Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Keyworth, Thomas
KETWORTH, THOMAS (1782–1852), divine and hebraist, son of Thomas Keyworth, a bookseller, of Nottingham, was born in that town in 1782. Going to London as a young man, he was converted from unitarianism by the preaching of Dr. Draper, and entered Cheshunt College to prepare himself for the congregational ministry. Called in the first instance to Sleaford, Lincolnshire, he was afterwards minister successively at Runcorn, Wantage, Faversham, and Nottingham. He also occupied for short periods the pulpits of several London chapels. From 1842 to December 1851 he was in charge of a congregation at Aston Tirrold in Berkshire. He retired at the close of 1851, and died at Cheltenham on 7 Nov. 1852.
Keyworth was distinguished for modesty and simplicity of character. He was an active advocate of a scheme for garden allotments to the poor, and while in London was an able promoter of missionary work. In addition to his hebraical knowledge, he was no mean scholar in general literature. His chief works are:
- ‘Principia Hebraica,’ London, 1817, 8vo (written in conjunction with David Jones).
- ‘A Daily Expositor of the New Testament,’ London, 1825, 8vo.
- ‘A Practical Exposition of the Revelation of St. John,’ 1828, 8vo.
- ‘A Pocket Expositor of the New Testament,’ 1834, 12mo; 2nd edit. 1835.
[Congregational Year-Book, 1853, p. 212; Liverpool Congregational Mag. April 1882, p. 56; Eclectic Review, November 1818; Brit. Mus. Cat.; information from the Rev. Thomas Keyworth.]