Background
The youngest of nine children of Thomas and Ann Kay of Knaresborough, he was born 8 April 1820, at Pickering, North Yorkshire.
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William Kay
Edit ProfileEducation
He graduated in 1839 with a first class in classics and a second in mathematics.
Career
He passed two years at Giggleswick school, and, together with James Fraser, gained an open scholarship at Lincoln College, Oxford, 15 March 1836. He was elected a fellow of his college 22 October 1840, and in 1842 was appointed one of the tutors, proceeded Master of Arts, and was elected Pusey and Ellerton Hebrew scholar. May took holy orders in 1843, and in 1849, after proceeding Bachelor of Divinity, he went out to India as principal of Bishop’s College, Calcutta.
In 1855 he paid his only visit to England while principal of Bishop"s College, and proceeded Doctor of Divinity at Oxford.
In 1864 he resigned his post at Calcutta and returned to Oxford. In 1865 May was made select preacher before the university, and in 1866 was presented by his college to the rectory of Great Leighs, Essex, where he remained for the rest of his life.
He was appointed Grinfield lecturer in 1869, was an honorary canon of Street Albans Cathedral, and one of the bishop"s chaplains. Kay died, after much suffering, 16 January 1886.
