Henry Brooke (divine) facts for kids
Henry Brooke (born in 1694, died on August 21, 1757) was an English schoolmaster (a teacher, especially in a grammar school) and a cleric (a religious leader, like a priest).
Contents
Early Life and Education
Henry Brooke was the son of William Brooke, a merchant, and Elizabeth Holbrook. They were married at Manchester Church around 1678 or 1679.
Henry went to school at Manchester Grammar School. From 1715 to 1718, he received an "exhibition," which was like a scholarship to help pay for his university studies.
He then went to Oriel College, Oxford, a famous university. He earned his Master of Arts (MA) degree on April 30, 1720. Later, in 1727, he received a Doctor of Civil Law (DCL) degree.
Becoming a Headmaster
In September 1727, Henry Brooke became the headmaster of Manchester Grammar School. At this time, he was also a "fellow" at Oriel College.
He wanted to become a fellow of the collegiate church, which was a special religious position. He even got a special order from the King (called a mandamus) to help him get elected. He was elected in 1728, even though some people, known as Tories, were against it.
Brooke seemed to get along well with John Byrom, a famous writer. However, he wasn't very successful as a headmaster. The "feoffees" (the people who managed the school's money and property) decided to lower his salary a lot, from £200 to just £10.
Later Years and Death
In 1730, Henry Brooke received a "living" from Oriel College. This meant he became the priest for the church in Tortworth, a village in Gloucestershire.
He stopped being the headmaster of Manchester Grammar School in 1749. After that, he lived in Tortworth until he passed away on August 21, 1757.
Henry Brooke was married and had one daughter. He left his collection of books (his library) for the priests who would come after him in Tortworth. A painting of him was still around in 1830, at Mr. Hulton's home in Blackley.
Henry Brooke's Writings
Henry Brooke published several works during his lifetime. One of his speeches was called The Usefulness and Necessity of studying the Classicks. He gave this speech at Manchester Grammar School in 1744.
Another work he published in 1745 was called The Quack Doctor. People described it as very poor "doggerel," which means badly written, simple poetry. It had funny, praising notes that were probably written by Robert Thyer or the Rev. John Clayton. He might have also written a Latin version of this work.
Robert Watt, a person who studied books, said that Brooke also wrote two sermons (religious speeches) in 1746 and 1747.
His most famous book was A Practical Essay concerning Christian Peaceableness. This book was so popular that it was printed three times in 1741. The third edition included some extra information.
