Henry Fowler (11 December 1779 – 1838), was an English hymn-writer. Fowler was born at

Yealmpton Yealmpton () is a village and civil parish in the English county of Devon. It is located in the South Hams on the A379 Plymouth to Kingsbridge road and is about from Plymouth. Its name derives from the River Yealm that flows through the villag ...

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...

shire. In early life he followed some trade, but occasionally preached in independent meeting-houses in Devonshire and at

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

. At length, in October 1813, he 'received a call' to

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

, where he continued until the end of 1819. Ultimately he settled in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, becoming in July 1820 minister of Gower Street Chapel. He died 16 December 1838, and he was buried on Christmas Day morning at the New Bunhill Fields burying-ground at

Islington Islington () is a district in the north of Greater London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the ar ...

. As 'a close, searching preacher,’ Fowler had for some years an excellent congregation, and a tolerable one to the close of his life. 'His discourses were delivered chiefly in short, pithy sentences.' It has been said that his own frame of mind seemed, in general, rather gloomy; certainly his autobiography, which he called 'Travels in the Wilderness,’ 8vo, London, 1839, is not cheerful reading. In addition to this and numerous religious tracts and biographies, he wrote 'Original Hymns, Doctrinal, Practical, and Experimental, with prose reflections,’ 2 vols. 18mo, Birmingham, London, 1818–1824, and edited 'A Selection of Hymns, by various authors,’ 18mo, London, 1836. His portrait has been engraved by R. Cooper.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fowler, Henry 1779 births 1838 deaths English nonconformist hymnwriters People from South Hams (district) English Christian religious leaders