Rev. Edward Bickersteth (19 March 1786 – 28 February 1850) was an English evangelical clergyman from the prominent Bickersteth family.

Life

He was born at

Kirkby Lonsdale Kirkby Lonsdale () is a town and civil parish in the Westmorland and Furness district of Cumbria, England, on the River Lune. Historically in Westmorland, it lies south-east of Kendal on the A65. The parish recorded a population of 1,771 in ...

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, the fourth son of Henry Bickersteth, a surgeon. Bickersteth attended Kirby Longsdale Grammar School and practised as a

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Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of the county of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. It lies by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. The population of the Norwich ...

from 1812 to 1815. Within space of only 11 days in December 1815 he was ordained both as a deacon and priest. In January 1816 travelled to Africa to inspect and report on the work of the

Church Missionary Society The Church Mission Society (CMS), formerly known as the Church Missionary Society, is a British Anglican mission society working with Christians around the world. Founded in 1799, CMS has attracted over nine thousand men and women to serve as ...

(CMS). He continued to travel overseas in connection with the work of the CMS throughout his life. He was the secretary of the CMS from 1824 to 1831. On receiving the living of Watton,

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, in 1830, he resigned his secretaryship, but continued to lecture and preach, both for the ''Church Missionary Society'' and the ''Society for the Conversion of the Jews''. He was instrumental in the merger of the Anglican Central Committee and the

Continental society The Continental Society for the Diffusion of Religious Knowledge over the Continent of Europe (or simply Continental Society) was an evangelical Christian missionary society founded in London in 1819 for the propagation of the evangelical faith o ...

in 1840 to form the Foreign Aid Society which supported evangelical Protestant ministry on the continent of Europe. Bickersteth met

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in 1835. The Earl made a visit of several days to Watton Rectory in the summer 1836. Following this visit the pair became friends, with Bickersteth becoming one of the reformer's close advisers. He was active in promoting the

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of 1845, strongly opposed the

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, and was one of the founders of the 1849 created

Irish Church Missions The Irish Church Missions (ICM) is a conservative and semi-autonomous Anglican mission. It was founded in 1849 as The Irish Church Missions to the Roman Catholics chiefly by English Anglicans though with the backing and support of Church of Irelan ...

, and also of the 1841 created

Parker Society The Parker Society was a text publication society set up in 1841 to produce editions of the works of the early Protestant writers of the English Reformation. It was supported by both the High Church and evangelical wings of the Church of England, an ...

, societies. Bickersteth's library was sold at auction by Edmund Hodgson on 17 February 1851 (and 11 following days). It contained over 3900 lots. A copy of the catalogue is available at Cambridge University Library (shelfmark Munby.c.116(6)).

Works

His works include ''A Scripture Help'' (London, 1816), which has been translated into many European languages, and ''Christian Psalmody'' (London, 1833), a collection of over 700

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' d ...

s, which forms the basis of the ''Hymnal Companion'' (London, 1870), compiled by his son, Edward Henry Bickersteth,

bishop of Exeter The Bishop of Exeter is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. The current bishop is Mike Harrison (bishop), Mike Harrison, since 2024. From the first bishop until the sixteent ...

(1885–1890).

Family

Bickersteth was the brother of Henry, Baron Langdale,

Master of the Rolls The Keeper or Master of the Rolls and Records of the Chancery of England, known as the Master of the Rolls, is the President of the Court of Appeal (England and Wales)#Civil Division, Civil Division of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales ...

(1836–1851), and uncle of Robert Bickersteth,

Bishop of Ripon The Bishop of Ripon is an episcopal title which takes its name after the city of Ripon in North Yorkshire, England. The bishop is one of the area bishops of the Diocese of Leeds in the Province of York. The area bishop of Ripon has oversight o ...

(1857–1884). His wife Sarah, whom Bickersteth married in 1812, was the eldest daughter of

Thomas Bignold Thomas Bignold (1761–1835) was an English businessman. He was the founder of Norwich Union, now known as Aviva plc, one of the United Kingdom's largest insurance businesses. Career Born in Westerham, Kent, Thomas Bignold worked as an exciseman ...

of Norwich, together they had six children. Edward Henry Bickersteth (1825-1906)

Bishop of Exeter The Bishop of Exeter is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. The current bishop is Mike Harrison (bishop), Mike Harrison, since 2024. From the first bishop until the sixteent ...

was his only son and Edward Bickersteth, founder of the

Cambridge Mission to Delhi The Cambridge Mission to Delhi was an Anglican Christian missionary initiative to India in the mid 19th and early 20th centuries led by graduates of the University of Cambridge. Individual members of the mission community are credited with helpin ...

and later bishop of South Tokyo, his grandson. Edward Bickersteth,

Dean of Lichfield The Dean of Lichfield is the head (''primus inter pares'' – first among equals) and chair of the chapter of canons, the ruling body of Lichfield Cathedral. The dean and chapter are based at the ''Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and ...

, was his nephew.

References

Attribution

Sources

* Revd T.R. Birks, , New York, 1851 {{DEFAULTSORT:Bickersteth, Edward 1786 births 1850 deaths 19th-century English Anglican priests

Edward Edward is an English male name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortunate; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-S ...

English solicitors 19th-century English lawyers 18th-century Anglican theologians 19th-century Anglican theologians