William Whitehead

William Whitehead, (1715 – April 14 1785), was an English poet and playwright.

He was born in Cambridge and studied at Clare College, Cambridge, becoming a fellow there in 1742. He worked as tutor to Viscount Villiers, son of the Earl of Jersey. He was appointed Poet Laureate in 1757 following Thomas Gray's refusal to take the post.

Much of Whitehead's work was well received: his tragedy The Roman Father was successfully produced by David Garrick in 1750, Creusa, Queen of Athens (1754) was also praised and his comedy The School for Lovers (1762) was a success. The odes he wrote in his capacity as Poet Laureate, however, were ridiculed.

Whitehead's works were collected in two volumes in 1774. A third, including a memoir by William Mason, appeared posthumously in 1788.

Preceded by: Colley Cibber

British Poet Laureate

Succeeded by: Thomas Warton