Bray Thomas

Bray, Thomas, divine, was born in 1656, at Marton, Salop. After studying at Oxford, he was appointed vicar of Over-Whitacre and rector of Sheldon. He was sent by Bishop Compton to Maryland to arrange the affairs of the church there, and exerted himself in colonial missions and in the establishing of parochial libraries, out of which grew the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel also owes its existence to his labours. On returning to England in 1706 he received the living of St. Botolph Without, Aldgate. He died in 1730.