John Bakewell › Texts

Bakewell, John, born at Brailsford, Derbyshire, 1721. At about the age of eighteen his mind was turned towards religious truths by reading Boston's Fourfold State. From that date he became an ardent evangelist, and in 1744 (the year of the first Methodist Conference) he begun to preach. Removing to London some short time after, he became acquainted with the Wesleys, M. Madan, A. M. Toplady, J. Fletcher, and other earnest evangelical men. After conducting for some years the Greenwich Royal Park Academy, he resigned in favour of his son-in-law, Dr. James Egau, and employed much of his time in preaching at various places for the Wesleyans. He died at Lewisham, near Greenwich, March 18, 1819, aged 98, and was buried in the Wesleyan burying ground connected with the City Road Chapel, London. Mr. Bakewell was the author of a few hymns, the best known being, "Hail Thou once despised Jesus," the abbreviations of the same, "Paschal Lamb, by God appointed," and “Jesus, hail, enthroned in glory." A short memoir of him was published by Mr. Stelfox, Belfast, 1864.

- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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• Hymn Writers of the Church