Background
The son of George Drew, a tea dealer, of 11 Tottenham Court Road, London, he was born at Louth, Lincolnshire.
The son of George Drew, a tea dealer, of 11 Tottenham Court Road, London, he was born at Louth, Lincolnshire.
Street John"s College.
Admitted a sizar of Street John"s College, Cambridge, on 22 January 1839, he took his Bachelor of Arts degree as 27th wrangler in 1843, and was ordained the same year. He took his Master of Arts degree in 1847. After serving a curacy at Street Pancras, London, for about two years, he was presented to the incumbency of the Old Church, Street Pancras, in 1845, and to that of Street John the Evangelist, in the same parish, in 1850.
Drew was one of the earliest promoters of evening classes for young men, and published three lectures in support of the movement in 1851 and 1852.
He became vicar of Pulloxhill, Bedfordshire, in 1854. He was then vicar of Street Barnabas, South Kensington, from 1858 till 1870, was select preacher to the university of Cambridge in 1869–1970, and rector of Avington, Hampshire, during 1870–1873.
He returned to London in 1873 as vicar of Holy Trinity, Lambeth, a preferment which he retained until his death.
Drew, who was a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and at one time an active member of the British Association, died suddenly at Holy Trinity vicarage, 21 January 1880.