Researching John Boys

He was educated at St Olave's Grammar School and Hatfield College, Durham and, after a business career, ordained in 1935. His first post was as a curate in Egham Hythe after which he was appointed the Bishop of Gibraltar’s personal chaplain. From there he went to South Africa (where he continued his career as a missionary). He later became Archdeacon of Lebombo, and in 1948 Bishop. Translated to Kimberley and Kuruman in 1951 he served the Diocese with distinction until ill health forced him to resign nine years later. In retirement he lived in London; he was Director of the South African Church Institute of London (1961–1969) and as the Archbishop of Cape Town's episcopal commissary until his own death. Additionally, he also served as a Canon of St Albans Cathedral and an Assistant Bishop of St Albans (1961–1968) and then as an Assistant Bishop of Southwark from 1968 until death.

The only son of William Boys and Ann, daughter of William Cooper of Ripple, he was born in November 1749. At Betshanger and afterwards at Each, Kent, he farmed with skill and success, and as a grazier was well known for his breed of South Down sheep. He was one of the commissioners of sewers for East Kent, and did much to promote the drainage of the Finglesham and Eastry Brooks.

For the Board of Agriculture, Boys wrote A General View of the Agriculture of the County of Kent, 1796, and an Essay on Paring and Burning, 1805. He died on 16 December 1824.

By his wife Mary, daughter of the Rev. Richard Harvey, vicar of Eastry-cum-Word, Boys had thirteen children, eight sons and five daughters. One of these was Edward Boys (1785–1866), a sea captain.

Boys entered the British Army at the age of fifteen with the Royal Artillery based at Woolwich, where he was a musician with the Royal Artillery Band. He played cricket with some success for the Royal Artillery Cricket Club and was asked to play for Kent County Cricket Club many times but was unable to get leave of absence to do so. He did, however, make his debut in first-class cricket for Kent in 1875 against Hampshire. He later made two further first-class appearances for Kent in 1881 against the Marylebone Cricket Club and Surrey. Boys scored 34 runs in his four matches, as well as taking four catches and making two stumpings.

Boys died suddenly aged 26 at Woolwich on 1 August 1883 on the day of his planned wedding to his fiancée.