Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Drew, George Smith
DREW, GEORGE SMITH (1819–1880), Hulsean lecturer, son of George Drew, tea dealer, of 11 Tottenham Court Road, London, was born at Louth, Lincolnshire, in 1819. Admitted a sizar of St. John's College, Cambridge, on 22 Jan. 1839, he took his B.A. degree as 27th wrangler in 1843, and was ordained the same year (College Register). After serving a curacy at St. Pancras, London, for about two years, he was presented to the incumbency of the Old Church, St. Pancras, in 1845 (Gent. Mag. new ser. xxiv. 298), and to that of St. John the Evangelist, in the same parish, in 1850 (ib. xxxiv. 85). He was one of the earliest promoters of evening classes for young men, and published three lectures in support of the movement in 1851 and 1852. He had taken his M.A. degree in 1847, and became vicar of Pulloxhill, Bedfordshire, in 1854 (ib. xliii. 74). During the winter and spring of 1856-7 he made a tour in the East, and as the result he composed a book published as ‘Scripture Lands in connection with their History,’ 8vo, London, 1860; 2nd edition, 8vo, London, 1862, and again, 8vo, London, 1871. Drew was vicar of St. Barnabas, South Kensington, from 1858 till 1870, was select preacher to the university of Cambridge in 1869-70, and rector of Avington, Hampshire, during 1870-3, but returned to London in the last named year as vicar of Holy Trinity, Lambeth, a preferment which he retained until his death. In 1877 he was elected Hulsean lecturer at Cambridge, and the following year he published his discourses in a volume entitled ‘The Human Life of Christ revealing the order of the Universe.... With an Appendix,’ 8vo, London, 1878. Drew, who was a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and at one time an active member of the British Association, died suddenly at Holy Trinity vicarage, 21 Jan. 1880. He married, 20 May 1845, Mary, eldest daughter of William Peek of Norwood, Surrey (ib. xxiv. 189). His other writings are: 1. ‘Eight Sermons, with an Appendix,’ 8vo, London, 1845. 2. ‘The Distinctive Excellencies of the Book of Common Prayer. A Sermon [on Lamentations, iii. 41] preached in Old St. Pancras Church; with a preface containing a brief history of that church,’ 8vo, London, 1849. 3. ‘Scripture Studies, or Expository Readings in the Old Testament,’ 12mo, London, 1855. 4. ‘Reasons of Faith, or the order of the Christian Argument developed and explained; with an Appendix,’ 8vo, London, 1862; 2nd edition, 8vo, London, 1869. 5. ‘Bishop Colenso's Examination of the Pentateuch examined; with an Appendix,’ 8vo, London, 1863. 6. ‘Ecclesia Dei,’ 8vo, London, 1865. 7. ‘Church Life,’ 8vo, London, 1866. 8. ‘Korah and his Company; with other Bible teachings on subjects of the day, etc.,’ 8vo, London, 1868. 9. ‘Ritualism in some Recent Developments,’ 8vo, London, 1868. 10. ‘Church Restoration: its Principles and Methods,’ 8vo, London, 1869. 11. ‘Divine Kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven,’ 8vo, London, 1871. 12. ‘Nazareth: its Life and Lessons,’ 8vo, London, 1872. 13. ‘The Son of Man: his Life and Ministry,’ 8vo, London, 1875. 14. ‘Reasons of Unbelief; with an Appendix,’ 8vo, London, 1877. He also wrote largely in Fairbairn's ‘Imperial Bible Dictionary,’ Cassell's ‘Bible Dictionary,’ the ‘Christian Observer,’ the ‘Contemporary Review,’ and the ‘Sunday Magazine.’ Some of his works exhibit much scholarship.
[Guardian, 28 Jan. 1880, p. 108 col. 3, p. 109 col. 3; Crockford's Clerical Directory (1879), p. 282; Brit. Mus. Cat.]