Philip Doddridge was born in 1702, and orphaned by the age of 13. The Duchess of Bedford decided to finance his entire education providing he would promise to become an Anglican clergyman, but Doddridge was set on becoming a Dissenting minister. Samuel Clark came to the rescue and offered to finance Doddridge's studies, obtaining for him a place at a Dissenting college at Kibworth, Leicestershire, run by John Jennings. Jennings died in c 1722?, and the college was closed down until April 1729, when Isaac Watts and several other ministers met at Lutterworth for a day of fasting and prayer and felt moved to invite Doddridge to reopen the academy in Market Harborough, which he did. By 1730, the Academy had moved to Northampton, and developed such a good reputation that Anglican clergy began to send their sons there. Doddridge died in 1751.
From the guide to the Notes on an educational method by Philip Doddridge, 1708-1821, (Senate House Library, University of London)
