Dictionary of National Biography, 1927 supplement/Voysey, Charles
VOYSEY, CHARLES (1828–1912), Theistic preacher, was born in London 18 March 1828, the youngest son of Annesley Voysey, architect, by his wife, Mary, daughter of Thomas Green. His father was a direct descendant of John Wesley's sister, Susannah Ellison, and a noted architect in Jamaica. Charles Voysey passed from Stockwell grammar school to St. Edmund Hall, Oxford, where he matriculated in 1847 together with his elder brother Richard. He graduated in 1851, when he was ordained and appointed to the curacy of Hessle, Hull. Here he remained for seven years, until he became incumbent of St. Andrew's, Craigton, Jamaica. After eighteen months he returned to England and, through Dean Stanley's influence, obtained a curacy at Great Yarmouth, but six months later (1861) was appointed curate at St. Mark's, Whitechapel. Here he gave some offence by preaching a sermon in which he denied the doctrine of eternal punishment. He was recommended in 1863 by the bishop of London (Dr. Tait) to the curacy of St. Mark's, Victoria Docks, under Dr. Henry Boyd, afterwards principal of Hertford College, Oxford. After six months' service there he was invited by the patron and vicar of Healaugh, near Tadcaster, to accept the curacy of that parish, and in the following year (1864) the vicar resigned and presented Voysey to the benefice.
Voysey began his career as a religious reformer by the publication, in 1864, of a sermon ‘Is every statement in the Bible about our Heavenly Father strictly true?’ In consequence of the unorthodox tendency of his preaching and writings he was cited in 1869 to appear before the chancellor's court of the diocese of York, where judgment was given against him. He appealed to the Privy Council and conducted his own defence, but the judgment of that body, delivered 11 February 1871, supported the York chancellor's decision, and sentence of deprivation, with costs, was pronounced, to be rescinded if within a week Voysey expressly and unreservedly retracted the errors of which he had been convicted. This he refused to do. Before the date of judgment Voysey had begun to hold services in London at St. George's Hall, Langham Place, whither he attracted a number of sympathizers, pledged to support the ‘Voysey establishment fund.’ He thus started a movement which eventually took shape as an independent religious denomination under the name of the ‘Theistic Church’. In 1885 he established for his followers a regular place of worship in Swallow Street, Piccadilly, where he continued to hold services for nearly thirty years.
Voysey's ultimate theological position amounted to the absolute rejection of the creeds, biblical inspiration, the sacramental system, and the divinity of Christ, and his teaching was the inculcation of a pure Theism, without any miraculous element. He was an attractive preacher, courageous and sincere in challenging doctrines which he believed to be erroneous, and he undoubtedly had a profound influence in deepening the religious sense of his followers. He was one of the founders of the Cremation Society of England, and for twenty-five years a member of the executive council of the Homes for Inebriates. In politics he was an ardent unionist. He died at Hampstead 20 July 1912. He was succeeded at Swallow Street by Dr. Walter Walsh, but within a short time two separate congregations were formed, one retaining the name of the Theistic Church, the other adopting that of the ‘Free Religious Movement’. The Swallow Street building was closed in 1913 and shortly afterwards demolished.
Voysey married in 1852 Frances Maria, daughter of Robert Edlin, partner in the banking firm of Herries, Farquhar & Co. They had four sons and six daughters.
[Private information; personal knowledge.]