He was a canon of St Asaph's Cathedral and Archdeacon of Montgomery, as well as being a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.

He was educated at Ruthin School under Edward Barnwell before matriculating at Jesus College, Oxford in 1852.

[1][2] His father died during his time at Oxford and Thomas taught during the university vacations to support himself.

In 1892, he left Meifod to become rector of Llandrinio, in Montgomeryshire, where he remained until his death on 11 October 1916.

His major work, published between 1870 and 1874, was a History of the Diocese of St Asaph; it was enlarged and printed in three volumes between 1906 and 1913.