Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Wheatly, Charles

by Edward Irving Carlyle

WHEATLY, CHARLES (1686–1742), divine, born on 6 Feb. 1685–6, was the son of John Wheatly, a tradesman of London. His mother, whose maiden name was White, was a descendant of Ralph White, brother of Sir Thomas White [q. v.], founder of St. John's College, Oxford. Charles was entered at Merchant Taylors' school on 9 Jan. 1698–9, and matriculated from St. John's College, Oxford, on 28 March 1705. He was elected a fellow in 1707, and graduated B.A. on 23 Jan. 1709–10, and M.A. on 28 March 1713, resigning his fellowship in the same year. On 24 May 1717 he was chosen lecturer of St. Mildred-in-the-Poultry, and in 1725 lecturer of St. Swithin, Londonstone. On 23 March 1725–6 he was instituted vicar of Brent Pelham, and on 1 April 1726 vicar of Furneaux Pelham in Hertfordshire. He died at Furneaux Pelham on 13 May 1742, and was buried in the parish church. He was twice married: first, on 16 Aug. 1713, to Maria (d. 10 Dec. 1724), daughter of William Findall of the Clarendon Press; secondly, to Mary, daughter of Daniel Fogg, rector of All Hallows Staining. His second wife survived him.

Wheatly was an industrious divine. The work by which he is chiefly remembered is ‘The Church of England Man's Companion, or a Rational Illustration of the Harmony … and Usefulness of the Book of Common Prayer,’ which first appeared in 1710 (Oxford, 8vo), and went through many editions, the latest being that published at Cambridge under the care of George Elwes Corrie in 1858. Wheatly was also the author of:

1. ‘Bidding of Prayers before Sermon no mark of Disaffection to the present Government,’ London, 1718, 8vo; new edit. London, 1845, 8vo.
2. ‘The Nicene and Athanasian Creeds … explained and confirmed by the Holy Scriptures,’ London, 1738, 8vo.
3. ‘Fifty Sermons on Several Subjects, and Occasions,’ ed. John Berriman, London, 1753, 8vo.

[Robinson's Register of Merchant Taylors' School, 1882, i. 343; Foster's Alumni Oxon. 1500–1714; Gent. Mag. 1742 p. 251, 1801 i. 109–111; Hutton's Hist. of St. John Baptist College, 1898, pp. 208, 239; Clutterbuck's Hist. of Hertfordshire, 1827, iii. 449, 455, 457.]

E. I. C.