The Rt Rev Thomas Dealtry (1795–1861) was an Anglican bishop in the 19th century.DEATH OF THE LORD BISHOP OF MADRAS. The Morning Post (London, England), Friday, 5 April 1861; p. 5; Issue 27238. 19th Century British Library Newspapers: Part II
Life He was born into a poor family in Knottingley in Yorkshire in 1796.ODNB: Thomas Dealtry
Mainly self-taught, Dealtry worked as an usher in a Doncaster school and then as tutor to a private family, where he eloped with the sister of his pupil in 1819. After she died, he married again in 1824. He then studied law at St Catharine's College, Cambridge from 1825, graduating LL.B. in 1828. He was ordained into the Church of England in 1828 and served as Curate of St Peter's Church in Cambridge.ODNB: Thomas Dealtry
Spotted in his church role by Charles Simeon, he was introduced to Rev Thomas Thomason who had recently returned from Bengal. Together they organised to send Dealtry to India as a chaplain in Bengal where he arrived in January 1829. From 1829 to 1835 he worked in the Old Mission Church in Calcutta.ODNB: Thomas Dealtry
In 1835 he became Archdeacon of Calcutta, remaining in the post until 1848 when he returned to England on furlough, succeeding Baptist Wriothesley Noel as pastor of St John's Church on Bedford Row.
However he was offered the Bishop of Madras in 1849.The Times, Monday, 3 December 1849; p. 5; Issue 20349; col C Consecration of the Bishops of Norwich, Llandaff and Madras and returned for consecration in this post in February 1850. He died in this post on 4 March 1861 and his widow Jane in 1892.The Times, Saturday, 30 January 1892; p. 1; Issue 33548; col A Deaths
Lord Lugard, whose father was a friend of the Bishop in Madras, had 'Dealtry' as one of his Christian names.
Dealtry's monument in Madras Cathedral was sculpted by Joseph Durham.Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660–1851 by Rupert Gunnis
Gallery
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