 The son of Holland Hoole, a Manchester shoemaker, he was born there; he entered Manchester grammar school 6 April 1809, leaving in 1813 to help in his father's business.After studying privately, he became a probationer for the Wesleyan ministry in 1818, and was chosen a missionary by the Wesleyan Methodist missionary committee in November 1819.Hoole arrived in Madras (now Chennai) in September 1820, having lost his library and outfit by shipwreck on the way.