William Bullock (January 12, 1797 - March 7, 1874) was a British naval officer, clergyman, and hymn writer. He was born in Essex, England, and died in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was educated at a Bluecoat School (a school for the poor) in London. He entered the navy in 1815, during which he saw active duty in the bombardment of Algiers in 1816. Eventually, he became sailing master's mate and assistant surveyor aboard the Brig Snap, which did extensive hydrographic surveys around the coasts of Newfoundland - some in conjunction with George Papps Holbrook, future Surveyor General of Newfoundland. His ill health led to his discharge from the navy in 1821. During his service in Newfoundland, he came to believe the spiritual needs of the people of Newfoundland were not being met, and following his discharge, he chose to stay on in Newfoundland as a missionary for the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. Bullock was ordained deacon in 1822 and raised to the priesthood two weeks later. He was appointed missionary at Trinity Bay, Newfoundland, in 1822. In 1823 he married Mary Clinch, daughter of the former missionary at Trinity; they had ten children. Bullock remained in Trinity as a successful and popular pastor, doctor, and magistrate until 1840. In 1841, he moved on to join a mission in Digby, Nova Scotia, where he built four new churches. He would become curate of St. Paul's Cathedral in Halifax in 1847. Eventually, he was appointed dean of the new cathedral of St. Luke, where he finally settled. In 1854, he published a collection of 166 hymns, one of which ('We love the place, O God') would be incorporated into the official hymnbook of the Church of England.



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