Sir Roger Newdigate was born on May 30,1719, in Arbury, Warwickshire, England. He was the 5th baronet of Arbury and of Harefield in Middlesex. He was schooled at Univeristy College, Oxford, and contributed greatly to the educational institution throughout the remainder of his life. From 1741 until 1747, he served as M.P. for Middlesex. In 1750, he began a 30 year tenure as M.P. for the university of Oxford. He is most remembered as the founder of the Newdigate Prize for English Composition and as a collector of antiques, a number of which he donated to the university. Sir Roger Newdigate died on November 23, 1806 in Arbury.