Early Life
Bridges was born in England in 1842. According to local legend, he was later found abandoned on a bridge, in Bristol, by George Despard, the chaplain of the Clifton Union. Despard adopted Bridges and educated him in a private school that he ran. Later, upon being told of the adoption, Thomas "chose for himself the surname Bridges in honor of the meeting that had saved his life."
There is no record of Thomas Bridges in the 1851 UK census; however, he is believed to be registered in the private school run by George Despard as George H Bridges. The name change was most likely due to a transcription error.
Read more about this topic: Thomas Bridges (Anglican Missionary)
Famous quotes related to early life:
“... goodness is of a modest nature, easily discouraged, and when much elbowed in early life by unabashed vices, is apt to retire into extreme privacy, so that it is more easily believed in by those who construct a selfish old gentleman theoretically, than by those who form the narrower judgments based on his personal acquaintance.”
—George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)