John Henley (1692-1756) attended Cambridge where he was outspoken and found it restrictive. He was ordained deacon in 1716 and ambitions took him to London in 1720. in 1725 he founded the Oratory, his own chapel and became the Orator, separating from the Church of England, and subsided by selling subscriptions to his books. Later, he began a Gentleman’s Own University, offering lectures and private tutorials on a range of subjects.
Reference:
Graham Midgley, ‘Henley, John (1692–1756)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Sept 2010 http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/12928 [accessed 17 Aug 2015])
Dates: to
Occupation: Unknown
Relationship to Sloane: Virtual International Authority File: