W. G. (William George) Tarrant

Born in Pembroke Dock, Wales, on July 2, 1853, William George Tarrant later became an English Unitarian minister, writer, editor, and hymn writer. Sources agree that he served the Wandsworth Unitarian Christian Church from 1883, and that he was also active in religious journalism and hymn editing.

Tarrant is best remembered as the author of works such as Unitarianism and The Beginnings of Christendom, books that aimed to make religious history and liberal Christian thought accessible to ordinary readers. He also edited The Inquirer from 1888 to 1897 and was involved in editing the Essex Hall Hymnal, showing how much of his career was devoted not only to preaching, but also to shaping the reading and singing life of his denomination.

Biographical references place his early life in Wales and note that he later died in Wandsworth, London, on January 15, 1928. Although not a household name today, he stands out as one of those steady, thoughtful religious authors whose books were written to inform, encourage, and open up difficult subjects without fuss.