Founding of the British and Foreign Bible Society

Background. Prior to 1804, many young girls walked long distances to Thomas Charles to obtain copies of the Bible due to a lack of affordable Bibles in Welsh. In November 1802, Charles attended a committee meeting of the Religious Tract Society in London, where Joseph Tarn introduced the subject of a regular supply of Bibles for Wales.

Formation. In 1803, Charles visited London, where friends discussed the name of a new society dedicated solely to supplying Bibles. The British and Foreign Bible Society was formally and publicly inaugurated on 7 March 1804. The founding group included William Wilberforce and Thomas Charles, aiming to encourage the wider circulation and use of the Scriptures.

Purpose. The society was formed to encourage the wider circulation and use of the Scriptures, addressing the problem of a lack of affordable Bibles in Welsh for Welsh-speaking Christians. The present-day British and Foreign Bible Society is described as a non-denominational Christian Bible society with charity status whose purpose is to make the Bible available throughout the world, including through translation so that people can experience the Scriptures in their mother tongue.