Blue Plaque: John Rogers

John Rogers was a significant figure in the English Reformation, known primarily as a Bible translator and the first Protestant martyr under Queen Mary I. 

From Deritend to martyrdom
Born in Deritend, John Rogers’ family, including his father also named John Rogers were  lorimers –  makers of bits and spurs.  Rogers received his early education at the Guild School of St John the Baptist in Deritend before attending Pembroke Hall, Cambridge University, where he graduated in 1526. 

Antwerp years: meeting a legend
After a period as a rector in London, his life took a decisive turn when he moved to Antwerp in 1534 as chaplain to English merchants. It was here that he met William Tyndale, the exiled English reformer and Bible translator. Under Tyndale’s influence, Rogers embraced Protestantism and married Adriana de Weyden.

Rogers became instrumental in the compilation and editing of what is now known as the “Matthew Bible”.  Rogers contributed significant marginal notes and prefaces, which are considered the first original English commentary on the Bible. This work was profoundly influential, forming the basis for later authorised versions, including the Great Bible and ultimately the King James Version.

The fatal return
Rogers returned to England in 1548 during the reign of the Protestant King Edward VI. He was appointed to several prominent church positions however, with the accession of the Catholic Queen Mary I in 1553, Rogers’s outspoken Protestant views put him in grave danger. He was arrested for heresy and, after refusing to recant his beliefs, was condemned to death.  On 4th February 1555, John Rogers was burned at the stake in Smithfield, London, becoming the first Protestant martyr of Mary’s reign.