in 1848 he became a curate of st. luke's, birmingham. he married mary vigars lemare, at christ church, salford, lancashire, on 4 april 1854; he was widowed seven years later when his wife died in london in early 1861. he then married ann marie, the widow of the reverend john jones who had been a missionary in ningbo (ningpo). they were married at trinity church, bow, london on 15 november 1866. in 1882 he married yet again in islington, london; the bride was emily bear.