Thomas Briscoe
Encyclopedia
Thomas Briscoe was a Welsh
priest and scholar, who was a Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford
for 25 years and Vicar of Holyhead
for 37 years. He also translated the New Testament
, and some books of the Old Testament
, into Welsh
.
, Wales
and educated at Ruthin School
. He then studied at Jesus College, Oxford, gaining a first class
Bachelor of Arts
degree in Literae Humaniores
in 1833. He gained his Master of Arts degree in 1836, the year that he was ordained deacon. He was ordained priest in 1837 and became curate of Henllan
, Denbighshire
, holding this post until 1840. In 1843, he was awarded a Bachelor of Divinity
degree by the University of Oxford
, obtaining his doctorate
in 1868.
He was appointed to a fellowship at Jesus College in 1834, holding this until 1859. He served as college tutor from 1835 to 1839 and again from 1843 to 1857; he was also vice-principal from 1849 to 1858. In 1858, he became vicar of Holyhead, remaining vicar until his death on 16 February 1895. He was also chancellor of Bangor Cathedral
from 1877, and his library was presented to the cathedral after his death.
Briscoe's scholastic interests encompassed ancient and modern languages, particularly Welsh
. He translated a theological work by Ellendorff from German
into Welsh in 1851 and four books of the Old Testament
(Isaiah
, Job
, Psalms
and Proverbs
) from Hebrew into Welsh between 1853 and 1855. In 1894 he translated the New Testament
into Welsh following the English Revised Version of 1881.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
priest and scholar, who was a Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
for 25 years and Vicar of Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
for 37 years. He also translated the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
, and some books of the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
, into Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
.
Life
Briscoe was born in WrexhamWrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and educated at Ruthin School
Ruthin School
Ruthin School is one of the oldest public schools in the United Kingdom. Located on the outskirts of Ruthin, the county town of Denbighshire in North Wales, the school is over seven hundred years old and has been co-educational since 1990.- Beginnings :...
. He then studied at Jesus College, Oxford, gaining a first class
British undergraduate degree classification
The British undergraduate degree classification system is a grading scheme for undergraduate degrees in the United Kingdom...
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores is the name given to an undergraduate course focused on Classics at Oxford and some other universities.The Latin name means literally "more humane letters", but is perhaps better rendered as "Advanced Studies", since humaniores has the sense of "more refined" or "more learned",...
in 1833. He gained his Master of Arts degree in 1836, the year that he was ordained deacon. He was ordained priest in 1837 and became curate of Henllan
Henllan
Henllan is a village in Denbighshire, Wales with a population of approximately 750 and lies in the countryside, approximately 2.25 miles north-west of the walled-town of Denbigh.-Church and tower:...
, Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
, holding this post until 1840. In 1843, he was awarded a Bachelor of Divinity
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
degree by the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, obtaining his doctorate
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
in 1868.
He was appointed to a fellowship at Jesus College in 1834, holding this until 1859. He served as college tutor from 1835 to 1839 and again from 1843 to 1857; he was also vice-principal from 1849 to 1858. In 1858, he became vicar of Holyhead, remaining vicar until his death on 16 February 1895. He was also chancellor of Bangor Cathedral
Bangor Cathedral
Bangor Cathedral is an ancient place of Christian worship situated in Bangor, Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It is dedicated to its founder, Saint Deiniol....
from 1877, and his library was presented to the cathedral after his death.
Briscoe's scholastic interests encompassed ancient and modern languages, particularly Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
. He translated a theological work by Ellendorff from German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
into Welsh in 1851 and four books of the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
(Isaiah
Book of Isaiah
The Book of Isaiah is the first of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, preceding the books of Ezekiel, Jeremiah and the Book of the Twelve...
, Job
Book of Job
The Book of Job , commonly referred to simply as Job, is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. It relates the story of Job, his trials at the hands of Satan, his discussions with friends on the origins and nature of his suffering, his challenge to God, and finally a response from God. The book is a...
, Psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
and Proverbs
Book of Proverbs
The Book of Proverbs , commonly referred to simply as Proverbs, is a book of the Hebrew Bible.The original Hebrew title of the book of Proverbs is "Míshlê Shlomoh" . When translated into Greek and Latin, the title took on different forms. In the Greek Septuagint the title became "paroimai paroimiae"...
) from Hebrew into Welsh between 1853 and 1855. In 1894 he translated the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
into Welsh following the English Revised Version of 1881.