Thomas Keble

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Keble

Thomas Keble (25 October 1793, Fairford – 5 September 1875) was a Church of England
clergyman, younger brother of John Keble. Keble was Vicar of Bisley, Gloucestershire from
1827 to 1873.[1] He contributed four of the Tracts for the Times, three of them under a
pseudonym also used by his brother, Richard Nelson.

Keble was born at Fairford on 25 October 1793. Like his elder brother, John, he was
educated entirely by his father, and was elected at the same early age (fourteen)
Gloucestershire scholar of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, on 31 March 1808. In 1811 he
graduated B.A., having gained a second class in classics and a third class (then called a
second below the line) in mathematics. He was ordained deacon in December 1816, and
priest in 1817. From the beginning of 1817 to the end of 1818 he had the parochial charge
of Windrush and Sherborne, Gloucestershire. In the autumn of 1819 he became college
tutor at Corpus. At the time he headed the list of scholars, and, according to a.
contemporary at Corpus, accepted the post reluctantly, after several previous refusals (Life
of Phelps). In 1820 he became probationary fellow, and while residing at Oxford as tutor
shared with his brother the curacies of East Leach and Burthorpe until 1824, when he
became curate of Cirencester. In 1825 be married Elizabeth Jane Clarke, daughter of a
former fellow of Corpus, afterwards rector of Meyseyhampton. In 1827 he was instituted to
the living of Bisley, Gloucestershire, then a scattered parish with a number of outlying
hamlets filled with a very poor and neglected population. He persevered, in spite of many
discouragements, in improving the bodily and spiritual condition of the people, and there
are now three consecrated churches with districts assigned to them taken out of the old
parish, besides a consecrated chapel of ease with a conventional district. His whole
thoughts were absorbed in his parish. He was one of the first in England to revive the daily
service in church, both morning and evening— a feature in his parish work which is made
the subject of a beautiful poem by his friend Isaac Williams.[2] The example set at Bisley was
followed, through Isaac Williams, at St. Mary's, Oxford, and Littlemore, and thence spread
through England. As Keble's health was weak, his parish work left him little time for literary
labours; but he was highly valued by many friends, and his judgment on spiritual questions
was always received with deference by his elder brother. He died on 5 September 1875,
and was succeeded as Vicar of Bisley by his son (also Thomas Keble).

Thomas Keble wrote four of the 'Tracts for the Times,' viz. Nos. 12, 22, 43 and 84. The first
three belong to the 'Richard Nelson ' series, which was afterwards published in a separate
form. He also wrote forty-eight of the 'Plain Sermons,' the publication of which in
connection with the 'Tracts' was probably first suggested by him. His own contributions are
those marked E in vol.x. He translated the Homilies of St John Chrysostom on the Epistle to
the Hebrews for the Library of the Fathers, the translation being revised by John Barrow. He
published a short tract, Considerations on the Athanasian Creed, in 1872, and a preface to
Short Sketches of the Fathers of the English Church, by Francis Philip.
(as Richard Nelson) No. 1 Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, Tracts for the Times No. 12,
1833.
(as Richard Nelson), No. II. The Athanasian Creed. Tracts for the Times No. 22
(as Richard Nelson) No. IV. Length of the Public Service, Tracts for the Times No. 43
Whether a Clergyman of the Church of England be now bound to have Morning and
Evening Prayers daily in his Parish Church, Tracts for the Times No. 84
Plain sermons, 1839

Thomas Keble School