Nationality British | Name Ezekiel Blomfield | |
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Born 28 October 1778 ( 1778-10-28 ) North Walsham, Norfolk, England Occupation Congregational minister Known for Publishing religious works and works on natural history Spouse(s) Mary Anne (nee Funnell) Died July 14, 1818, Great Glemham, United Kingdom | ||
Ezekiel Blomfield (1778–1818) was a Congregational minister, author and compiler of religious works and works on natural history. His parents were Stephen Blomfield (born c.1740, died 27 November 1809) and Elizabeth Blomfield (née Luiss (Lewis), born c.1750, died 17 March 1799). Ezekiel was the youngest of four children. He was born on 28 October 1778 at North Walsham, Norfolk then moved with his parents to Norwich. He died on 14 July 1818 at Great Glemham, Suffolk and was buried on 21 July 1818 in the grounds of the Meeting House at Wortwell, Norfolk.
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Education
While his parents were poor Ezekiel showed determination for acquiring knowledge and by the age of 10 he was collecting information for a ‘Table of Chronological Events' and a ‘System of Natural History.’ His interest in the phenomena of nature was influenced by reading Evenings at Home, which was a popular series of books by John Aikin and his sister Anna Laetitia Barbauld, which considered the principles of "botany, zoology, numbers, change of state in chemistry ... the money system, the calendar, geography, meteorology, agriculture, political economy, geology, [and] astronomy".
At the age of 15 Ezekiel developed strong religious convictions. He was placed under the care of the Rev. Samuel Newton, a non-conformist minister at Norwich, (asst. 1757-1768; pastor 1768-1810), who taught Ezekiel Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. In 1796 Ezekiel decided to become to be a minister of the gospel and was accepted at the non-conformist Homerton Academy, where he studied under the supervision of Dr. Daniel Fisher.
Ministry
After four years training at Homerton Academy Ezekiel accepted a congregation at Wymondham in Norfolk where he preached and established Sunday schools and missionary societies. He wrote works commissioned by Charles Brightley, a printer of Bungay, Suffolk. Charles Brightly had established a printing and stereotype foundry in 1795, which in partnership with John Filby Childs, became Brightly & Childs in 1808 and later Messrs. Childs and Son.
His sister Elizabeth Blomfield (1773-1852) was a member of the Wymondham congregation.
In 1809 Ezekiel moved to Wortwell in Norfolk and ministered to the combined Harleston and Wortwell Congregational Churches. He died on 14 July 1818 and was buried on 21 July 1818 in the grounds of the Meeting House at Wortwell.
Family
On 20 October 1800 he married Mary Anne Funnell of Hunworth, Norfolk. They had 9 children, with one daughter dying within 6 months of birth:
Ezekiel died 14 July 1818, leaving a widow and young family without an income. Charles Brightley assisted Mary Blomfield by arranging the publishing of Ezekiel’s 'Philosophy of History', which was published in a fine quarto in 1819, with a memoir. These works are described as being “somewhat fragmentary and commonplace” and did not generate much income.
Five of the daughters eventually migrated to New Zealand, another spent time in Tahiti; with four marrying missionaries:
Published works
Ezekiel Blomfield published books on natural history and religious matters including: