Thomas Burgess

One of six children Burgess was a shy and reserved man but well-liked. He entered Oxford on a scolarship studying Greek classics graduating BA in 1778, MA in 1782 and fellow in 1783. In 1784 he was ordained as a priest, a year later he became examining and domestic chaplain to Shute Barrington Bishop of Salisbury and was appointed to a prebendal stall in the Cathedral. He was invested, alongside the bishop, in increasing the amount of Sunday Schools. In 1789 he published a treatise arguing against both slavery and the slave trade. When Barrington was translated to Durham, Burgess followed and was rewarded with the first available prebendall stall. Days after obtaining his DD, Burgess’ old school and university peer P.M. Henry Addington awarded him the see of St. David’s in Wales. He made religious literature free or reduced the prices and attempted to improve the training of the clergy. He strongly opposed Catholic Emancipation. In 1825 he accepted his translation to Salisbury, a much wealthier diocese, where he remained until his death. He left 8000 books to St David’s College, Lampeter alongside money.