F. W. (Frederic William) Farrar

Born in Bombay on August 7, 1831, Frederic William Farrar was educated in England at King William’s College, King’s College London, and Trinity College, Cambridge. He went on to build a varied career as a teacher, cleric, scholar, and author, becoming one of the best-known religious writers of Victorian Britain.

Farrar taught at Harrow and later served as headmaster of Marlborough College. He was then appointed canon of Westminster and rector of St Margaret’s, Westminster, and in 1895 became Dean of Canterbury, a post he held until his death on March 22, 1903. Alongside his church work, he wrote widely on religion, language, and education.

Many readers first met him through Eric, or Little by Little, a much-read school story, but his influence reached further through popular religious books such as Life of Christ and Life and Work of St. Paul. His writing was known for being earnest, accessible, and aimed at general readers rather than specialists, which helped make him a familiar name in many homes of his time.