Francis Fox (1675–1738) was an English divine who became vicar of Reading. Fox, son of Francis Fox, was born at Brentford in 1675. He entered St Edmund Hall, Oxford, as a commoner in April 1698, after having, according to Hearne, served six and a half years of his time as apprentice to a glover in London. He took the degree of B.A. in 1701, and that of M.A. in 1704. In 1705 he was chaplain to the lord mayor, Sir Owen Buckingham, and apparently about this time was 'commonly known as Father Fox'. Bishop Burnet appointed him rector of Boscombe, Wiltshire, in 1708, and promoted him to the vicarage of Potterne in 1711. He was chaplain to Lord Cadogan, and, from 1713 till his death, prebendary of Salisbury. In 1726 the Lord Chancellor presented him to the vicarage of St Mary's, Reading. There he