[1][2] He was educated in Law at Gray's Inn, but was converted to Christ when about to be called to the bar.
He took a theological degree from Trinity College, Dublin, and became Curate at Bishop Ryder Church, Birmingham.
On 1 July 1851, he sailed along with his wife and Robert Clark to India, and reached Kolkata(present Calcutta) on 13 October 1851.
They moved from Calcutta to Punjab and were involved in missionary activities, including printing dictionaries, grammars, and starting schools.
His first wife Anna Longridge Gooch, having suffered from severe health problems, was compelled to return home in 1861.