Adam Clarke Papers
Date range: 1785-1832.
Papers of Dr Adam Clarke (1762-1832), theologian and biblical scholar. Adam Clarke was born at Moybeg in the parish of Kilcronaghan, co. Londonderry,the son of a schoolmaster, and was educated at Kingswood School near Bristol.
He was appointed to his first Methodist circuit at Bradford, Wiltshire, in 1782, and served as a Methodist minister in several areas of the country. He was President of the Wesleyan Conference in 1806, 1814 and 1822.
Clarke enjoyed a very high reputation as a scholar, and published on a wide range of subjects, including theology, oriental languages and biblical studies. His most important work was his Bible Commentary, published in eight volumes between 1810 and 1826.
The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence and associated papers, which were gathered together by Clarke's family after his death.
Correspondents include Joseph Benson, Jabez Bunting, Samuel Harpur, George Marsden, Richard Tabraham, Ruth Thurston and Catherine Whitacre. The letters concern Clarke's personal life, his academic pursuits and Church affairs.
The collection also contains biographical materials, fragments of letters, literary fragments, and engravings of Adam Clarke.
Finding aids
Catalogue available online via ELGAR.
Location
Using the reading rooms in the John Rylands Library 