# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Boothroyd, Benjamin

​BOOTHBOYD, BENJAMIN, D.D. (1768–1836), independent minister and Hebrew scholar, was born at Warley, in the parish of Halifax, Yorkshire, on 10 Oct. 1768, and was the son of a poor shoemaker there. He was sent to the village school, and left it when six years old, able to read the Old and New Testaments; although an unruly child, he taught himself figures and ciphering. He helped his father to make shoes for a time, but when about fourteen years old he ran away with only a few pence in his pocket. Making westwards for Lancashire, he found work with a methodist, who treated him very kindly. With him he stayed till, hearing things were not well with his parents, he returned to Warley to superintend his father's trade, and was affectionately received and forgiven. About 1785 he vowed to devote himself to religion. He attended prayer meetings and spoke at them; he read Doddridge's works; was admitted a student of the dissenting college, North Howram, and was at once classed as of two years' standing. In 1790 he was chosen minister at Pontefract, and being ordained there, he succeeded in filling his chapel till it would not hold the congregation, and a new one had to be built.
At this time Boothroyd found that all that was left for his income, after paying expenses, was 20l. a year, and he opened a shop as a bookseller and printer. In 1801 he married a Miss Hurst of Pontefract. In 1807, having had a few materials for a history of the town presented to him by a Mr. Richard Hepworth, he added much more to these, and brought out, at his own press, his ‘History of the Ancient Borough of Pontefract’ (Preface, p. xiv). He resolved next to master Hebrew, for the purpose of producing a new Hebrew bible. He printed the work himself, and his wife helped him in correcting the proofs. It was brought out in quarterly parts, the issue beginning in 1810, and finishing in 1813, under the title of ‘Biblia Hebraica,’ and formed finally two volumes 4to. Seven years were spent over this undertaking. At the same time Boothroyd preached diligently; and published several excellent standard works, besides many sermons of his own. In his ‘Sermon occasioned by the Death of Miss B. Shilito,’ 1813, Boothroyd states (p. 34) that Miss Shilito attributed her ‘conversion’ to some talk with a son of Eugene Aram, a reaper of her brother's in Holderness.
In 1818 Boothroyd (who had accepted the degree of LL.D.) became co-pastor at Highfield Chapel, Huddersfield, with the Rev. William Moorhouse. In the same year he completed his ‘New Family Bible and Improved Version,’ in three vols. 4to, which had been suggested to him on a visit to York by Mr. Henry Tuke, a quaker. He printed many copies of this great book at his own press. It contained notes critical and explanatory, and called forth the highest praise (see Orme, Bibliotheca Biblica, p. 54; Cotton, Editions of the Bible, p. 116). In recognition of this achievement the university of Glasgow conferred on Boothroyd the degree of D.D. in 1824. In 1832 his wife died (Evangelical ​Magazine, p. 108). By her he had four daughters and four sons (ib. 532). In 1835 Boothroyd completed an octavo edition of his ‘Family Bible.’ On 10 Jan. 1836 he was seized with a violent illness; after many months' suffering he died on 8 Sept. following. He was buried at Huddersfield.
[Evan. Mag. N. S. 1837, xv. 105–10, 374, 532; Gent. Mag. N. S. 1836, vi. 445; Darling's Cyclopædia Bibliographica (Authors), cols. 287, 369.]
J. H.