Whalley was born on 2 September 1722 at
Rugby, Warwickshire, the son of Peter Whalley, an attorney, and his wife Elizabeth. The family had longstanding Northamptonshire associations. He was educated at
Merchant Taylors' School from 1731 to 1740, and in June 1740 was elected to a scholarship at
St John's College, Oxford. He graduated B.A. in 1744, and proceeded B.C.L. in 1768. In 1743 he was elected to a fellowship at St John's College, and held it for some years. He held a succession of ecclesiastical benefices:
Holy Sepulchre in Northampton from 1748 to 1762;
Ecton from 1762 to 1763; and
Preston Deanery from 1753 to 1766. From 1752 he kept a school at
Courteenhall, Northamptonshire. In 1760 he succeeded
James Townley in the post of upper grammar master at
Christ's Hospital, and retained it until the summer of 1776. From 1784 to 1789 he was headmaster of
St Olave's Grammar School,
Southwark. He was appointed on 5 February 1766 by the corporation of the City of London to the rectory of the united parishes of
St Margaret Pattens and
St Gabriel, Fenchurch Street, London; and in 1768 he was presented by Christ's Hospital to the vicarage of
Horley in
Surrey. Both these preferments he retained until his death. Whalley married, on 16 January 1768, Betsey Jacobs of List Lane. He was in later life involved in money troubles. He lived for some months concealed in the house of his friend
Francis Godolphin Waldron, but his hiding-place was discovered and he left for
Flanders. After a few months' residence there he died at
Ostend on 12 June 1791. His library was sold in 1792. His widow survived until 16 March 1803. ==Works==