Henry Francis Lyte

Short Name: Henry Francis Lyte
Full Name: Lyte, Henry Francis
Birth Year: 1793
Death Year: 1847

Henry Francis Lyte was born on June 1, 1793, at Ednam, near Kelso, the son of Captain Thomas Lyte. He was educated at Portora (the Royal School of Enniskillen) and Trinity College, Dublin, where he distinguished himself as a Scholar and won the English prize poem three times, graduating in 1814. Initially intending to study medicine, he shifted to theology and was ordained in 1815, beginning his ministry with a curacy near Wexford.

In 1817, Lyte moved to Marazion, Cornwall, where a profound spiritual transformation occurred following the illness and death of a brother clergyman. This experience shaped his life and ministry, prompting him to study the Bible more deeply and preach with renewed conviction. He reflected on the death of his colleague as a lesson in God’s mercy and the assurance of salvation through Christ.

Lyte later moved to Lymington in 1819, where he wrote Tales on the Lord's Prayer (published in 1826). In 1823, he was appointed Perpetual Curate of Lower Brixham, Devon, a post he held until his death. Lyte was also known for his literary contributions, including Poems of Henry Vaughan, with a Memoir, published in 1846. He died on November 20, 1847.