Introduction

Biography

William was the eld­est son of Will­iam Shrub­sole.

As a young man, he worked as a ship­wright in the dock­yard, then as a clerk. In 1785, he moved to Lon­don and en­tered the Bank of Eng­land as a clerk. He sub­se­quent­ly be­came Sec­re­tary to the Com­mit­tee of the Trea­su­ry.

For a while he at­tend­ed St. Anne’s Church in Black­fri­ars, but for the last 20 years of his life he be­longed to the Con­gre­ga­tion­alists, and at­tend­ed Hox­ton Aca­de­my Cha­pel.

He was a di­rect­or and sec­re­ta­ry of the London Mis­sion­ary So­ci­ety, and con­trib­ut­ed hymns to the Ev­an­ge­li­cal Ma­ga­zine, Chris­tian Ma­ga­zine, Theo­lo­gic­al Mis­cel­la­ny, the Chris­tian Ob­serv­er, and Youth’s Ma­ga­zine.

His daugh­ter gave a Mem­oir of him to Dr. Mo­ri­son’s Fa­thers and Found­ers of the Lon­don Mis­sion­ary So­ci­ety (London: Fish­er, Sons & Com­pa­ny, 1844).

According to Nut­ter, pp. 465, he is a dif­fe­rent man from Will­iam Shrub­sole the com­pos­er.