Arthur Broome

Reverend Arthur Broome (1779–16 July 1837) was one of a group of creators of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) in 1824. Broome was appointed as the original society's first Secretary, a post he held until 1828. He held posts at various churches in London, Essex, and Kent, and supported an appeal for earthquake relief in Syria. He wrote about animal theology and also about two 17th-century English clergy. He was guarantor for the RSPCA's debts, which led to his financial ruin and in April 1826 he was sent to a debtors' prison.

Broome was born in early 1779 the son of Thomas and Frances Broome in Sidmouth, Devon. According to university records, he matriculated from school and enrolled on 31 March 1798 at Balliol College at Oxford University and he graduated with a BA degree in 1801. He subsequently was awarded an MA degree.

He applied to the Bishop of London for ordination in the Church of England and on 21 November 1802 was ordained by Bishop Beilby Porteus (1731–1809) as a deacon. Porteus was an evangelical church reformer and a noted anti-slavery campaigner. Broome's association with Porteus no doubt brought him into a network of contacts with similarly minded individuals. After a year's service in the role of a deacon, Broome was then ordained as a priest by Bishop Porteus on 18 December 1803. His first appointment as a priest was to the parish church, St. Peter's Church situated in Roydon, Essex. His next parish appointment was on 7 March 1812 as a licensed curate to serve two churches, both named St. Mary's, in neighbouring villages, Hinxhill and Brook, situated in Kent. On 6 March 1816 he was appointed as a curate to St. Helen's church in Cliffe at Hoo, Kent. Broome remained in Cliffe until he was appointed as a stipendiary curate to St. Mary's Church, Bromley St Leonard's (now called Bromley by Bow) on 23 April 1819. A year later he was appointed as a perpetual curate at this church and he remained in this position until he resigned on 13 February 1824.

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