Born on 14 March 1794 in Sheffield, he initially took up his father's trade of optical instrument making, but with the encouragement of James Montgomery abandoned it for a career in journalism and literature. In 1825 he succeeded Montgomery as editor of the Sheffield Iris and from 1832 ws briefly the editor of the Newcastle Courant. From 1835 until its demise in 1848 he was co-editor of the Sheffield Mercury. He published a variety of works on historical, biographical and religious topics, notably a history of Worksop (1826) and the life of Montgomery (1854-56). Some of his poetry, such as Sheffield Park (1820) and The Village of Eyam (1821) was on local topics.
He was a member of Carver Street WM chapel, Sheffield, where he served as a secretary of the Sunday School. He died in Sheffield, unmarried, on 28 December 1872.