William Hendley

William Hendley (1691–1724) was a Church of England clergyman of controversial views who strongly advocated charity schools to provide free education for disadvantaged children.

Origins Baptised at Bearsted in Kent on 11 April 1691 into the Hendley family of landowners, he was the son of William Hendley (1657-1724) and his first wife Elizabeth (died 1697). His father was a younger son of John Hendley (1617-1676) and his wife Priscilla Fludd (1627-1684).

Career In 1708 he was admitted to Pembroke Hall at Cambridge, where he gained a BA. Ordained a deacon at Ely in 1712, he was later ordained a priest in London in 1715. The next year he was appointed lecturer of St James, Clerkenwell and from there took part in the Bangorian controversy, criticising Benjamin Hoadly, Bishop of Bangor, in 1717 for allegedly destroying the authority of the Church of England and of its clergy. In 1718 he was elected to the lectureship of St Mary's Church, Islington and was also appointed chaplain to Charles Mildmay, Baron FitzWalter.

Family After an unrecorded first marriage, on 29 June 1723 he entered into a bond to marry at St Mary's Bethiah Honeycott (born about 1700). She was the daughter of the Reverend John Honeycott, master of the charity school of St James, Clerkenwell. They had a daughter, Mary Hendley.

Writings A defence of the Church of England ... in opposition to Popery and Presbytery. A sermon [on Acts xxiv. 14] preach'd Dec. 16, 1714. London, 1715. St. Paul's charge to Timothy; or, the Pastor's duty. Two sermons [on 2 Tim. iv. 2, 3 and on 1 Tim. vi. 20]. London, 1716. An Appeal to the consciences and common sense of the Christian Laity, whether the Bishop of Bangor in his Preservative, etc., hath not given up the rights of the Church, and the powers of the Christian Priesthood. London, 1719. Charity still a Christian virtue: or, an impartial account of the tryal and conviction of the Reverend Mr. Hendley, for preaching a charity-sermon at Chisselhurst. And of Mr. Chapman, Mr. Prat, Mr. Harding, for collecting at the same time alms of the congregation. At the assizes held at Rochester, on Wednesday, July 15. 1719. Offer'd to the consideration of the clergy of the Church of England. London, 1719. (As late as 2008, this work was being incorrectly attributed to Daniel Defoe). Loimologia Sacra; or, a discourse shewing that the Plague ... is sent immediately from God ... as a punishment to a people for their sins. With ... an appendix, wherein the case of flying from a pestilence is briefly consider'd., London 1721. The great blessedness of Communicating, being an earnest exhortation to the Holy Communion. ... With a brief explanation of the nature of the Lord's Supper ... Second edition enlarged. London, 1723. A defence of the Charity-Schools. Wherein the many ... objections of ... the Author of the Fable of the Bees [B. de Mandeville] and Cato's Letter in the British Journal ... are ... answer'd. ... To which is added ... the Presentment of the Grand Jury of the British Journal. London, 1725.