Mr. Robins was the next pastor and tutor. After the death of Dr. Ashworth, it became a matter of great anxiety amongst the friends of the academy who should be appointed his successor. There was one to whom many eyes were turned; but great fears were entertained, lest the extreme diffidence and modesty of his spirit should prevent him from acceding to the earnest requests that were presented to him. This was the Rev. Thomas Robins, who was at this time minister at West Bromwich, in Staffordshire. He was born at Keysoe, near Bedford; studied for the ministry under Dr. Doddridge, at Northampton; first settled at Stretton, in Warwickshire, 1755. The present minister's house at Stretton was built for him. He came to West Bromwich in 1761, where he continued until his removal to Daventry, in 1775. At this period Job Orton wrote--"The death of Dr. Ashworth, though it has been long expected, has been a very painful event to me. Mr. Robins preached his funeral sermon last Lord's-day to a great auditory, from these words: 'Where is the Lord God of Elijah?' Coward's trustees, all the neighbouring ministers, and many in this and other neighbourhoods, think that no person is more proper to fill up this vacancy than Mr. Robins, especially as he is exceedingly acceptable to the congregation at Daventry. He hath been strongly urged to take up the prophet's mantle, but he has an unconquerable diffidence of his own abilities; I wish the many applications he hath received from ministers of all sentiments and denominations may overcome it. If he absolutely refuse, I know not who will be thought of. I pray God to direct in this very important concern." In another letter he writes--"You have heard by this time, August 31st, 1775, that Mr. Robins has accepted the invitation to Daventry. I had a great deal of trouble in writing to him, and engaging all my friends and correspondents to apply to him, who all concurred in thinking him the most proper person. I do not know a single objection, and I cannot hear of anyone else that makes one. The divines and the laity, of all principles and persuasions in these parts, are agreed in their opinion of him, and everybody is well pleased that he has accepted the office. I look back with pleasure and thankfulness on the pains I have taken in this affair, and firmly believe I shall never have reason to repent it." Mr. Robins printed 'An Abridgement of Matthew Henry's Work on the Lord's Supper,' which was the only work he could be prevailed on to print, excepting some memoirs of Mr. Thomas Strange, of Kilsby, "one of the wisest and best of men." Mr. Palmer, of Hackney, says, "This was done on my earnest solicitation; and those who are the best judges on such a subject, and who best knew Mr. Strange, will concur with me in pronouncing this so excellent a performance, as to render it a matter of deep regret that the same pen should have been employed in no other original composition."