G. W. Briggs

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George Wallace Briggs (1875-December 30, 1959) was an English hymn writer and Anglican clergyman.

He was born in Nottingham and educated at Loughborough Grammar School and Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He served as a padre in the Royal Navy (1902-1909) before becoming Vicar of St. Andrew's Church, Norwich and in 1918 became Rector of All Saints Church, Loughborough. Between 1927 and 1934 he was Canon of Leicester Cathedral and from 1934 until his retirement in 1956 he served as Canon of Worcester Cathedral.

His most famous hymn is "God Has Spoken by His Prophets" as set to the tune written for Ode to Joy by Beethoven. He also wrote Loughborough Grammar School's school hymn "Our Father by whose servant(s)", which has also been adopted as a school hymn by other schools. The servant in LGS's case was Thomas Burton, and the "Five Hundred Years Enduring" verse 2 (originally "Four Hundred Years Enduring") is unique to the Loughborough Endowed Schools.

He is also grand-father to Anne Atkins, famed Radio talk-show host.