Born 3 April 1811, he was fifth son of Sir James Jelf of
Gloucester, and brother of
Richard William Jelf. He was educated at
Eton College and matriculated at
Christ Church, Oxford, in July 1829. There he was elected a student in the same year, gained a first class in classics at the Easter examination and graduated B.A. in 1833, was M.A. in 1836, and B.D. in 1844. Jelf was ordained in 1834. From 1836 to 1849 he was tutor of Christ Church, and for a time was
senior censor. He was master of the schools, 1839; classical examiner, 1840, 1841, 1855, and 1856; proctor of the university, 1843; select preacher, 1855; and classical moderator, 1862, 1863. As proctor and senior censor he was unpopular, striking the wrong note with undergraduates. It was consecrated and endowed as a district church in 1875. A significant court case permitted the use of the English language and opened the way to liturgical anglicisation in predominantly Welsh-speaking areas. In 1857 he delivered the
Bampton lectures on
The Christian Faith comprehensive and definite. He devoted much of his time to controversy: attacks on ritualism, confession, and
mariolatry. The last few months of Jelf's life were passed at
Hastings, where he died on 18 October 1875. ==Works==