Beilby Porteus (1731-1808), bishop of London, was born at York and educated at Christ's College, Cambridge, where he became fellow in 1752. He was ordained in 1757, and in 1762 was appointed domestic chaplain to the archbishop of Canterbury. In 1767 he became rector of Lambeth, and took his D.D. degree at Cambridge, preaching on that occasion a sermon which induced John Norris (1734-1777) to found the Norrisian professorship of divinity. About two years later he was appointed chaplain to the king and master of the hospital of St Cross, Winchester. In 1776 he became bishop of Chester, and in 1787 he was translated to London. He was a supporter of the Church Missionary and the British and Foreign Bible societies, and laboured for the abolition of slavery.
Of his published works the Review of the Life and Character of Archbishop Secker (London, 1770), and the Summary of the principal Evidences for the Truth and Divine Origin of the Christian Revelation (London, 1800), have passed through numerous editions.
