Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Tuke, Henry
TUKE, HENRY (1755–1814), quaker writer, son of William Tuke [q. v.] by his first wife, Elizabeth, daughter of John Hoyland of Woodhouse, Yorkshire, was born at York on 24 Jan. 1755. The loss of his mother in early childhood was supplied by an affectionate stepmother, Esther Tuke, original founder of the now extensive Friends' Girl School at York.
He was educated at Sowerby, Yorkshire, and upon the death of the master, while only fifteen, superintended the school for a short time for the benefit of Mrs. Ellerby, the widow. Continuing his classical and other studies, Tuke then joined his father in business in York, where he spent the remainder of his life, becoming a minister of the Society of Friends in his twenty-fifth year, shortly before his marriage. He paid some ministerial visits to all parts of the British Isles, and was concerned in promoting the discipline of the society, the abolition of slavery, and the success of the British and Foreign Bible Society. He died on 11 Aug. 1814, and was buried on the 16th at the Friends' burial-ground at York. By his wife Mary Maria Scott, whom he married in 1781, he had, with others, a son Samuel Tuke [q. v.] father of Daniel Hack Tuke and James Hack Tuke, both separately noticed.
A sketch-portrait of him hangs at Devonshire House, Bishopsgate Street.
Tuke wrote largely for the young, and his books have gone through many editions and been translated into several languages. The chief are: 1. ‘The Faith of the People called Quakers,’ 1801, 8vo; 3rd edit. 1812. 2. ‘The Principles of Religion as professed by the Society of Christians usually called Quakers,’ 1805, 12mo; 12th edit. 1852; translated into German, 1818, and in 1847; into French, London, 1823, 1851; into Danish, Stavanger, 1854, 12mo; and also translated in an abridged form into Spanish. 3. ‘The Duties of Religion and Morality as inculcated in the Holy Scriptures,’ York, 1808, 12mo; 4th edit. 1812. 4. ‘Select Passages from the Holy Scriptures,’ York, 1809, 16mo; 3rd edit. 1814, 12mo. 5. ‘Biographical Notices of Members of the Society of Friends,’ vol. i. containing ‘Life of George Fox,’ York, 1813, reprinted with a supplement, 1826, 12mo, translated into French, ‘La Vie de George Fox, avec un Supplément,’ Guernsey and London, 1824; vol. ii. York, 1815, 2nd edit. 1826.
The ‘Works,’ to which is prefixed a biographical sketch of the author by Lindley Murray, 4 vols. York, 1815, 12mo, do not contain a complete collection. Numerous portions of the above were issued separately by the Friends' Tract Association.
[Biogr. Sketch, by Lindley Murray; Biogr. Cat. of Portraits at Devonshire House, p. 673; Smith's Cat. of Friends' Books; Registers at Devonshire House; information from W. Murray Tuke, esq.]