Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Jowett, William
JOWETT, WILLIAM (1787–1855), divine, born in 1787, was son of J. Jowett of Newington, Surrey, and nephew of Joseph Jowett [q. v.] He was educated at St. John's College, Cambridge, of which he subsequently became a fellow, graduated B.A. as twelfth wrangler in 1810, and proceeded M.A. in 1813. In 1810 he won the Hulsean prize for an ‘Essay to prove that the propensity of the Jews to Idolatry before the Babylonish Captivity … affords no just ground for disbelieving the Miracles recorded in the Mosaic History’ (printed in 1811). He was the first Anglican clergyman who volunteered in 1813 for the foreign service of the Church Missionary Society. From 1815 to 1820 he laboured in the countries of the Mediterranean, and in 1823–4 in Syria and the Holy Land. He acted as clerical secretary of the Church Missionary Society from 1832 to 1840, and was successively lecturer at St. Mary, Aldermanbury, St. Peter, Cornhill, and Holy Trinity, Clapham. In 1851 he became incumbent of St. John, Clapham Rise. He died at Clapham on 20 Feb. 1855, and was buried in Lewisham churchyard. By his wife, who died on 24 June 1829, he had seven children.
His chief works are: 1. ‘Christian Researches in the Mediterranean from 1815 to 1820,’ 8vo, London, 1822; 3rd edition, 1824. 2. ‘Christian Researches in Syria and the Holy Land in 1823 and 1824,’ fol., London, 1825; 2nd edition, 8vo, 1826. 3. ‘Verses written on various occasions,’ 12mo, London, 1843 (privately printed). 4. ‘Scripture Characters (from the Old Testament),’ three series, 16mo, London, 1847–8. 5. ‘Scripture Characters from the New Testament,’ 8vo, London, 1850. Jowett wrote many other religious treatises, translated the Gospel of St. John into Italian and Maltese for the polyglot bible of 1822, edited with a memoir the ‘Remains’ of C. Neale, 1834 (and 1835), and contributed prefatory remarks to a ‘Memoir’ of W. A. B. Johnson, 1852.
[Gent. Mag. new ser. xliii. 436; Jowett's Works; Brit. Mus. Cat.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.170
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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| l.l. | Jowett, William: after Surrey insert and nephew of Joseph Jowett [q. v.] |