Life

The son of Thomas Hulbert of Hulbert Green, near Cheadle

Cheadle, Greater Manchester

Cheadle is a suburb in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport in Greater Manchester, England. It borders the districts of Cheadle Hulme, Gatley, Heald Green and Cheadle Heath in Stockport, and the East Didsbury area of Manchester. As of 2001 it had a population of 14,261.-Early history:There has...

, Cheshire

Cheshire

Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...

, he was born in Manchester

Manchester

Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...

 on 18 February 1778, and educated at the grammar school of Halton, Cheshire

Halton, Cheshire

Halton, formerly a separate village, is now part of the town of Runcorn, Cheshire, England. The name Halton has been assumed by the Borough of Halton, which includes Runcorn, Widnes and some outlying parishes.-Geography:...

. After learning cotton-weaving he became manager, at the age of twenty-two, of large print works at Middleton

Middleton

Middleton may refer to:-Australia:*Middleton, South Australia*Middleton Beach, Western Australia*Middleton Reef, Tasman Sea-United Kingdom:England*Middleton, Cumbria*Middleton, Essex*Middleton, Greater Manchester*Middleton, Hampshire...

, near Manchester, and subsequently began business with his elder brother at Swinton

Swinton

-Places:* In England:** Swinton, Greater Manchester** Swinton, Harrogate, North Yorkshire** Swinton, Ryedale, North Yorkshire** Swinton, South Yorkshire** Municipal Borough of Swinton and Pendlebury* In Scotland:** Swinton, Glasgow...

, also near Manchester.

In 1803 he moved to Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...

, and in conjunction with others leased some large factories at Coleham

Coleham

Coleham is a district of the town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire, England. It is located just south, over the River Severn, from Shrewsbury town centre....

 near the town. He entered into Sunday school

Sunday school

Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...

 and other religious work, carrying on classes and services at the factory. He applied, but unsuccessfully, for ordination in the church.

At the request of William Wilberforce

William Wilberforce

William Wilberforce was a British politician, a philanthropist and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780, eventually becoming the independent Member of Parliament for Yorkshire...

 and Henry Grey Bennet

Henry Grey Bennet

The Honourable Henry Grey Bennet , was a British politician.Bennet was the second of three sons and fourth of eight children of Charles Bennet, 4th Earl of Tankerville, and his wife, Emma , daughter of banker Sir James Colebrooke, 1st Baronet.He was educated at Eton College , served in the 1st Foot...

 in 1808 he drew up a report on the management of factories, as an answer to a claim made in parliament that manufactories were hotbeds of vice. Soon afterwards he declined an offer to move to St. Petersburg, made to him, it is said, by an agent of the emperor of Russia.

In 1813, his business as a cotton manufacturer having fallen off, he opened a bookshop and printing-office at Shrewsbury, where he published the Salopian Magazine (1815–17), and printed many small books, most of them written by himself. In 1827 he built a house at Hadnall

Hadnall

Hadnall is a village and civil parish in Shropshire, England. It lies on the A49, some 9 km north-north-east of Shrewsbury. The Welsh Marches Line runs just outside the village and there was once a railway station. Today, Hadnall has a primary school, a successful village shop, a pub and a two...

, near Shrewsbury, which he called 'Providence Grove,' and here he continued to print and publish his writings. His house burned down, and his large library destroyed, on 7 January 1839; but he was able by a public subscription and a grant from the Royal Literary Fund

Royal Literary Fund

The Royal Literary Fund is a benevolent fund set up to help published British writers in financial difficulties. It was founded by Reverend David Williams in 1790 and has received bequests and donations, including royal patronage, ever since...

, to rebuild his residence and to purchase an annuity. He died there on 7 October 1857.

Works

His works include:

• Candid Strictures ... on Thoughts on the Protestant Ascendency, Shrewsbury, 1807.
• Memoir of General Lord Hill, 1816.
• African Traveller, 1817.
• Museum of the World, 1822-6, 4 vols.
• Christian Memoirs, 1832.
• Religions of Britain.
• History of Salop, 1837.
• Cheshire Antiquities, 1838.
• Manual of Shropshire Biography, &c., 1839.
• The Sunday Reader and Preacher, 1839–42.
• Biographical Sketches, 1842.
• Memoirs of Seventy Years of an Eventful Life, 1848–52. Of this autobiography he published an abridgment entitled The Book of Providences and the Book of Joys, 1857.

Family

In 1805 he married Anna, daughter of Thomas Wood, proprietor of the Shrewsbury Chronicle

Shrewsbury Chronicle

The Shrewsbury Chronicle is the local newspaper for Shrewsbury and the surrounding area, including Church Stretton, in Shropshire, England....

. His eldest son, Charles Augustus Hulbert

Charles Augustus Hulbert

-Life:The eldest son of Charles Hulbert, he was born at Coleham, near Shrewsbury, on 31 December 1804; and was educated at Shrewsbury School and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. He graduated B.A. in 1834, and M.A. in 1837.He was curate of St...

 (1804–1888), was also a writer, and instrumental in the restoration of Almondbury Church.

External links

• Open Library page

Attribution