Thomas Hornblower Gill

GILL, Thomas Hornblower. b. Birmingham, 10 February 1819; d. Grove Park, Kent, 4 March 1906. He was educated at King Edward’s Grammar School, Birmingham. The son of English Presbyterians who had, like many others, become Unitarians, he was unable to sign the Articles of the Church of England (despite having rejected Unitarianism) and so was barred from entry to Oxford University. He educated himself privately and remained throughout his life a student and writer. He greatly admired the hymns of Isaac Watts* and went on to associate with Anglican Evangelicals, eventually joining the Church of England. Thought by R. W. Dale to be the greatest living hymn writer, 40 of his hymns were included...