Born on 22 May 1838 at Cheltenham, the son of a market gardener, his early education being at the day school at Wesley Chapel there. At 13 he became a pupil teacher at St. John's National School, Holloway, but left after six months as further progress required his becoming an Anglican. In 1858 he was accepted as a student at Westminster College, having taught in the meantime at the Red Lion WM School, Burnley. He was appointed headmaster of the newly opened Highbury WM Day School in December 1859, during which time he continue to study at evening classes at King's College. In 1864 he was appointed as school inspector for British and WM schools in south-east England; following the Education Act of 1870, he was the inspector for the Westminster District until 1882 and again from 1896 to his retirement in 1903, and for south Essex from 1882 to 1896. He was awarded the Imperial Service Order in 1902, instituted in the August of that year for meritous service in the clerical and administrative grades of the Civil Service.

He was a Sunday school teacher for seven years at Highbury WM chapel, then at Caledonian Road WM and from 1873 to 1899 at Kentish Town. He was influential in shaping developments in WM Sunday schools via the WM Sunday School Union and by writing for the Methodist Sunday School Record, 1902 to 1905, for the WM Sunday School Magazine from 1902 and also a 'Sunday School Preparation Class' column in the Methodist Recorder, as well as a number of related pamphlets and a Manual of Geography.

He died on 18 February 1907.

Entry written by: DCD
Category: Person
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