He was born at Doncaster on 14 December 1824.
He was the only son of William Bright, town-clerk of Doncaster, Yorkshire. He was sent first to a preparatory school at Southwell, and thence, in 1837, to Rugby, he there reached the sixth form at the time of Dr. Thomas Arnold's death. He gained a scholarship at University College, Oxford, he matriculated on 20 March 1843 ; obtained first-class honours in classics in 1846 ; was awarded the Johnson theological scholarship in 1847, and the Ellerton theological essay in 1848, the subject being 'The Prophetic Office under the Mosaic Dispensation.' He graduated B.A. in 1846, proceeding M.A. in 1849, and D.D. in 1869. He was ordained deacon in 1848 and priest in 1850.[1]
He was elected fellow of University College in 1847, he retained his fellowship till 1868. He became tutor of his college in 1848, but in 1851 accepted the theological tutorship at Trinity College, Glenalmond, under the wardenship of Dr. Charles Wordsworth.
In 1868, he was appointed Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Oxford, and canon of Christ Church in succession to Arthur Penrhyn Stanley. He was proctor in convocation for the chapter of Christ Church from 1878; examining chaplain to Edward King; and sub-dean of Christ Church from 1895.[1]
He died unmarried at Christ Church on 6 March 1901, and was buried in the Christ Church portion of Osney Cemetery, by Oxford.[1]
Bright wrote a number of works and hymns.[2]
He published editions of several Church Fathers.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Clark, Andrew (1912). "Bright, William". In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography (2nd supplement). London: Smith, Elder & Co.
