David's (his epitaph). He was made archdeacon of Oxford 10 July 1675 (Le Neve, ii. 516), and provost of Queen's College 7 April 1677, succeeding Dr. Thomas Barlow [q. v.] He was also rector of the college living, Charlton-on-Otmoor, Oxfordshire. He was vice-chancellor in 1679-81 and 1685. He died 21 July 1704, and was buried in Queen's College chapel; his epitaph states that he was a considerable benefactor to the college. Numerous letters from Halton to Williamson, written between 1655 and 1667, are preserved in the Record Office (see Cal. State Papers, Dom. Ser.) Some references to him in Hearne's 'Collections' (Oxf. Hist. Soc. ii. 69, 224) seem to imply that he was a man of jovial habits. There is an engraved portrait of him by Burghers.

[Authorities quoted; information kindly supplied by the provost of Queen's College; Noble's Biog. Hist. i. 95; Wood's Fasti Oxon., ed. Bliss, ii. 238, 345, 369, 371, 395; and Life, pp. xc, xciv, cxiv, cxx; Nichols's Anecd. viii. 460.]

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