Background
Bedford was born at Tidenham in Gloucestershire on 8 September 1668.
chaplain vicar miscellaneous writer
Bedford was born at Tidenham in Gloucestershire on 8 September 1668.
Brasenose College.
He is most notable for his pamphlets against the Theatre and popular music At the age of 16 he went to Brasenose College, Oxford, graduating Bachelor of Arts in February 1688, and Master of Arts in July 1691. After acting as curate to Doctor Read of Saint Nicholas Church, Bristol, he was presented by the town corporation to the Temple Church in 1692.
He remained there for eight years, and was presented by Joseph Langton to the private living of Newton Saint Loe in Somerset.
At Newton, Bedford spent 20 years, and was made chaplain to Wriothesley Russell, 3rd Duke of Bedford. In 1724 he was appointed chaplain to the hospital of the Haberdashers" Company at Hoxton.
In 1730 Bedford attacked the stage by in a sermon at Saint Botolph"s, Aldgate, against the newly erected playhouse in Goodman"s Fields. Odell was the proprietor, and the theatre, demolished in 1746, was associated with the career of David Garrick.
Late in life Bedford was chaplain to Frederick, Prince of Wales.
He met his death after making observations on the comet of the year (13 August 1745), and was buried in the ground behind the hospital at Hoxton, where he had lived for 21 years.