William Roby Fletcher (6 April 1833 – 5 June 1894), commonly known as Roby Fletcher or W. Roby Fletcher, was a Congregational minister and vice-chancellor of the University of Adelaide. Fletcher was born in Manchester, England. He was the son of the Rev. Richard Fletcher, a well-known Congregational minister who ministered in Manchester and later in Melbourne, Victoria, where he died in 1861. Fletcher was educated at Silcoats School in Yorkshire, the University of Bonn, the Lancashire Independent College and Owens College (now Victoria University), Manchester. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from London University in 1853 and in the following year received the London University prize for the scripture examination. In 1856 he graduated Master of Arts and won the gold medal. He soon sailed for

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

and ultimately went to Victoria where he acted as his father's assistant in St Kilda and Sandhurst (now Bendigo). In 1866 he removed to the

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

suburb of Melbourne and was appointed a professor at the Congregational College of Victoria. After a tour around the world he became the minister of

Stow Memorial Church Pilgrim Uniting Church is a church in the heart of the City on Flinders Street, Adelaide in South Australia. It is a church of the Uniting Church in Australia. Social justice, as articulated by the Uniting Church in Australia in the inaugural S ...

in Adelaide in March 1876, and filled that position with marked success until 1890, when he resigned to undertake further travel. From 1878 he was a member of the council of the University of Adelaide, of which he was made an honorary M.A. in 1877. During the last illness, and subsequent to the death of the late Professor Davidson, he was the acting Hughes Professor of English Language and Literature and Mental and Moral Philosophy. In 1890 he was elected vice-chancellor of the university.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fletcher, William Roby 1833 births 1894 deaths Clergy from Manchester People educated at Silcoates School University of Bonn alumni Alumni of the Victoria University of Manchester English emigrants to colonial Australia Australian Congregationalist ministers Academic staff of the University of Adelaide Vice-Chancellors of the University of Adelaide