Thomas Hayter

Thomas Hayter (1702 - 1762) was an English divine, who served as a Church of England bishop for 13 years.

It has often been claimed that Lancelot Blackburne was his father, but there is no conclusive evidence either way. Although he did noy identify Hayter as his son, he did leave a sizable portion of his estate to Hayter. Hayter studied at Blundell's School, Tiverton, Devon. He was Bishop of Norwich from 1749-61.

In 1758, Hayter asked Benjamin Gooch, a noted surgeon and friend of William Fellowes, to visit all the great hospitals in London, with a view to building a general hospital for the County of Norfolk and the City of Norwich jointly. After Bishop Hayter's death in 1762, Fellowes stepped in, and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital was founded in 1771.

In 1761, Hayter was translated to Bishop of London, a post he held until his death in 1762. Hayter was buried in the churchyard of All Saints Church, Fulham, London on 16 January, 1762.