Pen and Pencil Sketches

A retrospect of nearly eighty years, including about twelve in the artillery,

and fifty in the ministry of the Church of England

by NEMO

1889

( This autobiography was written by the Rev. Francis Busteed Ashley, Vicar of Wooburn from 1847 - 1885. The book has 320 pages, and is an interesting read. It describes his childhood in Bristol and in Ireland, and his college days at Addiscombe Military College, near Croydon. He was then despatched to India, and there is a fascinating section in the book describing his  early  adventures in India and the Far East where he served as an artillery man with the East India Company. The second half of the book describes his life as a clergyman The sections transcribed here only deal with his reminiscences as they relate to Wooburn, and I have edited these to remove the many long religious discussions on points of doctrine etc. which are probably of marginal interest today. I hope I have done justice to this energetic and talented man. The comments within square brackets, and the index at the end are mine, all the rest of what follows are Francis Ashley’s words., and the page numbers shown are the same as appeared in his book. )

PART III

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[ Ashley was a skilled artist  ]

I  used frequently to visit Chepstow, St Arvan's and Tintern Abbey for the purpose of sketching. … While stopping at St Arvan's, I went to Devauden, and made the acquaintance of James Davies. His life is a remarkable instance showing what the grace of God can effect. He had been in the very lowest possible condition of life, but on his conversion devoted himself to doing good. He collected children, opened a school, and taught in it himself; next he built a school-house at Devauden, a rather wild and neglected district, and I have seen him there amidst 180 children teaching them most successfully. When the children  went home he used to put a smock frock over his coat and take a wheel-barrow to collect manure for his garden. He tilled his bit of land often by moonlight , and was so prospered with that and by his pigs that he frequently gave £ 5 or £ 10 to Missionary and Bible Societies. I painted his portrait full size in oil on the spot, and it is now in the Working-Men's Club at Wooburn. He was the means of rescuing Devauden from darkness, and before he died he had built a church and parsonage there. Dissenters sometimes tried to induce him to join them, but he used to say—“ While I can work eighteen hours a day in the Church of England, I do not see any need to change.”…..

PART V

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[ Ashley describes  the journey he and his wife were undertaking across the Bay of Bengal in 1836 , and I have included this section because his eldest daughter is commemorated in a window at  St Pauls Church ]

The night passed, and in the morning my first child was born 16th February 1836 in the lat. 6^o 28' 24'' north, long. 96^o 22' 53'' east…… The dear child who was born on board The Wolf grew up a thoughtful, strong, healthy woman, with good common sense.,..

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and she was married to a missionary of the Church Missionary Society. I bitterly grieve to add that she died of cholera in Jaffa in Ceylon a year after. What we see not now we shall know hereafter. I believe the Lord's  “tender mercies and loving-kindnesses” are over all His works. Her husband erected a window representing the “Good Samaritan” to her memory, in the south wall of the chancel at Wooburn church.   

PART VIII

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[ Ashley describes his life as a clergyman in Plas-Tan-y-Bwlch in Wales - the year 1847. ]

On returning one morning from the Plas, when there was a heavy gale and and quite a tropical rain dear Willie, about three years old, met me, deluged with water, in the hall, and looking up said to my surprise, “ Pa, may I go out?” “ Yes,”  said I, “ if you will.” Out he went, without a hat, and putting his hands to his hips , walked calmly in the torrent of rain down the middle of the road. As it was winding, he was before long out of sight, and I was obliged to send after him. He was always an attractive boy, thoughtful, solid, and brave. Years afterwards, while at Wooburn, a gentleman in the vicinity , whom I had never met and he did not know, most kindly sent me a presentation to Christ's Hospital, Newgate Street, for one of my boys. Bad as the world is, there are many considerate people. Willie went to the school, and did well every way. Before he left I happened to look in one day, and found him a leader in getting up a petition to Dr Jacob remonstrating against some things. I told him he might get into a scrape, but he replied, “You always told us to do what is right and not fear, and every word of that is

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right.” I was silenced.  Several times when we have been alone he has said, “ Pa, I have made up some verses,” and the he would repeat them. I do not judge of the poetry, but the sentiment and doctrine were always good. He had a wish to be a missionary , and I was encouraged to hope he would go through Oxford. He went as a tutor at a school, preparing. I used to have nice letters from Spalding, where he was; but one Sunday morning, after I had just been preaching a sermon, comforting under trial, I had a telegram saying he was gone! Saturday evening he had hired a boat, and it was found in a dangerous part empty. On his bedroom table “Bogatsky's Golden Treasury ” was found lying open at the date. He was buried at Wooburn; it was indeed a very heavy blow, but our Father's will be done……

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At this time the Rev. Charles Bridges, author of  the “ Commentary on the 119th Psalm,” &c., came on a tour for The Church Missionary Society. We had never met, and I invited him to stop with us, and drove him to the Assembly-room, Festiniog, through a heavy storm and torrents of rain. No one came to the meeting and the gale increased; it was so violent I could not venture to drive him back in it, because the road was so precipitous, but we walked arm-in-arm to Caen-y-Coed, where I lived. On the way we had a good deal of conversation, and next day he offered me the parish of Wooburn, Bucks, which had just been placed in his gift.

On inquiry I was told that the fixtures in the Vicarage would be about £ 20, and that the charities were all well supported. Our family were expecting to lose the property , ----- Hall, parish of Vere, Jamaica, entirely; so that it was only on the assurances thus given that I could accept, as I did, the living. It proved, however, that dear Mr Bridges was misled as well as myself, no doubt unintentionally, for things turned out very differently.

The valuation of the fixtures was promised me from week to week for six weeks, when my time in Wales was up. It did not come until we were starting one morning at 5 a.m. Two chaises were at the door to take us to Bala to meet the coach, when the postman put into m            

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hands the appraiser's valuation; it was £ 160. All our heavy luggage - and it was a great deal - had already been sent to Wooburn, and the furniture had been sent from Bristol. Had it not been for this I doubt that I would have ever have gone.

As we passed through Festiniog the drivers went round by Martha Owen's hotel. I called out of the window we were not going there. However it was of no use. When they stopped, waiters came out with bottles of milk for the children and refreshments of every kind for the journey. I began to protest, but there was no time for speaking, as  the carriages proceeded rapidly at once. When I was about to pay for the carriages at Bala, the drivers said it would be as much as their situations were worth if they took a sou; this was kind Martha Owen's doing. I often thought she used to keep the hotel for the pleasure of showing kindness - she was very independent.

Some dear friends of mine , who lived at Wooburn House when we first went there, were making a tour in North Wales in 1854; they were wealthy, and accustomed to every attention on the road. As they drove up to the hotel at Festiniog, there was Martha Owen, with her arms akimbo, at the door, but she scarcely gave them a look. My friends thought it strange , and at last went up to the landlady and said “ Did you know Mr—[ Ashley remains anonymous throughout the book ]  when he was in this neighbourhood?” Down went the arms; she was delighted, and attended to them with a heartiness that they had never experienced before. She arranged trips for them to all the lions in the neighbourhood, rejoiced in making them happy, and tried to avoid being paid at all.

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It was a long journey to take with a large family to Wooburn, Bucks. I had sent forward everything necessary and engaged my predecessor's man-servant a week before to unpack, set out our bedsteads, and have the house ready for our arrival. We came from Taplow in two carriages, as the Wycombe branch railway was not made then. We arrived late in the evening, and found the house stripped, but nothing of ours even unpacked.; it was all in the coach-house. We borrowed some pint-mugs from the neighbouring public-house, and with some tea which we had brought with us, got something for the children., and all of us slept on the floors. I suppose the agent in charge of my predecessor's goods had entire possession whilst clearing out, and the man I had engaged could not come in.

I soon looked up the parish books, and found that my predecessor paid £ 73 per annum to make up the parish charities. The living was only £ 140, and the house and farm buildings were in an extreme state of delapidation. Well, these temporal matters I felt to be comparatively small, and tried to meet them as quietly as possible, but it was very trying to be plunged into all the responsibilities and active duties connected with a large parish at the same time that my mind was distracted and harassed by an unpleasant correspondence on secular matters.

However, the parishioners were very kind. After two or three Sundays, when the church had begun to fill, one of them a rough and plain-spoken tradesman, who was leader among some of the Dissenters, said to me, “Well, sir, some of our people are greatly disappointed; they

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thought that a High Churchman would come as Vicar, and that it would be a fine time for the chapels, they never thought that the patron would appoint an evangelical; but you never asked after our cause.” I took no notice; I had come there as a church minister, and not to sympathise with his “cause” and as it happened, the patron did not appoint me. I rather avoided intercourse with this man. After a few months he joined the church together with his family. He left after a few years, and was the clergyman's right hand in his next parish.

My former parish was in the diocese of Chester which was then regarded by some as “Low Church”, though in reality it was remarkable for having things done decently and in order. When, therefore, I entered the Oxford diocese ( Bishop Wilberforce had only lately been appointed ), it was natural that I should expect to find at least as good a style prevailing in these respects  as in the one I had left. My astonishment at the actual state of things was beyond expression. For the first Sunday or two after my arrival I rushed from the chancel-door to the Vestry, in order to avoid witnessing the riot in the church as I passed through. I felt that it was necessary to gain the confidence of the people before making the changes that I saw to be inevitable.

The unruly Sunday-school was held in the church, but regardless of the sacred character of the place, one and all bawled as loud as they could. The outrageous noise made it a matter of necessity to scatter the classes as far apart from each other as possible. Whilst some of the children were frying eatables at the stoves, other unruly ones would run away from their class chased by their teacher.

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The second week the superintendent said to me, “Next Sunday, sir, is the usual day for giving out rewards; we present small books to those who have attended during the month.” It so happened that I had, in the year 1842, helped in drawing a missionary map of the world for a very dear friend, the Rev. J. Montagu Randall, who was editor of the Children's Missionary Magazine. He printed it in the January number for the next year; it was afterwards sold for a penny, and 175,000 copies were disposed of. So far as I am aware , it was the first missionary map ever published. I ordered some of these for distribution in the school; not without considerable anxiety as to the result, for some of the teachers were self-important and, I was told, had domineered, over my predecessor in days gone by. He was a deeply spiritual and godly man, but in delicate health.

I felt that it was not desirable to have a conflict at the very commencement of my parochial management; still, there was a duty to be discharged, and at last I went to the church during school. On entering the chancel-door, on the south side, I saw the superintendent standing on the step at the railings near the Holy Table, and his hand lifted as high as possible holding the maps, the children on each side forming a pyramid, climbing on the rails and leaping to get the prizes. It put me to mind of a favourite picture by Landseer, of a man with an otter hanging from the top of an uplifted pole, and the dogs on every side leaping to reach it.

I said to the superintendent, “ Is that the way you give out rewards ? I want to speak a word with all the teachers, if we can have quiet.” Then, as simply as possible, I expressed my opinion

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that it would be far more suitable to hold the Sunday-school in a room where a small week-day school was carried on. This gave great displeasure, and every teacher in succession came to remonstrate with me during the week. It was painful, but I calmly gave reasons for the change and remained firm.

Their plan of instruction was for each teacher to open his Bible where he fancied and give the children an address. There was no questioning of the class, and I did not think that the children took in much of what was said. I expressed my doubts about the expediency of this method, and supplied suitable lesson-books, one of which was Rev. Dr Swete's “ Explanation of the Church Catechism, ” a valuable work published  then by the Bristol Tract Society, and since by Messrs Seeley, Essex Street, Strand. They were patient, and all gradually submitted.

It grieved me much to find that there were great differences among the higher-class people; no two families could be prevailed upon to meet, and feelings of variance were very bitter among some of them, and this was of long standing. This naturally occasioned a great difficulty in carrying out any work. One Sunday I preached on brotherly affection from Rom. xii, 10, and urged forgiveness of injuries. As I rose from my knees in the pulpit I saw, to my surprise, that several families had remained in their seats, and then, to my joy, they all came forward to the centre of the church, where the Font then stood, and shook hands.

Afterwards I preached on successive Sundays a course of sermons on the “Domestic Duties”.

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They were printed week by week and I think proved useful. …. They were afterwards published as a volume , under the title of  “The Domestic Circle”, and an edition of two thousand was soon sold. I had private letters from strangers in different parts of the country thanking me for printing the volume, as it had promoted harmony in their families.

In the spring of 1848, when the afternoon service was altered to the evening, I commenced a Parent's Meeting at 2 p.m. in the Vestry. The Word and prayer, especially in reference to families , filled up our time profitably and happily. It was dropped when we adopted three full services permanently; but subsequently we had, in different districts, as many as five Mothers Meetings, which were carried on by my wife and others: they consisted of prayer, Holy Scripture, and reading a useful book - during the latter the women worked…..[ Rev. Ashley then gives the text of  instructions and prayers which he compiled. The former was entitled “ A Word to Parents ” and is advice on bringing up children, and the two prayers were for “ A very young child,” and for “Youth”. ]…. 

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The Mormonites were very active long before I came, in the neighbourhood and in the parish, and at that time a priest used to preach on Sundays for three-quarters of an hour at the sign-post between the Vicarage and the church.  I cautioned all I could not to stop or take any notice, but it was a real nuisance when the Holy Communion was administered, for his voice was strong, and he supposed all had left church. On returning from service I never saw anyone listening to him. However, I heard one day that the Independent Minister, who I suppose, had been away preaching, on his return heard him, and went up to him; the result was a challenge to a public discussion on Wooburn Green the following Thursday. I was sorry, and called a meeting of teachers and communicants for that evening and put a sketch of the subject before them. Platforms were erected on the Green, four Mormon preachers were brought from London, and my fears were realised. The well-meaning challenger was a novice in the matter; the Mormons had a happy hit in reply to anything he said; he appeared to be beaten, and two houses for Mormon preaching were opened on the Green for week-days as well as Sundays.

My policy had been not to notice the subject, it was so unworthy, but the new revelation took readily; numbers joined, and the crowds that came could not be seated. As general attention had everywhere been drawn to the movement, it would not do to appear blind. The next Sunday morning I heard of a zealous and superior Dissenter having joined them. I went to church not having made up my mind what to do, but after the service I gave notice that I

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would give a lecture on Mormonism in the school-room the following Thursday. It caused  great excitement, and I received anonymous threatening letters daring me to do it, of which I took no notice. I sallied out on Thursday evening, and found the road and the room blocked with people. A mill-owner who was amongst them came to me and offered his Sol-room, which was perfectly empty, and would hold a great number standing. He said there were no benches or chairs, nor any means of lighting it. I replied “I'll see to that,” and told the clerk to get a few pounds of candles and a bag of large potatoes. When a child at Weymouth , illuminations were frequently called for suddenly, on account of Wellington's victories, and our resource to save our windows was potato-candlesticks. I had never thought of them since, but the recollection , happily, came to my mind at the moment, and I told the clerk to cut each potato in half, scoop a hole on the convex side, then stick in a candle, and the flat side would stand fast on almost any ledge.

I walked slowly on, and by the time I reached the Sol-room it was not only well lighted, but crammed to the door. With difficulty a small table and a cask to put on it were got inside. I then mounted, and kept them listening two hours. The quiet was intense, and I could hear nothing but now and then a gasp of sensation and the scratching of the Mormon reporters'

pens. On that occasion I gave a history of Mormonism, but at the conclusion they called for another lecture on its doctrines. To get off this I said “ Surely putting out a candle once is enough. ” However, during the week I found the desire so strong that I complied with it on the

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following Thursday. There was a great stir. The Danites - the Mormon physical force - were busy, and prophecies were circulated that I should die by a certain day: kind women were sending to know how I fared. On the night of the meeting a party of friendly young men came to the Vicarage to escort me, as they feared I should be attacked on the way. I thanked them, but said I had been out visiting the sick until twelve o' clock the night before and was not afraid.

We had a similar meeting to the former, and all passed off orderly. I was very reluctant to touch such a matter, but through great mercy the experiment was successful. The effect was that the whole thing collapsed. Still, the Mormons were most persevering; one of Joe Smith's wives came and preached; every week tracts were left at each cottage, and Mormon priests from London and from Reading continued to be zealous for above a year. My lectures were published, and two or three editions circulated. The Mormons said the answer was writing in London, but it has never come. The pamphlet was translated into Welsh and a large edition distributed in Wales.

The first wedding I took at Wooburn, on entering the chancel I saw the Holy Table drawn out, chairs put all round, and registers and inkstand on the table. I said to our dear old clerk “Why what does that mean?” He answered, “That's the way we always do it.” I told him to bring the registers and inkstand back to the Vestry, remove the chairs, and put back the Holy Table. He was a very good man, and had deep spiritual knowledge; but he was blind to these outward proprieties; for instance, he used to walk from end to end of the church with his hat on. He had

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a huge box containing his seat, a monstrosity, only second to that of the reading-desk. In this he used to lock himself with a bang, and only come out to start the hymn in the gallery with a few children and noisy men.

There may be much true religion and deep spirituality where there is little or no apparent sense or observance of external proprieties. Our present culture and refinement makes the latter appear to be of great importance, but they are not really necessary for true worship. Prayer and praise, when offered from the heart, will rise with acceptance to our Heavenly Father as well and as often from a hovel or a barn as from the most elaborate and ornate services conducted amid all the surroundings of beautiful architecture.

The singing was very bad; it could scarcely be worse. No chants were ever attempted; indeed it was thought something dreadful when I introduced them. I am not musical myself, and have no knowledge of it, which is a great deprivation, but think good congregational singing , of a Scriptural and devotional kind, most desirable for public worship. I gathered a few together and gave a lecture on the subject, from a spiritual point of view, with observations on what was inconsistent with reverence and harmony. We then had meetings for singing and practised hymns. I found a good man with some idea of music, and used to send him to attend St. George's Chapel, Windsor, to gather knowledge on the subject; that was the only church within many miles where chanting was then practised. Ere long we made the attempt ourselves with the “Jubilate” and “Te Deum”, and since that time have had  congregational and excellent

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singing. At first some singers were inclined to resist, and said they would not come unless they might have their own way. On those occasions I used to put a slip with the numbers of the hymns into the pews where there were good voices; then, seeing, I was determined to be independent of them, they did no think it wise to rebel.

We used  Bickersteth's hymns, published in 1832, and afterwards I introduced his son's “ Hymnal Companion to the Book of Common Prayer.” Those who can look back know that for many years hymns for public worship were opposed by what are called High Churchmen. We had much to bear in being called Dissenters and so forth for singing hymns in church , the Psalms at the end of the Prayer-book , it was said should only be used. However, after opposing for above a quarter of a century, they adopted them, but their selections are often with a Romish bias, and some on the Holy Communion are perilously near heresy. …….

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…….. In after years, when a beautiful and larger organ was about to be erected to the memory of a greatly valued parishioner, Dr Bridge, organist of Westminster Abbey, most kindly drew up the specifications for me. Messrs Hill & Son, of Hull, were the builders, and it has proved a very superior and remarkably sweet-toned  instrument……..

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 [ Rev Ashley proceeds to give the text of two instruction sheets which he issued relating to singing in Church. He advocated it but was conscious of the fact that there was a risk of it becoming an end in itself. He was very much an advocate of what he termed the via media. ]

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It was a long time before neighbouring churches ventured on chants. Things were at the lowest ebb, all round, except perhaps the preaching in a few churches in the valley, and these were extreme in doctrine. The clergyman in the next parish told me on my first visit, that I was a very bold man to come to Wooburn, and that, for his part, he would rather break stones in the road than preach the Gospel in such a place ; “for” said he, “ the parish was greatly blessed formerly, but all the elect are now taken out , and it will lie fallow for generations.” This was not very encouraging, but I replied, “ It is not the work of man. Duties are ours, events are with God. It is for us to labour and pray wherever we are sent; the result we must leave to Him. Still we should look up and expect a blessing on the work, through Jesus Christ, if we are faithful.” This abuse of the deep and precious truth, the sovereignty of God, was common, so that when I urged attendance on the means of grace, or for the children to come to the Sunday-school , I was often told “ it would be all the same whether they came or not, the elect would be saved either way.”……

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Most of the churches around were High, so-called, and certainly then very dry. In one large parish the Vicar used to give one full service and sometimes afternoon prayers. The laity, who were resolved to have things better, raised a stipend for a curate, and one was engaged; on his arriving, on a Monday morning, and calling at the Vicarage, expecting a welcome and to be told his work, the servant brought out a message, “The Vicar supposes he will find you in the Vestry next Sunday,” so he had nothing to do for the week.

I have alluded to our clerk before; of his real character I ought to speak very highly. His meekness, humility, and patience led him to bear with all my restorations or changes to propriety, even the removal of his high box. That did severely test him, but I think he forgave me. A handsome window, by Messrs Heaton, Butler and Bayne, was erected to his memory at the east of the south aisle.

The sexton was a man of different spirit. At the first funeral, after the service was over and I was leaving the churchyard, I heard a hollow, thumping sound; I went back to the grave, and

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found half-a-dozen boys with great glee jumping over the coffin upon the soil as he threw it in.

I ordered them out and forbade the practice in future. This poor man was always bitterly set against me, though I never knew why. I was told that he would open an east window in winter and cause an inconvenience to the congregation, saying, “It was Mr ---- 's doing; he liked ventilation.” I was blind to these things; but some thirteen years afterwards a churchwarden, who was revealing some things, said to me, “ Do you know why Mr,---- is so mischievous and always trying to injure you?” I answered, “ No; I am afraid that it is so, but I try not to see it.”

He then told me that when I first came I had prevented the boys jumping in the graves to help him, and he had never forgiven me. I had always tried to melt down his enmity, and at last he did relent, for he was a changed man, and during the last six months of his life he would take nothing but what came from the Vicarage.  

The churchyard was in a state that needed attention, and I wrote a paragraph in our Magazine on the subject, in which I observed that  “ it is pleasing to see respect for God's Acre, the place where the dead are buried, and it should be kept neat and in order. There is also room for improvement in several points as to funerals. The burial is generally put off too long: it is a great evil to keep the corpse in a small house with the living. The bier would be much more suitable for carrying a coffin than putting it on men's shoulders. And instead of feasting on the occasion, we may show our love to the dear departed ones by a reverent attendance at the funeral.”…….

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At the archdeacon's first visitation , May 31 1848, I was appointed to preach, being the latest incumbent in the diocese. My text was 2Chron. xxix, 11, and the sermon was printed by request. For some years this practice has been given up, for it was thought that the Charge made the service long enough. An aged Rector met me just after the sermon, and said, “ Mr --, I can quote the Fathers against your sermon.” Well, he could not quote the grandfathers, the Apostles, against me, so I was content. However much we differed, he sometimes had me to help in his parish. He was fond of pictures, and sometimes at the Vicarage used to stop opposite one painting especially, and once was heard saying to himself, “ Ah! They spoiled a good painter when they made a bad parson of Mr—.” I doubt the former part; many would agree as to the parson. When he died I was sent for to take the funeral.

At another time I preached two sermons in Wycombe pulpit for the Additional Curates Society, and they were published under the title of “The Growing and Devoted Christian.”

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PART IX

Wooburn parish is very extensive. As the name signified, it is a deep, winding valley with a stream, but it also reaches up the hills on both sides. Earl Harold held the Manor until the Norman invasion, when William the Conqueror succeeded to it. He divided the Manor and gave half to a cousin, Sir Walter Trevelyan Deyncourt, and the other portion to his relative, Bishop Remegius. It was in the diocese of Lincoln then, and continued to be so until of late years when it was transferred to Oxford. The Deyncourts lived in a mansion close to the church, and the interesting cottages and farm there still bear the name. The family at Bayons Manor claim to be descendants. Wooburn House continued to be the palace of the Bishops of Lincoln , D'Alderby, A.D. 1330; Smith, 1513; Atwater, 1520; Longland, 1547; and lastly, his successor, Bishop Holbeach, who alienated the Manor. It thus came into private hands, and on to the Goodwin family. Wooburn Deyncourt descended from them to Lord Lovel, Sir W. Compton, and Sir W. Spenser, whose daughter married Sir John Goodwin, and so the Manors

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became united again.

Under the above-named Roman Catholic Bishops the inhabitants suffered fearful persecutions. Thomas Chase was thrust into “ the dungeon of Little Ease ” ( until late alterations there was a room shown as the ancient dungeon in Wooburn House), and as he would not deny the faith he was strangled and  buried in North End Wood. Thomas Harding was found guilty of having the Holy Scriptures under the boards of his floor. He was condemned at Wooburn Palace to the flames, which sentence was carried out in the dell going to Botley. These are samples out of many who suffered at Wooburn in those sad days.

William, Lord Deyncourt, died in 1422. His sister Margaret married the Lord Protector Cromwell; his other sister, Alice, married Lord Lovel, whose grandson was attainted by Henry VII., who gave the Manor of Deyncourt to Sir W. Compton, Ranger of Windsor great park, but he resided at Wooburn; and as we have seen above, Bishop's Wooburn and Deyncourt Wooburn were united under the Goodwin family.

In 1637, Philip, Lord Wharton, married Jane, the heiress of the Goodwins, and resided at Wooburn House. He was a noble character, and lived to do good, distributing largely to those in need. The house and gardens were greatly extended and beautified by him, and he had one of the finest picture-galleries in England. He was engaged with Lord Russell in bringing over the Prince of Orange, who as King William III was afterwards entertained by him at Wooburn House.

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Lord Wharton had a handsome cruciform chapel attached to his house, and proved himself a faithful maintainer of the reformed religion. He was not narrow, for amongst others he used to have the eminent Nonconformists, Owen, Manton, Bates and Baxter to preach to the people. Owen's later writings were penned at Wooburn. On Lord Wharton's death he left a large sum to be distributed annually in Bibles and religious books.

There is a handsome monument to his memory in the chancel of the church, with a voluminous inscription in Latin. I give the English of one line :—

“Worth graced his titles, titles graced his worth.”

At the restoration of the interior of the church on removing the floor we came across his grave and coffin: there was much magnificence, the silk, crimson velvet, and gold lace as fresh as if only just placed there. Much to the chagrin of some, I had all covered up and the pavement sealed with cement without delay, for I do not think it right to remove such things out of curiosity.

There are several very ancient brasses in the church and one to an infant of the Duke of Wharton, 1642, with a curious inscription. I add a pen-and-ink sketch of it opposite, as a tribute to the memory of a man to whom I and many clergymen are greatly indebted for books for our people. When I came to the parish various brasses were missing, and some loose; the latter I had fixed— in new stones where necessary. Langley describes several painted windows and a “curious carved font” but these disappeared ages before my time. The side chapel was retained as a burial-place for the Earls of Lindsey by a clause in a deed when Wooburn House

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was sold, but through the kindness of Lady Charlotte Guest ( Shreiber now ) a member of that family, I had permission to use it as a Vestry and organ-chamber. It cost very much writing before this was effected. On my sending the correspondence to Bishop Wilberforce, showing that there was no claim to keep it as private property, his Lordship said “ True; but they have a purse and you have not.”

The excellent tenants at Wooburn House left on the death of Sir Giffin Wilson soon after I came. Next a very good family came, but their stay was short. Then we had a long and trying time of nine years—the occupants were a burden and grief to me and the parish. At last bailiffs were in, and soon we were freed. In addition to this , during these years the few other houses were unoccupied or badly tenanted and most of the mills standing still through bankruptcies. However, better times were in store for us. One day in town I was saying there was an excellent large family house to let, when a gentleman who overheard it came towards me and asked a few particulars. The next day his brother came down and took the house; he rejoiced in it during his too short life, as his family do now. We might have had a titled family, but we could have had none more useful to the parish. He was simple in his habits, and it was his delight to do good; he spared neither money nor labour in this. About the same time, 1863, some of the mills were taken by good firms, Glory Mill by Messrs. C., very generous Churchmen; and the gentleman who acted for them was a highly educated man, who promoted various good works. Abney House also had a good tenant, and I was no longer so overtaxed

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to support parochial institutions

But I am anticipating, and must return. During the long period of outward depression, when there was so much distress, poverty and affliction, spiritual things prospered very considerably.

[ Rev. Ashley gives the text of one of his pamphlets addressed to the the afflicted ]…..

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The Rev. T.G. Tyndale was a former Vicar, and his letters were a great comfort to me. He came to Wooburn in 1806, and was, I believe, the first resident clergyman for many years. He died in 1864 at Park Crescent, Oxford. A few words in reference to him will perhaps not be out of place. His preaching never changed; his first sermon declared, and on to the last he delivered, the same blessed truth, Jesus Christ the sinner's only hope—salvation through His blood and righteousness. Mr English, of Core's End Chapel, welcomed him; he was a Churchman at heart, and had been the only light in the parish for many years. Mr Tyndale was greatly valued for his active work. At that time a clerical meeting was held at the Vicarage, which included Scott the Commentator; Mr Haldane Stewart; Mr C. Bradley, Vicar of High Wycombe; Mr Welford, Curate of Bray; Dr Marsh; Mr Neale, Rector of Taplow; and Mr

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Ward of Iver. Mr Biscoe gave Mr Tyndale the living of Holton, and he left Wooburn, where he had been loved and honoured. He experienced great trials in his new parish. Some used to lock their pews and go to other churches, but then others came from a distance to his church., and at last his influence extended many miles. Bull-baiting was greatly supported in his neighbourhood, and Mr Tyndale worked with Mr Martin to bring in a Bill against cruelty to animals and at last succeeded

He retained the living of Wooburn, not for any pecuniary advantage, but to preserve a faithful ministry to above 2000 souls. The patron had said he he would have no more “ Methodist preaching” after he resigned. Mr Tyndale's curates, in sole charge were the Revs. Thomas Mortimer, Charles Bridges and Alexander Dallas, and he could not have had better. Their sermons were long; the people did not like to be cut short, for the sermons were to humble the sinner, exalt the Saviour, and promote holiness. The congregation were accustomed to plain truths, pointed questions, and faithful application. Mr Tyndale used to say the dear Wooburn flock were like spaniels— the more they were beaten the more they loved. It was long his anxious desire to resign Wooburn, and at last God opened the way.

The patron was a man of high tone and honourable, but prejudiced against evangelical views, and determined to appoint a different kind of clergyman. Still, God ordered circumstances so that the patron's own son was converted and appointed to the living. While the family were

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travelling abroad, the governess was brought to feel the power of religion by a sermon of Dr Malan's; she made efforts to enlighten the daughters, and after they returned she fell ill and died. On her deathbed she related the change that had taken place in her own mind, and solemnly exhorted all around to seek Christ. The prejudices of the daughters were broken down and they became very devoted Christian women. A brother, who was preparing for holy orders at Oxford, was so deeply impressed that he sought spiritual help and guidance, and the people of Wooburn had the responsibility of his faithful ministry for seventeen years after Mr Tyndale resigned.

Mr Tyndale's excellent counsel used to be to address the congregation in the second person, and avoid the third person, as also the first person plural. This plan places the minister standing between the living and the dead to declare the truth of God……

When I first came to Wooburn there was a great amount of sickness, fevers, smallpox, & c. I have known three in one cottage die of a black fever in a single week. The mortality from

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smallpox was also very great. The unusual amount of disease used to be attributed to the old rags which were brought for the paper-mills, but I doubted whether this was the true cause. In 1848 the cholera approached and was expected to visit England. I gave a lecture on health, cleanliness, ventilation &c., which perhaps did good. It was published by the S.P.C.K. The little book has long been out of print.

Air, water, and exercise were its three chief points. The first was to breathe air as pure as possible, by night as well as by day, and directions were given how to keep the air pure in and around the cottage. The importance of this point was illustrated, and it was shown how the air was poisoned by leaving foetid matter outside unremoved or not covered with a little dry earth or ashes, and corrupted in-doors by being breathed over and over again, and also made unfit for life and health by the continual noxious  exhalations from the millions of pores in the skin of every man, woman and child, all of which might easily be avoided. The second point was, that water should be used freely both outside and inside, every square inch of the skin cleansed daily, and perhaps a glass of it taken the first thing in the morning and used generally as a beverage. As to the third point, exercise, some of them had enough in their daily work, and for others gardening was urged, also cricket and football; and other suitable out-of-door games for girls, such as “la grace” and “bean bags,” an exercise which expands the chest well. Going through the “extensive motions” was also recommended; and for those who could not take

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exercise sufficiently, rubbing and shampooing, a practice which would disperse morbid deposits and promote health. The great object is to keep the skin in working order, for we live by it as much as by the stomach. There was no medical man at that time in the parish, and many used to come to me daily to be doctored.

The games took well, and ere long we had various cricket and football recreation clubs, for which I drew up rules, as there was but little of the kind printed in those days. Football has had a bad name of late, but the fault is not in the game: it is its being abused to the indulgence of brute force, anger, spite, ill-will, and cruelty. It is a good game for the culture of body and mind if played with self-control, generous  good-will, and the denial and restraint of violence, and tempers too natural to us. In every class there are gentlemanly fellows who can recover the game from its present disgrace. A working man who was present at the lecture said to me a few days after , “Well, I have taken to the water, sir, and feel myself now a new man.” Thrift and suitable dress were also alluded to; and at the same time the necessity was urged of cleansing daily the heart and the life, as well as cleaning and sweeping the house continually.

Many years after, a physician in Bath said to me, “ I suppose you took your cue from the anecdote about a doctor in Charles II's time.” I replied I had never heard it, and he told it to me. Its repetition may perhaps give emphasis to the above hints. The most eminent physician of those times lay dying, and around him were the five next at the head of the profession. After the custom of the day, they were saying with fulsome flattery, “What would the world do when

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he was gone? It would be sad without him to prescribe.” The sick man said “ Oh, I leave behind me three first-rate physicians; it will be very well if the world will attend to them. ” The doctors pricked up their ears. “Three first-rate. Which of us are the happy ones?”  They urged the dying man again, but he only repeated, “ Three first-rate; it will be well if the people attend to them.” They pressed him more, but in vain; it was no good; neither of their names was mentioned.   He continued , “ I leave behind me three first-rate physicians,” and with his last breath he gasped out “ Three first-rate— air, water, and exercise.”

The parish is extremely healthy now, and has been for many years. Afterwards, when the cholera did come to England, we had a week-day for humiliation and prayer, and at three services the church was crowded. The cholera carried off a great many in each of the surrounding parishes, but we were most mercifully spared. Only one case occurred, on the boundary of the parish. A leading article in The Times of that date described the kind of parish which would be decimated by the disease: it was like a picture of Wooburn. How little can man forsee in such cases! This terrible scourge is most capricious in its character. It was so when I was in Killarney in 1832, I have known it so in India, and I believe its general course is marked by inscrutable uncertainty. We do not know its cause. It is a pestilence which walketh in darkness. Our day of thanksgiving after the cholera disappeared was a picture of poor fallen

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man. The church was not crowded, and my subject “ Where are the nine? ” too truly represented the case…….

The cholera is not infectious; dreadful is the result where that idea takes hold of the mind—fear lays open the constitution to take readily any prevalent disease, and often prevents suitable aid from being given to the sick. Panic is a terrible evil; the mind is thrown off its balance, and leads to the maddest or most shameful course. I have known a baronet in Ireland, when seized with the cholera, deserted by all but his noble daughter, who nursed and buried him herself. I heard of a large meeting of medical men to consider the subject of cholera, and at the conclusion and an old gentleman stood up and said “ I came here a ten o' clock this morning thinking that I knew very little of the subject. I have remained until four, and have heard a great deal, but I am going away feeling I know less than when I came.”

Sanitary measures have always been an object of special attention with me. When at Holme, in 1843, in the north, I formed a committee with that object, which gave prizes for tidy cottages and garden produce, as also for the promotion of general improvement in the parish. That was long before Government took up the subject of health. We had the presumption to send letters

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to  landlords upon the state of their cottages, wall fences &c. Our interference was always taken most kindly. The movement led to windows  being made to open, fireplaces constructed, as well as back kitchens and offices and walls rebuilt. In a tract printed for Wooburn I gave some hints on the same subject. The result was a very great improvement at the time, but much remains to be done in some places. The first sick visit I paid in Wooburn was at midnight, and as I stepped into the lower room in the dark I was in a pool of water. I then had to climb a ladder to reach the sick-bed. That row of houses has happily quite disappeared now.

It is only a few years since that, on visiting a sick man, two persons held up the stairs for me to ascend in safety; so that we manifestly need yet further repairs and improvements. “ The Wooburn Improvement Association,” similar to our Holme society, has now been established above thirty years, and has done much good work in improving dwellings, employing winter evenings, promoting thrift, cleanliness, the cultivation of gardens, and a love of flowers.

As soon as I was settled in my charge, 1848, I proposed the erection of new schools. There was at that time only a small building, its walls six feet high, and an attendance of thirty children. The people were slow to take up the scheme; there was much apathy, not to speak of opposition. They used to say that they had done very well hitherto without them, that they were not necessary now, and that if they were built it would lead to still further expense. It was

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a great struggle. I pressed on, however, drew plans, which the Government architect approved of, and at last got sufficient funds for their erection, though only about £ 40 out of the parish.

Good Queen Adelaide gave £ 10: possibly this was owing to Lord Howe, her excellent Secretary, having been at school with my father at Dr Anderson's, Penn. Her portrait and that of George III. were hung on the walls of the chief room. Before leaving the parish I had raised £ 9000 for such works and restoring the church. With the additions to the schools since made, they will now hold about 350 children. They are very convenient rooms for lectures and concerts, and though architecture has vastly improved since those days, they are still considered most suitable and handsome. I had a letter from the Education Department, when returning my plans, in which I was cautioned to be sure and have two ventilators in the ceiling eight inches in diameter. I wrote back to say we had already provided for two, each three feet six inches across, besides ventilators in floors and walls. The schools were criticised for un-necessary expense, but the plainest possible building would be only 5 per cent less. Surely for that which is before the eye from day to day it is worth the amount, so that, instead of being repulsive and depressing, the building should be pleasing to the eye and elevating to the mind. Lord Beaconsfield used often to drive by on his way to Hughenden, and so admired the schools that at last he sent his architect, Mr Vernon, to take all the proportions.

The patron was not in favour of education, so there was little encouragement all through the

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work. However, it was completed, and we had a service on the opening, and Rev. C.J. Goodhart, then of Reading, preached an admirable sermon. Afterwards we had a special prayer in the new rooms for God's blessing on the teachers and children, and we have had great reason to thank Him for His goodness ever since. While opening the building a messenger came from Beaconsfield to me to say that certain parties would pay all expenses and subscribe to everything I got up, if would promise not to teach the Church Catechism or promote Church views. I said that I was a Church clergyman, and made short work of the message. These good persons never supported me or subscribed to anything in the parish. I have lately heard that they thought I was too High Church. I felt that , whilst they had a right to their colourless views, I was at least equally justified in holding fast my strongly entertained conviction of the Scriptural character of the Church's formularies—  Prayer-Book, Articles and Homilies, as fixed at the Reformation. Nothing is better than the system of the Church of England, if thoroughly and faithfully carried out.

Subsequently the infant school was rebuilt, and greatly enlarged, on the site of Mr Tyndale's building. The first plan I drew for it was of a Swiss character and thatched, with an outside verandah upstairs all round for the little ones, but the Government would not consent to it; therefore I planned the present building, which is rather cockneyfied, though thought handsome.

Our Cottage Lectures, four a week, in different parts of our wide parish, were very crowded;

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the  people were so packed that I generally stood outside with my head in at the door. It was neither orderly nor decent, and it struck me we might build a room. It was done. We wanted five or six, but could only expect one, so I planned that it should be movable. It was made of wood, and could be taken down, placed on two wagons, and set up in any part in a day. For thirty years it cost me nothing for removals or repairs— such was the kindness of the parishioners.

Mission halls were not much known in those days, and I had a little banter to meet, and few indeed expected that it would succeed. In the train one day a gentleman taxed me with its absurdity: it was only throwing money away, he said. I admitted there was some uncertainty , for it was a new experiment, but said it was worth trying. He then began to talk about horses; he had speculated and lost £ 170 the day before in races. I took up the subject, and said my Mission House was a speculation; it would cost £ 150, less than he lost, but it was in a good cause, even if it failed, and I did not think it would. He looked thoughtful, and then handed me a guinea towards it.

Through mercy it proved very successful and a great comfort from the day of opening, when we had three services, and the expenses were fully paid. We gave each district a turn of six or eight weeks, and they were always sorry to lose it, and have to meet in a cottage-room again. It held seventy-three chairs beside desk and Vestry, was a perfect little church, and greatly promoted reverent ideas. All the chairs were given by Mr Hawkins, who had been a chairmaker; he was a noble Christian. Besides the religious meetings, it was used for mother's

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meetings, as a library, and at first as a school for little ones who could not travel to the centre of the parish. After migrating for some thirty years it is now anchored, for there was a great storm at the last move, which shook it much, and it was desirable to fix it.

I always invited laymen to take an active part in the work of the parish. [ Rev. Ashley then gives details of instructional cards he had written and published for the earnest Christian ]

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While these pages are passing through the press I have heard of one dear fellow-worker and experienced Christian just called home—Mrs Jos. Taylor. She was a devoted, prayerful, and successful visitor for above thirty years, and will be a great loss.

Evening classes were not originally allowed by the Education Department in elementary schools, and no teacher could help in them, so we held our night-school at the Vicarage, and it was most successful and the greatest comfort to us for many years. No less than three gentlemen assisted and took classes after their office work, in addition to my wife and daughters. The hall and three rooms were well filled with forty-six lads of every grade down to ploughboys. Some of the latter, after they left the parish, have written expressing their gratitude for being able to write and improve their position. Being in a private house, it had  a very refining influence. I never saw scholars more delighted or teachers more gratified. Some boys frequently stopped after the class was over to see me, who had by that time returned from

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a cottage service, for spiritual counsel.

The following leaflet for lads and young men were also distributed. [ Rev. Ashley then provides the text of two leaflets, one entitled “A Word for Lads”, and the other “To Young Men” ]

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PART X

Some of our people were not very loyal subjects, for there were several returned convicts who had been transported for the riots when machinery was set up in the mills in the parish; formerly paper was hand-made. Besides there was Republicanism, as well as Scepticism, among the workers in some mills. This might be expected, but I was greatly surprised when a person of some position , just before the Chartists were expected to rise, said to me, “ I should like to get behind the wealth of all the aristocracy, and shoulder it into the streets for a scramble among the people.” I observed, “You would not like your own treated thus, and whence did you acquire it?” He acknowledged that most of it came from several wealthy families which I mentioned. I went home and selected patriotic hymns for Sunday. The day feared, I think 10th April 1848, happily passed off quietly, and our hymns were sung in church with especial fervour.

The first year the railway was finished I took the Sunday-school, except some fifty little

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ones, to London, and they did indeed greatly enjoy the journey, the Zoological Gardens, and the British Museum. It was a bold undertaking in those days, but, through mercy, without accident and successful. There were no holiday-vans then, and if there had been, the expense would have been too much for us. The scholars and teachers were drilled a little and cautioned to attend carefully to each order, and 150 of us marched to our station early with banners.

On arriving at Paddington we set off in a column, two and two, to the Zoo. Nothing could exceed the delight of both teachers and scholars ( I have heard some speak of it a quarter of a century afterwards); we were allowed to rest and dine in the stables of the cameleopard's, and from thence we marched to the British Museum.  I took them to the chief objects which they could understand, and gave a little explanatory address. Before we left the building  teacher after teacher, and even the superintendent, had come to me saying they had a cousin, father or brother &c., not very far off, and might they go and see them? I was too complaisant, for I found myself in the front of the Museum alone with 130 children. They were all very thirsty, but wonderfully good. There were no fountains then, but I managed to get some buckets of water and mugs. It was an anxious time indeed, but they kept pretty well together until the teachers returned. We started on the march two and two up Holborn, Oxford Street, Edgeware Road, and Praed Street, passed all crossings safely, and arrived at Paddington none missing.

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The journey by train home was enlivened with hymns, and such were the spirits of the dear young people that after leaving the station they went round the green singing before going home. Many of the parents had come to the station fearing for their children, and thinking some would be lost. The strain on my mind had been beyond expression, and my relief, thankfulness, and joy were equally so on finding all back safely. It was through the implicit obedience of each that there was no mishap. The expense fell chiefly on me, but I never regretted it. The Burnham Beeches had been our usual resort for the Sunday-school. The choir, Bible-class, and Girls Friendly Society have gone to South Kensington and Westminster Abbey, Sydenham, Windsor and Hampton Court for an outing: in a large brake-and-four to the latter places.

I found that very thoughtless and careless habits prevailed in the congregation when I first came, so I took as a text or motto for a sermon, “ That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the House of God” ( I Tim.iii.15 ), and it led to remarkable improvement. Coming late was no longer the habit, or talking or whispering, or looking behind or down the aisle, but as a rule there was attention to themselves, their Prayer and Hymn Books, instead of looking about at others, and the responses were repeated and kneeling was general. Subsequently I casually heard of a remark made by a Curate of a very High church in London. He was spending the Sunday with some parishioners, and he said on coming back from Church, “ Why, Mr—  is not a Low Churchman, as you told me. I never saw a congregation

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where reverence and kneeling and responding were so general.”

He was young and, I suppose, thought reverence was a mark of his party. In the first quarter of this century evangelicals introduced greater strictness in these particulars, so there is every reason why a slovenly service should not be a mark of what is called “Low Church.”

It is not unnecessary to add that clergymen should remember a reverent demeanour is expected from them in voice and every action. The minister is not in his study, but before the people and leading the congregation. He should not only be spiritual, but appear so. If looking round or a careless posture is wrong in the laity, it is a greater mischief if the clergyman does so. He should not lounge in the desk or be light in his style. I have, in town, seen a young man trip up the pulpit steps and down again so lightly, that, though his sermon was very able, I doubt if the large congregation were much impressed. On the contrary, I have heard even Mr Hensman's walk to the pulpi spoken of as a sermon in itself.

A person in good circumstances came from Oxford to live in my parish, and brought strong Sabbath-breaking propensities with him. He used to make up parties for the purpose, and did much mischief. On his death-bed he acknowledged to me that often, on passing the church on Sunday, going after pleasure, his conscience used to tell him loudly that those inside the church were greatly more happy than he was.  Of course they were. Working on the Lord's Day or

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toiling after pleasure does not bring health, peace or happiness. Judge Sir Matthew Hale tells us :-

“A Sunday well spent

Brings a week of content

And health for the toils of to-morrow

But a Sabbath profaned,

Whatsoe'er may be gained,

Is a certain forerunner of sorrow!”

The happiest people I meet during the week are those who have profited by using the Sunday in God's way, and especially so when, in self denial, they have given loving labour to train dear children in our Heavenly Father's paths of peace and pleasantness. It is a terrible mistake to think we can judge better than our Creator what is best; but it is an evil on the increase. The beautiful Thames and many of its lovely lawns are abused to worldly pleasure on the Sabbath. A gentleman in my parish told me it was very annoying, the noisy parties rowing close to his lawn on a Sunday. I suggested stakes at the margin with the placard, “ Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy.” Another friend has not been able to find a tenant for his house who will undertake that lawn-tennis shall not be played on the Lord's Day: he does not wish to countenance the Sabbath-breaking on the Thames which his garden adjoins.

Once, on attending a Ruri-decanal Meeting in the morning on a Saturday, I asked on arriving,

“ Are we going to the church for prayers? As if so I would not take off my topcoat, but go on to church.” I was answered, “ Oh no; we have early Matins; that is our rule.” My response was

“True, in church I have only a Wednesday evening full service, but I have a Cottage Lecture or

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a Mission House service each day besides, and this evening I have a Prayer Meeting in the Vestry.”

I never could see that we were bound to daily service in church; it is our duty if not prevented, but working people cannot well come, and if the mountain will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet must go to the mountain. Once, when in London for medical treatment for a few days, I attended every morning at 8.30 a large handsome church not a hundred miles from Piccadilly. There were about six people, and the service was run through well, but with wonderful rapidity—it was before the days of shortened services, and put me in mind of the Curate who applied and pressed again and again on me that he could do the Litany in so many minutes— I forget the number; but at last I said, “We try and pray it here.” By the way, our good friends who now flatter themselves that they are keeping to the rubrics and canons by daily Matins and Evensong should remember that they direct the whole service to be used, and I doubt if it is fulfilled by their using the shortened service of the late new Act of Parliament.

I always had the schools and other duties, which more than filled up my time fully, and, besides, for some years I had every week-day a short extempore meeting at the breakfast hour in the Rag-room at one of the mills. It was difficult to carry it on, but I was very sorry to give it up when the foreman used to make hindrances and disturb us. It was very dusty , but beautiful beyond expression to see the group on their knees. One day I had to attend a

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committee in Windsor, and just as I came down from the Rag-room the coach was passing for Slough—it was before the railway was opened, and I got on the box and arrived at Windsor too soon, so I went to the service at St. George's Chapel: the magnificence of the service and the splendour of the surroundings were a striking contrast to my dear little gathering amidst every outward discomfort.

I used to have a meeting for prayer in the drawing-room at 7.15 every Sunday morning. Above a dozen used to come. It was very nice, but tried me much before all the services: everything early did. I used to get more fit for work every hour as the day went on. Afterwards we had it on Saturday evenings and in the Vestry. To increase the number of regular services, if reverently and devotionally conducted, is a very great point, but a simple social Prayer Meeting, humbly led and joined in, deepens the work and leads to all being more spiritual.

It was often said that I pressed onwards without help and with no one to “ pat me on the back” or encourage me. I experienced, however, that looking heavenward assists and cheers. But, besides this, I was not altogether without friendly tokens. I found a family at Wooburn, the widow of a late Lord Mayor, who with her amiable daughters and excellent sons, and afterwards the son's wives also, were always ready and willing to support everything good; but the mother died, and the rest left the neighbourhood, alas! Far too soon, In addition I should state that the noblemen in the neighbourhood, though we had none in the parish, were always affable and ready to subscribe to whatever I proposed doing. Some ladies in the parish, among

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them the Misses Spicer, were ever faithful, sympathizing, prayerful fellow-workers, and though they were long ago taken home one by one, they left a fragrant memory behind them. Notwithstanding that some could not see the necessity of schools, or of repairing and rearranging the interior of the church to make it suitable for public worship, we had large congregations, and the rooms crammed at the weekly Cottage Lectures in different hamlets.

I had been a few years at Wooburn when an aged clergyman from London called and offered me a church which he said he would guarantee would be worth £ 700 per annum. I told him I thought I had been directed by our Heavenly Father to my present sphere, and I could not see it right to move so soon and merely for a larger income. He very urgently pressed me, but I still declined, and said, notwithstanding difficulties, our people were so attentive and willing, and things going forward so well, that I could not think of leaving the parish. He replied, as I thought with some feeling, “Ah! You think your congregation are greatly attached to you, and would not lose you for anything. I know how that is; only get your voice out of order, or through over-work fail in your energy, and they will treat you as boys do a cockchafer; they pin him to the end of a stick, and he spins and buzzes for a while to their heart's content; but as soon as hit ceases they will readily fling him away and stick on a fresh one.” He soon left.

I cannot say I have found it so. The parishioners were ever kind, patient, and forebearing; and notwithstanding shortcomings and my many infirmities, and all the home-truths and unsparing

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preaching and many other hindrances till I left, for nearly forty years, there was undeserved and unceasing grateful feeling and Christian kindness. Other posts have been proposed to me, but though most kind letters were written in my behalf by Rev. W. Carus Wilson, Bishop J.B. Sumner, Chancellor Raikes, Rev. C. Bridges, Bishop Anderson, Bishop Wilberforce, and others, I remained: perhaps because I was a square man in a square hole, and an easier position would not fit me.

As soon as the town schools were completed we made a vigorous attempt to repair the interior of the parish church and make it suitable. This was greatly needed for many reasons: the pavement was broken through, there were large holes in the floors through which arose a most offensive smell, for very many burials had taken place there formerly; the chancel was in such a state that for many years it was only used for the Holy Communion, two of the large pillars in the nave were split, the foundations were sinking, and the outer walls leant some eighteen inches out of the perpendicular. There was a lofty pulpit above the first pillar, with a flight of fourteen steps to reach it, and a huge reading-desk adjoining, and then the clerk's box; also a lath and plaster Vestry-room had been built in the church. The pews were so high that little more than the tops of the pillars could be seen above them, and some were kept locked by Dissenters. A small font was in the centre of the church. The tower arch was walled up, and the side chapel—a burial-place for the Earls of Lindsey— built up on one side, and shut out by great iron bars on the other. The church was heated with three immense stoves, on the top of

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which the children used to roast things when the Sunday-school was held there, and through the bars of which the sexton used to make a hideous noise, to the disturbing of the service, when he mended the fire.

The proposition caused the greatest commotion; no such thing as church restoration had taken place before in the neighbourhood. The Vestries were crowded with vehement opponents, chiefly Dissenters, but they frightened some Churchmen as to rates, and they joined them. I had really only two supporters at one time. At first the storm raised by the adverse  party waxed so violent that even these came and begged me to give up the attempt, since it could never be carried against such an opposition. I replied, “ When I put my foot forward I do not move it back; I shall persevere if I am quite alone.” These gentlemen did not desert me entirely; they and two or three others, with the churchwardens, formed the Restoration Committee.

I said at the Vestry that what was to be done would be by voluntary contributions, but this did very little to stay the torrent of opposition. We had a clever Vestry clerk and rate-collector, who worked for our opponents by the most unscrupulous means, such as inserting names as voters in the rate-book which had no business there, and trying to get Vestries together  without my knowledge. Some people were fascinated by him, for he screwed down the rates, and they made him a presentation. I told them that they did not know him. However, they did afterwards, for he absconded with all the parish money: I trust he was brought to repentance.

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My leading opponent was the most wealthy Dissenter, who was very bibulous. He gave drink free at all the public-houses in the parish to those who would promise to come to the next Vestry and oppose our projected church repairs. He had a long and very severe affliction before his end, which I have no doubt was greatly blessed to him. I have been baited by a large number, including publicans, at a Vestry from 7 till 11 p.m., and resisted all the resolutions against the necessary repairs and restoration, and the formation of a committee for that purpose. Notwithstanding that there were numerous opponents amongst Dissenters, a good many Nonconformists became Churchmen. I have frequently been visited by such at the Vicarage on Saturday, after they had joined in our services for some time, to ask if they might come to “ the ordinance”—Holy Communion—on the following day.

There was at that time a Baptist minister, and also a Congregational or Independent minister; the former left the parish, but as I was passing the latter one day on my way to Bourne End, a little conversation sprang up between us, most unexpectedly to me. He said “Kindly excuse me, but will you allow me to ask you some questions, as strange reports are abroad, and I only want to disprove untruths? In the first place, some of my people say that you had a living in Ireland, where you carried things out quite in a Romish style.” I replied, “ I have never been in Ireland since I have been in Holy Orders.” “ I thought so,” he said. Then he told me that they also declared that I had a room fitted up in my present Vicarage with a figure of the Virgin

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Mary and candles on each side, and that I worshipped her. I replied, “ Well, I have never seen this room, but let us turn round and go and search the house.” He answered, “ Oh, I never believed it one bit; but they will invent any untruths, I am sorry to say, to suit their purpose.” A long time afterwards, when I was visiting this gentleman on his death-bed, as his wife took me upstairs she said “ You have met me before, at Bristol, when I was Miss B.” Perhaps having heard this, it led him to address me. I am slow to recognise people, but it is curious how all the world touches.

My warden professed to support me as to the church restoration, but unknown to me he was really under the thumb of the leading Dissenter, who had advanced him money on his property. The consequence was that he met this person after Vestries at the adjoining public-house, where they planned to countermine our contemplated efforts. One day he brought me a proposition to the effect that they would all agree to the work if we allowed a certain architect, a friend of his, to survey the dilapidations. For the sake of peace we consented to this, but afterwards found that they had arranged to prevent the architect's visit from time to time. This caused a great delay. However, at last I found out the real state of things; the survey was made, and necessity for repairs was ascertained to be greater than we had represented. Still, they were as much opposed as ever: by our credulity and desire for harmony we had been delayed a year or two.

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The next move on our side was a memorial addressed to me and signed in all parts of the parish, requesting me to carry out the restoration of the church according to the faculty which had been granted by the diocesan court. At a Vestry held for another purpose the leader of the opposition introduced the subject, and said that the memorial was signed by people who did not know what was in it. I denied this, and said I could prove the contrary, and adding that the subject should not be introduced at the Vestry, but if he and his friends would come to the Vicarage I should be pleased to hear what they had to say.

He and another came. I showed them the different copies, and that they were all authenticated. He could not deny the fact. I was not told, but as two and two sometimes make four, I said,“Mr—, two persons from the Chequers Row came last night to withdraw their names. I at once drew my pen across the signatures, and told the servant to go and say, ‘Your names are struck out; but what is your reason for retracting?’ They answered, ‘We are told that £ 14 is charged every year for wine for the Sacrament, and that it is all drunk at the Vicarage.’ I sent the maid back to the door to say that I did not trouble myself about such a report; they knew well enough who had told them this falsehood. Now”, I continued, “ Mr— that came from you and you know as well as I do- for you were on the committee to examine the parish accounts-

that the Communion wine is very much less, and that it never enters the Vicarage at all.” He held down his head and left with his friend.

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Our efforts were now, I thought, about to be crowned with success, and I gave notice that next Sunday the church would be closed for the purpose of carrying out the plans for the restoration, and that the services would be conducted in the schoolroom until further notice.

The leading opponent was greatly enraged, and drew up a petition against it. The alarm was so great as to what might happen that the entire committee called separately and asked me quietly to strike out their names, so that I actually made and signed the contract with the builder and architect alone; it was my sole agreement with them.

I heard of this petition against the work late on Monday, and went to my warden about midnight; he acknowledged that he had been busy about it all day with Mr—, “but,” said he very seriously “ I have hitherto done only too much to please him. But do you go on with the work: there will be no more hindrance.” He then in the most solemn way declared, “ I shall never walk a step or put my hand to paper any more against it to please Mr—.” I said “ That is your solemn promise?”  “Yes” said he, “ and you may trust me this time.” I returned home much fagged and harassed by all this tedious and grievous difficulty which had been going on so long. The doctor said it had taken ten years out of my life, but now I hoped at length to have quiet, for my ordinary duties were heavy.

The next morning before nine o' clock there was a thundering rap at the door; the servant ran in and said there was a party of gentlemen who wanted to see me about the church. I told her to show them into the drawing-room, to observe who they were, and to come and tell me their

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names. The first name she mentioned was that of the person I had parted from but a few hours before. I sent her to bring him first. When he came I said  “This is very strange, after what you solemnly promised in your house a few short hours ago.” He replied “ I cannot help it : shall I send them away?” “ No,” I said, “ you have done wrong; I shall try and do right.” I went to the drawing-room and brought them all into the parlour; Mr—, with an armful of books, sat in the window, and my churchwarden on my left.

The day before I had sent a despatch to Oxford to the Chancellor mentioning the petition against closing the church for repairs and restoration, and had received a reply only a few minutes before these people came.  Mr— began the subject, and said “ Gentlemen the Vicar is going to spoil the church; he won't listen to reason; he is iron; they call him the  ‘man of iron’. There is no reason in it , but he is always so determined in everything that there is no changing him.”  I said “ Thank you Mr—; you will, as you say, find me firm. I don't take a project up without consideration, neither do I go back when there is no reason to do so: the reason is all on our side.” He then read from some of his books, and said, “ I will sacrifice £ 3000 before you touch a stick in that church, Mr—; you cannot do it without two wardens, and you have only got one.” Turning and looking hard at my left-hand neighbour, who hung down his head, I said “ I have two wardens Mr—.” “Oh!” says he, “ your warden only signed the petition in

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favour of the faculty for the restoration under protest.” “ There was no protest ” I replied, “ and this is a letter I have just received from the Chancellor of the diocese. I will read it. ‘ Put their petitions behind the fire and go on with the work; the court that granted you the faculty will support you through.’ ”. This was very different from the vacillating replies I had had before.

Our meeting broke up rather unceremoniously; the one endeavour seemed to be who should get out first, and some muttered, “ We have been bamboozled by Mr—.” We heard no more of the opposition; the school was fitted up suitably and with great taste, and answered admirably as a church. I add drawings opposite of the church before and after the restoration, both of the outside and the interior, and each from the same point of view.

There was a huge decoration, date 1800, filling up the entire space over the chancel arch; it was dilapidated, and it had been anxiously on my mind how it should be disposed of. With so much to meet as to our destroying the beauties of the church, I was rather glad this subject had not come up, for no doubt it was painted with a view to beautify. However, at our first meeting, after the repairs and restoration were really taken in hand, this difficulty had to be met by the Committee. No one could devise a plan, and to remove it without a substitute would have raised another storm. At last, with some hesitation as to the matter and more doubt as to my ability, I ventured to offer to paint something suitable, before the church was ready to be reopened— the idea was liked and accepted. A day or two afterwards a gentleman called and

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said he and his friend liked ball-practice and they thought, as the picture with cherubs and the ten commandments over the arch was to be removed, they would like to have some firing at it first; it could not hurt, for there were already fractures which looked somewhat like bullet-holes. I quietly declined permission, telling him such would be unsuitable in the place in which we were accustomed to meet our Heavenly Father in Christ for Common Prayer. He was not pleased.

In my cogitations for a subject as a substitute, I fixed on “ Jacob's Ladder,” and though the picture was some twelve feet high, it did not take me long. I seldom painted, not for several years sometimes; when I did it was generally in the morning before any one was moving. The steps of the ladder went up from the bottom till lost at the ceiling in overpowering light. On these were seven angels, the one at the foot very large and the rest gradually diminishing until lost to sight. It gave great satisfaction ; but some months after it was up the same gentleman came to the Vicarage and said he did not like it, for the subject had nothing to do with the church; and added that the large picture in the schools which I had painted was just suited —

“ Christ gathering the Lambs.” I told him if he searched any commentary on the Holy Scriptures, I doubted not he would see that the ladder was a type of Him who is “ The Way” up to heaven, having made peace by the blood of His cross : Christ is the true ladder whereby heaven and earth have been brought near, the Intercessor by whom our prayers are offered up acceptably, and the Mediator by whom grace comes down. At the second restoration ( the

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exterior chiefly ) the chancel arch was greatly enlarged, so of course the picture was removed.

The restoration was most successful in every way, and without any accident, through God's goodness. It was opened by the Bishop, who preached an excellent sermon in the course of which he pointed to “ Jacob's Ladder ” and showed its suitableness, though nothing had been mentioned to his Lordship about it. The interior restoration was extremely creditable to Mr Baughurst, the builder. It was forty years ago, and everything is sound; there is not even a tile loose. He was also employed for the town and infant schools, and the additional wings to each; the cemetery walls and bridge, the Mission House, and various other works in the parish, and all were well and conscientiously done by him. Since I left he died full of years, and was buried at Wooburn.

The following incident occurred during the interior restoration. My new churchwarden came one morning at seven o' clock and told me he had just stopped the workmen who were clearing out the mould to lower the floor of the church, as they were getting under the foundations , and he was afraid all might come down. I thanked him, and went to see. It was a mercy he had gone, for sufficient had been removed , and it looked very risky indeed. The fact is, we were so deficient in funds that our kind and excellent architect, Mr Butterfield, the well-known and esteemed church architect, said he would do without a “clerk of works,” and come down to see the work often for himself. That morning I visited a distant hamlet from house to house,

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and  on returning down Holtspur Hill I heard in the distance a great crash and then a rushing fall of stones. “ The church is down ” I thought, and drove on rapidly. The pony appeared to sympathize, and went at a great pace. I tried to calm and control my mind to meet what might be a heap of ruins. On rounding the corner by the graveyard, there was the dear old church erect and firm as a rock. My joy and thankfulness I could not express. The noise I heard was, I suppose, at the gravel quarry.

I should note that before the restoration began I observed in the plan lines round the Holy Table, which I found denoted steps. I went to the Archbishop at Lambeth, whom I had known before coming to Wooburn, and consulted with his Grace. He said there was no ground or justification for steps to the Communion Table in the Church of England. But with his usual kindness he added, “You had better give way, or you will have great trouble.” “ No,” said I ; “ our Church gives no ground or authority for such, and as I want our parish church to be true and honest Church of England, I shall be firm and consistent.” I returned and wrote a decided letter refusing to have steps. They were given up , and our faculty for the restoration did not include them. The object of such is to pave the way for the Church of England Holy Table to be turned into a Romish altar. An “ honest Table ” is not set up : this is the thin edge of the wedge to make the Holy Communion a sacrifice.  Evangelicals have firm ground for their doctrines and practice, and it is the greatest possible mistake for them to follow limpingly Ritualistic innovations.

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The parish was poor, but I preached the privilege of giving, and circulated the following handbill. As things went on, charities were fairly supported.

[ Rev. Ashley then gives the text of his handbill ]

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My much misled warden I frequently visited in his last sickness. Another clergyman who attended him was sent to express to me his deep sorrow for the course he had taken. I told him there was nothing against me to be mentioned. We would be as bad but for the restraining grace of God. I believe that God granted him repentance unto life. The other warden Mr Reeves, was greatly valued; he continued in office to his death, and was much loved as a true Christian man. My new warden, Mr Birch, was a good parish officer, upright, straight-forward and faithful.

I did not often leave my parish, but I went once as deputation for the C.M.S. to Henley. It was a lovely drive there by the river and I left at 4 a.m. next morning in glorious weather. I arrived before six, and found all were in bed. They had lost hours of delightful, pure, elastic air, charming as healthful. It appeared such a pity to waste these advantages, that I thought of

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getting up an Early Rising Society, but it was a failure. Domestic arrangements were against it. I live in hope that such difficulties will be overcome. It will be an individual and national blessing when they are. Very many people do not know what an early summer morning is. They have never tried it, and therefore do not care for it. For above fifty years we have always breakfasted at 8 a.m. and this saves an hour a day for the governess and the children, and for work generally. Once, when in town for a day or two, I was invited to breakfast at ten with a gentleman who resided there. On speaking of the beautiful sunrise I had seen, he was surprised beyond measure: he thought it impossible in London. I told him it was bright, fresh, and balmy before smoky fires were lit, and from the bridges especially lovely sunrises might be witnessed. I knew a gentleman who, obliged to live in London, used to send his children for an early walk on Waterloo Bridge— what a source of health and joy to them! Early rising is nature's dictate, and it is sure to be right. In a spiritual point of view it is of great importance, for it provides more time for quiet communion with God before joining the family.

I sometimes went to Wycombe also for the Church Missionary Society. God has greatly  blessed its labours, and we had sermons and meetings in its behalf every year at Wooburn. A missionary spirit brings a reflex blessing; no parishes prosper like those where missions to the Jews and to the heathen are actively supported.

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PART XI

The church was still a very poor building outside, and the leaning walls and debased windows were a wretched eyesore. But other work had to be done. The churchyard was far too full, so a suitable piece of ground was added; though it appears to lie low, it is very dry, which is more than can be said for the old churchyard. It was finished and opened by the Bishop in 1862. Next the new infant school was built at the Green in 1865.

The restoration of the church was commenced at last. It was a heavy work, and cost about £ 4000, but there was no opposition of any kind, there were no pews to be locked, church rates had been dropped, and Dissenters did not come to the Vestries to hinder the committee. Alfred Gilbey, Esq. was the chief contributor. The work included rebuilding some of the walls, erecting stone windows with rich tracery throughout the building, as near the original plan as

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could be discovered. I submitted the plans to Mr George Edmond Street, the diocesan architect, who approved of them. In addition, there was the labour of removing the dilapidated stucco from the tower and all the walls, building buttresses on every side and new battlements, and refacing the entire church with knapped flint.  All the roofs were renewed, the chancel arch was enlarged by the kindness of Mrs Llewellyn, a new clock and faces were given by Mrs Morley, a very handsome carved stone pulpit was a present from W. Wilds Esq., and several stained-glass windows were also gifts. One of the latter is in memory of a working man, “ the late William King, above fifty years parish clerk, beloved for his piety, faithfulness and zeal.” The large west tower window was a thank-offering: it represents the six acts of mercy, and is treated in a natural style which speaks to all. It was executed by Messrs Heaton, Butler and Bayne. Since the opening a beautiful memorial east window of the Ascension has been inserted. Mr Pope was our valued architect on this occasion. The work added greatly to his credit in the profession.

There were frequent accidents—the gates were smashed, at a level crossing on the railway. At last the Great Western Railway Company sent down an aged but much valued servant from Slough Station, where he had been from the first. He arrived one day, without his family or belongings, and at twelve o' clock that night I was sent for. He had been sitting drowsily before the fire when the noise of a train coming aroused him. He rushed out, and at the risk of his life

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tried to open the gate—it was too late, and he was fearfully shattered, but chest, head and stomach sound. Three doctors were there, and they said it was impossible for him to survive, I found him very calm, and thankful for my visit. I spent some time with him— his quite fortitude was surprising. Speaking of the means of grace, he lamented his deprivation of a Sabbath, and remarked , “This railway work is wicked work.” I left him and went to the doctors, who were in another room, and told them that such was his strength and firmness of mind that I was sure he could go through an operation. They thought it hopeless, and would not undertake it. He lived to their surprise, and after three days they operated— but it was a second shock to the system, and he died. The manager at Paddington sent to me to do everything possible for him. I asked for a trained nurse, who came at once. Several men had been ordered to attend on him, but they were ignorant and caused him much agony in moving him.

Amongst many others I had an excellent Sunday-school teacher whose case was rather peculiar. He arrived in the parish when Mormonism was rampant, and after having belonged to various sects, then joined the church and became a Sunday-school teacher. I delayed it, and still had great misgivings about him, for though he was intelligent, he was rather “set up” on account of his gifts of speaking and praying. Before long, just as I feared, he joined the Mormonites, and was a most devoted and energetic apostle among them.

Two years passed, and at last he came to my study deeply ashamed and chastened in spirit. He

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recanted his errors and ardently desired to rejoin the church; he thought he had been allowed to be so misled in order to cure him of his self-confidence and conceit. Amongst other things, he said he could inform me of the anvil on which the untruth was forged as to my having an oratory for the worship of the Virgin Mary: he added that many still believed it; but I declined to hear who the author was. On the part of some there was great opposition to our church and schools, but it did not injure us. It was a common observation that there was no railing against Dissenters from the parish pulpit, whereas at chapel they constantly heard preaching against the church. 

The person mentioned above, who had been a Mormonite, again became a Sunday-school teacher, and was most humble, devoted, and regular. He was now a great comfort to me, but some one opposed to the church tried to get him away from us. I found this had continued for a long time. However, one Sunday morning, on my return at 7 a.m. from seeing a sick person, I found a note which had just been left at the Vicarage awaiting me. It was from my dear teacher, and couched in the most respectful and humble terms. It stated that he had long been entreated to leave the church, but had held out against every suggestion of the kind; now, however, he was told that a person who was very ill had never been visited by me, though it was a very distressing case, and he would have no peace if he continued with us, and felt that he must now, on this ground, withdraw. I found that the patient was the poor person I had just

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been visiting before my three services. I had regularly visited the case, and the district visitor had been there the night before, Saturday, and remained till 11.30. I wrote a statement of the facts to the teacher, and gave a copy of my reply and the teacher's letter to my churchwarden, who retained it. He remained with us for a time, but before long went to America. I used to have an annual letter from him, by which he continued to be very active in Sunday-school work. With reference to those who showed some enmity, I never had any feeling against them; I could not against any parishioner; they are ever in our prayers, and we have religious communion, so that it is easy to excuse them as mistaken or sadly misled……..

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….. The Independent minister [ Rev. Samuel Weston ] during my first few years, was an honest and hard-working man and  “ an excellent preacher,” but he was greatly opposed for his faithfulness. “He was firm as to doctrine revealed, and not lax as to the holiness it requires, and also inflexible to ill, and obstinantly just.” The persecution against him was very bitter, and most of his people tried to starve him out by taking seats in the chapels of adjoining parishes. A few godly poor remained, and they ever revered his memory.

One day Dr. Rumsey, a gentleman greatly valued in the neighbourhood, was visiting me, and remarked that Mr— was ill and in great distress, and he thought he would die unless he could be sent away for a time. Quite privately I raised a small subscription , sent it through the doctor, and he went to the seaside for a few weeks. He returned a little better, but soon took to his bed and died. I visited him a little before, and he said “ I have had the worst blow today. Mr —, the eminent preacher, who was brought up in this house, has passed with Mr— three times, and never came in to see his sick brother.” He died two days after. His Memoir, which I have before me, was written by a gentleman very highly respected, Mr Hayden, of the Independent Chapel in Wycombe. He was a man of private property, and wrote plainly as to the persecution, and says : “ There was a time when Christ's ministers were crucified, thrown to lions, or burnt; in the present day a different method is adopted to get them out of the world.”

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The Wooburn, or rather “ Core's End Chapel, ” is partly endowed, and the income, I believe, is double that of the Vicarage. There is a good house, and they always have an able earnest minister. Several wealthy Dissenters, I have heard, take an interest in it, and support it very liberally, probably from its origin. At the end of the last century five graduates of Oxford were, to the shame of our Church, expelled for reading and praying with the poor in the villages around. It is not here or there, but in every place where man is found there is blindness and sin. Two of these gentlemen, named Groves, belonged to Wooburn, and had been sent there by their father, who was a gentleman farmer at Core's End, in order to prepare for the ministry of the Church of England. On returning to Wooburn they began reading and preaching in their father's barn. The numbers who came so increased that the barn was enlarged several times, and at last the present large chapel was built on its site.

A Mr English succeeded them; he was a truly catholic and devoted minister. He loved the articles and formularies of the Church, but not the practice in the Church as then exhibited. Two of his congregation, who rose from a humble position, built and endowed handsomely Loudwater Episcopal Chapel, on the other side of Wooburn, where there was a great dearth of the means of grace.

To return, I was always in the habit of over-exerting my voice, and the many hours public duty on a Sunday, together with lectures on several week-day evenings, tried it not a little. The services in the schoolroom, while the church was being restored, were more difficult than those p. 222

in church, and great energy was necessary to keep our people together, for there were many attempts to draw them aside through the restoration. No discretion  was allowed at that time to a clergyman: in the morning there was the full service, including Litany, ante-Communion service, and long sermon.; in the afternoon the regular evening service, with baptisms after the second lesson; in the evening, after less than an hour's interval, the full evening service again, with the same lessons and a third sermon. All this, together with the anxiety and work about the restoration, was a great strain upon me. So I wrote to the Bishop to see if his Lordship would permit the services to be limited or in some way divided. I had a kind reply: he wished he could, but he had no power. On his Lordship's next visit to Wooburn I was rather amused when he said, “ We shall not have the whole service, only the Litany pure and simple, leaving out the Thanksgiving and prayer for Parliament”— the new Act allowing of shortening the services, under certain circumstances, had just passed.

About this time I was obliged one Saturday, unexpectedly, to go to town on trustee business. My sermons were not finished, but I had drawn out three skeletons, and indeed finished all but for a hiatus in each. Coming out of the Bank of England, I saw opposite, in Finch's Lane, a large placard about Martin's three last Scripture pictures. They were my three subjects. I went in and saw them, and resisted great importunities to subscribe for prints of them. At night I filled in my sermons with some slight reference to Martin's pictures. On Monday a gentleman from

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London, who happened to be in the congregation the day before, called at the Vicarage and asked me to print them. However, I declined.

The personal pronoun is continually occurring— but, once for all, I would say, with another, “ Let my own Ego die and God alone be praised.” With me there is no room for ostentation. It is said, “ An iron pot is apt to think itself a silver vase,” but I have reason to be deeply humbled and abased for shortcoming in everything and my utter unworthiness. St Luke, and the other apostles, with beautiful modesty drop the events in which they were specially concerned. We would wish to follow this example, at however great a distance, but it cannot well be in relating the facts and circumstances of one's own life.

We had an admirable peal of eight bells in the tower, but these were at first a source of some anxiety to me, for the men rang when they liked and for what they pleased, and I had reason to fear that things were not altogether what could be wished in the ringing-loft, a part of the church. The first thing under the circumstances was to make suitable rules for the belfry, and the next to visit it during the practice whenever I was not engaged at lectures. The following is from a page in our magazine to church-bell ringers:-

“ The ringers should be good characters and a credit to the church. The belfry should be well ordered, and the ringers and their households among the best conducted in the parish. The bells

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should lead us to think of our end, and every time they toll make us remember that ere long one of them will have to knell

“ Our passing-bell ” 

None should remain standing in the tower or idling at the door or corners: it looks bad, and is a great evil. The law empowers the churchwardens to prevent standing about in the churchyard, and a little consideration of what is due to God's House and God's Day will hinder any one from doing so. For ringing a peal during the week a good set of practised ringers is necessary.”

Of course, we had rules for admission, but still they were not all God-fearing men. On the other hand, there was not sufficient reason apparent to weed out the two or three whom we did no wish to retain. We subsequently joined with the other parishes in a society for bell-ringing, and the increased oversight, with interchange of ringers and stringent rules, assisted considerably.

When the Wycombe Branch Railway was commenced we opened our new schools in the evenings as a reading-room for the navvies. After the completion of the railway we continued the reading-room and library, and secured a good lecturer every Thursday on some scientific and useful subject. The South Bucks Lecturers' Society was very useful in this matter, but now it has ceased to exist. We used to preface the lecture with a hymn and  short prayer. This led to a nice tone, and our lecturers generally said they would try and introduce the practice elsewhere.

It was not my idea, but at the first lecture, which I gave myself, on the mechanical powers, I

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saw that the people had brought their Hymn-books. I gladly took the hint, but was puzzled to find a hymn upon the agencies employed to facilitate the raising of weights or the overcoming of resistance. However, I selected one on the power, wisdom, and goodness of God.

On the death of the Duke of Wellington I gave a lecture on his life and character, dwelling on his sense of duty and love of truth, exactness, punctuality, and his direct, simple, straight-forward manner. I had a sketch on the black-board from County D'Orsay's statuette, and add a reduced copy on the opposite page, as I have given one, page 116,  of his great competitor on the battlefield 

About this time the first missionary meeting took place at Windsor; it was got up by my friend Mr Williams the librarian at Eton. Soldiers were present, and in the course of my address I gave the Duke's view as to missions. His chaplain was speaking against such as useless, when Wellington told him his marching orders were, “ Go, ye into all the world  ”& c. It had nothing to do with his opinion; he was not asked for that. The use of missions was to be left to Him who gave the orders; we had only to obey, and go into all the world with the Gospel message. However, we have abundant evidence that God does bless the effort to obey our marching orders. Archdeacon Farrar lately declared in a sermon, “ There is no work of God, which has received so absolute, so unprecedented, so disproportionate a blessing as the foreign missionary work of the Church.”

Our reading-room prospered; books newspapers, and periodicals were liberally supplied. I am not very favourable to newspaper reading. If a person knows the page which is likely to have

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the information  he needs, and is not tempted to wander elsewhere, there will not be much time lost over the paper. Leading articles are too apt to be taken as gospel, and prevent the exercise of our own judgement. What we want are facts. Let us learn them, and from them form a true opinion. We had also a few young men for instruction in drawing and higher subjects at one end of the large room. This reading-room was very useful, and was successful for a good many years, but one evening the then leading Dissenter visited the room and expressed himself highly pleased with what he witnessed. A few weeks after the chapel was opened for reading and a lecture. This, of course, did not help us, but worse still, a good Churchman opened his Sol-room at his mill for a similar purpose, only more exclusive. We nevertheless persevered for a long time, though it was a great expense to me, and it seemed rather absurd and extravagant to have two or more lecturers from town every week for one parish.

One day I met a gentleman of Core's End at the station, who said, “ Oh, there was a most interesting lecture on Nineveh at the chapel last night.” I replied, “ Why we have a gentleman coming to the Vicarage tomorrow to give a lecture on the same subject in our schools.” I felt that I could not justify the cost for such a small advantage as it now was, and was not sorry to have a plea for discontinuing it, so I closed the rooms. It was not very long before the chapel-room was also shut up, and the other soon followed suit. Since that date a gentleman came to

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the parish [ Alfred Gilbey ] who has liberally built a good working men's club-house, which is open every week-day as a reading-room.

Our Church of England schools have now been opened above thirty years, and a vast number of children have passed through them, receiving a sound education. The Government and diocesan reports are excellent, so that we have indeed much for which to be thankful. The grants are also high, and there is no lack of funds now. This was not always the case; for many years the education of the parish was a great burden to me, and I was often urged to close the schools. Though the instruction given was of the best, our parish did no come under the rules of the Government Education Department; their plan only helped parishes that could raise a certain fixed amount of voluntary subscriptions. This would have been just if all parishes were of equal size and wealth; that, however, is very far from being the case. In process of time a happy change came over the councils of the Education Department, by which every parish, however poor, had a fair hope of help. As it has been thought that I had something to do with this, I will just unfold the plain unvarnished tale, and let others judge.

A connection of mine came on a visit to the Vicarage. One day he passed several hours at the school examining all the classes. I met him as he was coming out of the porch; he was delighted, and said, “ What aid do you get from Government for these schools?” I replied “ We get nothing; we are not in a position to claim a grant.” “ Why , ” he said, “ this just the sort of parish they should help: the living is poor, there are no gentry, and you have six of your mills

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standing still in consequence of bankruptcies.” “ That is just the reason,” rejoined I, “ why we get no help; if we were rich we could have assistance, but I have never been able to obtain the amount of voluntary subscriptions required in order to merit our receiving a grant.” He seemed astonished, and told me his case was this: his living was over £ 1000 a year, and he had members of parliament and peers residing in his parish, he had never to walk a step to collect contributions, cheques and subscriptions were sent to him, and at the end of the year Government awarded over £ 100 to the schools. They scarcely knew what to do with such a sum, but the committee met and divided it in bonuses to the teachers

He left us, and soon after I met with an accident which completely laid me aside. It occurred on this wise; I was called one Sunday after the afternoon service to visit a poor woman who was dying. I went hurriedly off with a long springy step. When I was half-way some chief tendon broke in my foot. I was obliged to lean against a tree for a time, and then went on to the cottage. After my rest there I managed to get back pretty well, but as I came down from the pulpit after the third service my leg was caught up with great pain: nevertheless the next morning I was out before seven o' clock to see one or two sick persons, but reached home with difficulty, and only by leaning on a working man's arm. I still thought the mischief was nothing more than a twist, and tried continually to get about, hoping that by use it would get well.

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At the end of three weeks, however, my leg had swollen higher than my knee, and I was brought to a complete stand. I scarcely knew what to do, but at this juncture a gentleman was providentially found to take my duty, and I went to Southend. I suffered much, and for some time gained little or no power of locomotion. From this retreat I lithographed a letter to my parishioners and sent it to every dwelling. [ Rev. Ashley then gives the text of his missive dated 15th June 1857 ]….

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Things were looking rather dark at this time, as I had to pay for my supply at Wooburn, when unexpectedly I was offered duty at Leamington. I said I was quite unfitted for going about; had it been otherwise I should not be away from my own parish. I was told that no visiting was required; it was Trinity Church, with no district assigned, which Sir Tilson March had undertaken, but which he wished to leave for six or seven weeks. Accordingly I went, and had a seat made in the reading-desk and pulpit, and used to go in a wheel chair to and from the services.

Dr Hitchman was very kind in attending me, but though I am now able to get about pretty well, the tendon will never reunite, and I sometimes suffer considerably. It was, on the whole,

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a pleasant interlude, for we made many friends in the congregation, and had always a very crowded church. Still, as there was no parish work, I had for the first time some leisure, and it occurred to me I might perhaps stir up the Government Education Department with advantage. I accordingly wrote to the Secretary Sir J. Kay Shuttleworth, setting forth the hardships experienced by poor parishes and the unreasonableness of their rules, seeing that all parishes were not alike, either as to size or wealth. He was very confident that their rules were just and right, and the correspondence became lively and warm. At last he wrote to this effect, that their principle was to help those who helped themselves, and that if I was as active as others in collecting I should get help from Government, like them. Then I related to him the above anecdote, and added : “ My friend never walked a yard to obtain contributions, whereas I can prove that I have walked seventy miles to get a single promised subscription, and have not yet received it; nevertheless, you send his rich parish above £ 100, but grant nothing to poor Wooburn.” It was not many weeks before new regulations came out, of which capitation for every child attending was the principle, and this reached every parish fairly.

While we were at Leamington a day of humiliation was appointed on account of the Indian or rather Bengal Mutiny. On that occasion I quoted a passage from a sermon preached by a missionary many years before; he alluded to the godless system of education forced on India by Government in 1834, by which not a verse of God's Word was allowed to be introduced into

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the colleges, although any superstitious or infidel work was tolerated. The colleges did not for a time prosper, except where Christian schools had pioneered the way and broken down native prejudices; hence the restriction was unnecessary, as well as a shameful compromise of faith and principle; whilst we undermined the native religions , we supplied nothing in their stead. Ere very long we might meet an educated native in the Calcutta bazaar well up in the infidelity of Tom Paine, but ignorant of anything in support of the Christian religion.

Newspapers, too, were started in the vernacular languages, which served up for the native masses translations of articles from disloyal European journals, which added abuse of their own directed against their rulers; thus a disaffected state of feeling was produced against the Government. In short, we were living on the brink of a volcano; the cartridges said to be greased with bullock's fat were the match which brought about the sad and awful explosion. This was all prophesied as the necessary result of our policy in the extract which I gave, and my sermon was fully reported in one of the Leamington papers……

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……A few years after, I had got into a low state of health in consequence of being continually overtaxed, and was strongly recommended to go abroad for a long rest. I did not see my way to comply with this prescription, but went to Southend instead, and from thence took Sunday duty which offered. [ Rev Ashley was then persuaded to take an 8 month transfer to Pau, in France - the year 1863 . The English church he served there, which he refers to as Rue Serviez catered for British families which had member afflicted with consumption ( i.e. tuberculosis ). He found the work hard and distressing but it also gave him the opportunity to visit Lourdes,  Biaritz, and parts of the Basque country in Spain. ]      

……

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I was  now longing to get home, so I resigned the chaplaincy and had a joyful return to my parish. On my arrival I invited as many of the poor as the schools would hold to meet me at tea. However, I had an unexpected surprise, for on going to receive them I was told they were about to present me with a silver tea and coffee service. It came upon me unawares and suddenly. I do not like or look for such things, but it was too late to hinder it, and I went through the ordeal. It was trying, though I deeply felt their kindness, as well as my own unworthiness. Some years before I had stopped a similar effort on the part of dear Wooburn people.

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After our return, one summer afternoon the servant came to the study, saying a gentleman had come in a carriage, and she had shown him into the drawing-room., but he had not given his name. I went in and recognised the features, but could not remember where I had seen them. He apologised for calling, and said he was looking up old Buckinghamshire words and phrases for a book he was writing, and thought I might be able to assist him. I mentioned some expressions  I had heard used by aged parishioners, but my French was very bad, and his English little better, and we sometimes got into difficulty. At last I remembered I had a daughter within, a good French scholar, and I called her, much to my relief. I was still cogitating on his face when he rose to leave, thanking me, and saying he had not got a card, but he would write his name. I handed him a card, and he wrote on it, “ Prince Lucien Louis Bonaparte.” I at once said, “ I could not remember where it was that I had seen you, but it was at Oxford when you took your doctor's degree.”

We asked him to stop to tea, and had it with my family on the lawn. He was very affable and pleasant: on leaving he asked me to call and see him at his house in town. Some months after I had a long day's business there, but arrived at Paddington before my train, so I sought out his residence down Westbourne Grove. On arriving his Excellency took me round the rooms, which were all lined with books, even the doors, and then asked me to take some refreshment. Biscuits and wine were brought, and he asked, “ Can you guess who sent me this wine?” I did

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not , and he said, “ It came from the Duke of Wellington.” The approximation of the two names Bonaparte and Wellington was striking. He afterwards kindly sent me a photograph of the Prince Imperial.

The above-mentioned lawn was beautiful with shady trees planted by my predecessor, and a useful institution, especially for public teas; we often enjoyed such during our residence. When I first came people used to hold very much aloof from each other, and there was great separation between different classes. We had such gatherings to try and promote sympathy and a fellow-feeling among them; it was curious to see the effect, and how the highest and lowest more readily united, while those nearer in rank were slow to amalgamate.

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PART XII

Though we had thirty two public-houses, and scarcely any of them making profits, I quite failed in getting up a bookseller's shop. Many attempts were made, but unsuccessfully ; then we opened the schools at long intervals, on a Saturday, as a book-saloon. We had tables from end to end covered with attractive books and pictures; this plan answered very fairly, and led frequently to interesting results, for some came to see or to buy whom I had never found in their homes or at church. Bishop Wilberforce heard of my book-saloon, and was so pleased that his Lordship sent me £ 5 to cover losses. Of course, there were expenses by books unsold, but nothing of which to speak.

Another scheme I had to get useful books circulated was by Caxton boys. I selected four or five different lads, and sent them every Saturday to different districts of the parish. They each had a Caxton cap, a well-stocked basket, and an account book. In the evening they returned with the results of their work, which averaged four shillings each, and they were given twopence on every shilling. In this way we sold in the parish during the year above £ 50 worth of Bibles, Prayer-books and Christian Knowledge and Tract Societies' publications. Of course

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most people got their books from London or the neighbouring towns, but my object was to reach those who seldom or never left their home.

A singular event occurred not long before one of our Confirmations. Bishop Wilberforce almost always confirmed at our church, and candidates came from two or three adjoining parishes. At our first Confirmation in 1848 we had sixty-two candidates belonging to Wooburn, to each of whom was given a copy of “ Bickersteth on the Holy Communion,”

small edition, after the service. His Lordship's addresses were always very searching and impressive. It was a profitable time and I used to wish that there was no lapse between the visits.

There was considerable opposition sometimes on the part of the Dissenters: it was very trying, but they thought they were doing right in hindering. A fortnight before we were expecting the Bishop for one of these solemn occasions I received a letter enclosing a Catechism, and saying that the Bishop approved of it and wished it introduced quietly into parishes. [A facsimile of

the letter, dated February 1859,  is shown ]

I looked at the catechism, and marked several Romish answers to questions. By the first post I enclosed it to his Lordship, with a letter expressing my views strongly. Before I received an answer there was a leading  article in a local paper, giving extracts from the Catechism, and denouncing the Bishop not lightly— had it been grounded on fact it was not too severe. This paper was circulated to my confirmation candidates. However, the next day his Lordship's p.245

answer came, thanking me for my letter, enclosing the book, and saying he was utterly opposed to the vile Catechism; he feared it was circulated by some enemy, and concluded, “ Let us pray God yet against their wickedness.” He authorised me to make any use of the letter, and I at once wrote to the editor enclosing his Lordship's denial, and saying “ What I wrote I did as a duty to souls for which I am set to watch.” The editor had received the Catechism from a neighbouring parish. I have the Bishop's letter, and also that enclosing the book [ Rev. Ashley continues to labour the point for the nineteen  pages - clearly suggestions that the Bishop might be veering towards Catholicism were highly controversial. He also sets out his own position in relation to the interpretation of the Bible. As this material does not shed much insight on to activities in Wooburn it has been omitted ]

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PART XIII

At one time after a heavy day's work and much writing, accompanied with extreme anxiety, I had a stroke in the evening, and was completely disabled. Though it was kept very quiet, the Bishop in some way knew of it; and thinking I never could work a large parish again, his Lordship wrote a kind letter mentioning a very small sphere with a nice little church, to which he said, I could retire, and the population was a mere handful. However, I declined it. By the use of Pulvermacher's appliances I recovered. In seven or eight weeks I could write, though at times my hand is fitful and crampy still.

At another time I had a serious attack in the head. After a long day's visiting , and perhaps neglecting meals, I had a meeting at the Vicarage—a class of thirty-three communicants, or rather of persons who I thought ought to come to the Holy Table but did not. I had just shaken hands with the last at the door, when I fell over and lost consciousness for a short time. Possibly the room had become close, for our mill people were much afraid of draughts. These little attacks continued to recur about once a week for years—indeed I have never quite lost them.

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Each parish has its own peculiar character, and requires treatment adapted to its surroundings. As to preaching, in one sense the same is needed everywhere. I deeply feel my shortcoming in the matter of sermons in many ways, but the pulpit was always a very solemn place to me. I weighed deeply every word I intended to deliver, went with much trembling, and came down much abased. In the morning I was generally didactic, warmer in the afternoon, and in the evening gave more vent to feelings and was more emotional. My habit was to exert myself too energetically, but I used not to feel much overtaxed. After a lapse of years my nervous system was much affected, and I could not sleep. My third sermon excited my brain and broke my rest. The following plan  I then adopted with great advantage: after the evening service I took a stretch up the hill at the back of the Vicarage, and used to return refreshed. This physical exertion, after the long strain on the mind—from 9 a.m. to nearly 9 p.m. —brought things to a balance, and I rested fairly.

For many years I had three full services, besides the Sunday-school. When I had a fellow-labourer we alternated the sermons and the readings, so that he was never confined to the afternoon sermon, and preached as often morning and evening as myself: I always took my share at each of the three services.

I was very subject to a sharp attack, especially on Sunday mornings, brought on probably by over-anxiety, but I used to work on and no one knew any difference. One Saturday I was quite prostrated with something like cholera. Fortunately a clergyman was staying at the Vicarage, a

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Pastoral Aid Society's Secretary, and he took the services. This is a most valuable Society, and it is the oldest for home mission work.. The manufacturing districts were in a sad state when it was formed, and the very large increase of clergymen sent there, and the many new churches built at that juncture, were no doubt the saving of our country.[ Rev. Ashley proceeds to discuss  preaching techniques for several pages ]

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One morning, in my own parish, a leading Baptist, passing to his chapel, dropped into church and was put in a seat under the pulpit. I baptized nine children that morning and preached on the subject: the sermon was printed. Our Baptist friend was never absent from the Sunday morning service afterwards. Not long after this his eldest son had both arms and shoulder-blades torn off at Prince's Mill, where they worked and lived: it was at midnight, and he sent for me to baptize him. He recovered, and we raised a subscription and set him up in business. To encourage him in learning to write, I showed him a beautiful picture painted by a Mrs Wright in 1830, who was born without arms; the brush was fastened to her shoulder. However, he preferred holding the pen with his teeth to write. He did well in business and since died at Bath.

An aged Baptist had the land adjoining our garden and lawn, and many is the time I had long and interesting conversations with him over the low fence: we have been through nearly every point,

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and agreed almost in all. On leaving I used to think how sad it was that, notwithstanding all this agreement, we could not kneel down together.

Many Nonconformists do join the Church, and many more would but for what used to be called Tractariansim and Puseyism …. All that was necessary was that we should hold fast to our standards, and not ape Romanism.

It is a cause of thankfulness that at the late Lambeth Conference the subject of union was brought forward: may God speed it! The meetings of the “ Home Reunion Society” manifestly show that the move at the great Conference is bearing fruit; but great bodies move slowly, and certainly our Church is never in a hurry. Many years ago, at a clerical meeting, I suggested a plan for utilising pious artisans in the Church instead of their going off to spend their zeal in some Dissenting body. A scheme was drawn up, approved, and sent to the headquarters, but nothing more was heard of it; perhaps it was not practical. Nearly forty years later, at a Ruridecanal meeting in the same Rectory, a similar subject was proposed, but from another quarter, not formerly very favourable to mine, but I doubt if anything has resulted from it.

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We have read of a dignitary of the Church who had a dear friend, a Dissenting  minister, that had a great affection for him. After the birth of the minister's first child he said the clergyman should baptize the babe if he would do it without book—for he disliked the Baptismal Service. But his clerical friend knew the whole service by heart, and baptized the child in accordance with it. The Nonconformist expressed his delight with the excellence, trusting faith, and heartiness of the whole ceremony, and was astonished to find that it was all in accordance with the Prayer-book. There is no doubt that the objections of many Dissenters vanish when the reading in public worship is reverent and devotional and the sermons Scriptural, in plain and pointed language, and well prepared in head and heart—whether written or otherwise— and preached instead of being read to the book-board. [ Rev. Ashley then proceeds to discuss various aspects of  the church service, and the points of difference between various Christian sects ]

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PART XIV

Our parochial anniversary gatherings were always very pleasant and profitable. Several Bishops—including the late Dr Mackarness, a man of lofty feeling and a high sense of duty— have kindly favoured us by preaching and giving prizes, and full reports extending  to three or four closely printed columns have always appeared in the Wycombe Free Press, which was a very well-conducted paper. I have only one at  hand, and give a brief cutting from it :-

The day of ‘ the annual exhibition of the Improvement Association’ is a great holiday in the parish. Though this year it was not attended by any grandees, it was most successful. It takes a much wider range than the usual harvest thanksgivings  and horticultural shows; for it is‘ to promote the improvement of the homes and gardens of the working-classes, and draw the attention of the authorities to nuisances, & c. ’ Prizes are offered for the best-ordered cottage, produce of all kinds, the best models made during  winter evenings ( last year there were two small steam-engines ), for garments, knitting, and the best-darned stockings, and endless useful objects.

“Wooburn is a populous district, its residents chiefly of the manufacturing class, who have , and are not slow to act upon, intelligent opinions of their own, so their joining says much for the inherent strength and value of the Society. The exhibition is extensive, and always remarkably good, and it occupies a prominent place in the roll of Buckinghamshire exhibitions.

“The show was opened at one o' clock, but there were not many visitors until after the thanksgiving service, which commenced at two. The sacred building was very crowded, the

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Mission House chairs, in addition to those belonging to the church, being used; the decorations displayed great taste, without being overdone; they were sufficient to accord well with the pleasing style of ornamentation adopted in the church.

“We had no Bishop or dean or archdeacon, as is generally the case, to preach, but a missionary from Ceylon, Rev. S. Coles, who had formerly been the Vicar's esteemed and highly valued Curate. The services commenced with ‘Come, ye thankful people come;’ the service was reverent, and the choir rendered their part admirably. The text was Ps cii.2:“ Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” The preacher ably and affectionately enforced gratitude for our mercies, and it may be observed that the Vicar always endeavours that it should not only be for the harvest, but a general parish thanksgiving.

“From the church the majority of worshippers proceeded to the show-tent, where there was a great treat on view for them. At 4.30 there was a monster tea in the marquee; 1300 sat down to it, and there was another relay of smaller dimensions afterwards.

“After tea the prizes were distributed , and the usual speeches were pleasantly varied by a concert of amateur performers. The Vicar first stated that he had received letters from the Duke of Westminster, Lord Boston, and Mr Disraeli, patrons of the Association, regretting their inability to be present. So Mr H. Gilbey was called on to distribute them, which he did in a very happy genial style. He said he had attended many exhibitions, but never seen any carried out with so much success. In conclusion he advised all who heard him to cultivate the plant of contentment.

”The various speeches were very practical, all present being urged by God's grace to live better and nobler lives than some had lived before them. It was beautiful to see the goodwill and kindly feeling which prevailed throughout all classes. The National Anthem closed the proceedings.”

The next year Dr Suter, the Bishop of Nelson, New Zealand, preached, delivering the prizes, and addressing the evening meeting in the large tent. His Lordship was greatly pleased with the whole proceedings, and his ready and brotherly manner delighted every one.

The following handbill was circulated from the first on these occasions :-

The Cottage — Attention is necessary in your homes both for health and appearance. It is

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a great evil if slops and refuse are thrown out from a door, or heaps of dirt allowed to accumulate near a cottage. Such induce dangerous diseases and promote dirty habits. The manure-heap should be at the back of the garden, and the sewers and drains kept in order. If all filth was at once covered with a little dry earth, it would prevent smell, and be useful in the garden. Every window should be made to open, and the rooms well ventilated. In some houses too many sleep in one room; surely common decency forbids this, if the many other evils arising from it did not call for the practice to be abandoned. Frequent limewashing is useful. Attention should also be given to the kinds of ornament used; gross or foolish pictures have been too common, but instead of these, most now adopt Scripture prints and other innocent and useful subjects to put on the walls. It is of great consequence that the young be led to form early habits of order, neatness, and cleanliness; it has a valuable bearing on the life. A love of finery is very bad, but tidiness and cleanliness, whether in the person, the dress, or the dwelling, bespeak self-respect and lay claim to the respect of others. A good character lies at the foundation of comfort. It is in vain to look for comfort in the cottage where there is either a drinking, tyrannical husband or a slatternly, gossiping wife. But a good character, an honest upright, thoughtful, truthful, pure and peaceable person is a blessing not only in a house, but to the neighbourhood. Forethought and good management are most valuable qualities, and will enable a person to do twice the work, with half the bustle and labour of another without them.  Good temper is a bright colour in the web of life, and bears patiently and cheerfully the trials and crosses of the day. Industry is essential to happiness. Steady persevering work is sure to prosper. An industrious person has no inclination to spend a moment idly or unprofitably. Sobriety is absolutely necessary; or the odd pence go day by day; and the shilling, which might go to the savings bank, for a provision for a rainy day, goes the same road on the Saturday. Frugality is very essential. We should neither practise nor encourage waste, but be careful of property and turn everything to account. Carefulness and orderly habits are very needful. A decent man naturally expects and desires to find his cottage and children in an orderly and inviting trim. This has much to do with a happy home. A contented disposition  also goes a great way.  It is well to look at the bright side of things, and to make the best of them. Another thing which much tends to comfort is a well-chosen cottage. A dark dirty alley is generally unhealthy, and consequently extravagant through that, and in other ways, however low the rent. A convenient cottage will have a good fireplace in the lower room, a back house for washing, with a copper oven and sink; a well—or still better a pump—and at least two rooms upstairs, one with a fireplace, and all light and airy, and no bad smells near.

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The Garden is not only a healthful recreation to those who have been toiling all day, but a real help where the wages are small and the family perhaps is large. The true secret of a very profitable garden is, that it has an industrious master. Nothing does well without industry. The Bible says “ In all labour there is profit,” and to prosper, thoughtful care, and good management is necessary. Some have had more opportunities of understanding gardening than others, but those who have had few advantages may gain much by observation. And those who are most clever at it should always be ready kindly to assist a neighbour by giving him a friendly hint. Planting rose-trees, honeysuckle, jasmine, or climbing hop, and training them over a porch at a door or round the window is desirable; it adds greatly to the interest and beauty of the cottage. It would require but little labour, and be a recreation after the day's work. Flowers have a peaceful and soothing influence, and their cultivation is an enjoyable recreation. The humblest cottage room receives a charm and freshness from the green leaves and brilliant blossoms in the window; and when the labouring man returns from his toil, perhaps at times harassed in mind, there is something soothing and cheering when his eye rests upon the handiwork of the Creator: the commonest blossom tells us of the wisdom, goodness, and presence of God. Contentment, peace, and a happy home are generally found behind a well-kept garden, and the window and door neatly decorated with flowers.

Occasionally there was great jealousy shown in reference to our voluntary schools; at one time it culminated in several meetings with the object of introducing Board schools. At the first the Vicar was called upon to give an account of the education in the parish and the country generally.

The following is a cutting from the local paper in which the meetings were fully reported :-

“The Vicar said : Some years ago the only schools for the poor were those instituted by the clergyman or some charitable person in the parish. In this parish there was a small school instituted in 1806 by the late Rev. Thos. George Tyndale; and before that there was a school kept by an excellent lady of the name of Biddle at Dell House. These schools for the poor were pretty numerous throughout the country, but they by no means met the requirements, especially in the manufacturing districts. About 1842 a Bill was introduced by the late Earl of Derby, then Lord Stanley, for the extension of education throughout the length and breadth of

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the land. It was not passed, but the subject did not go to sleep. In a few years the Privy Council of Education was established, and aid was given for buildings and teachers in proportion to the sum voluntarily raised in the locality, and pupil teachers were paid by the Government.

”This was a great step in advance, but it did not much aid the poorest districts and those most needing. The capitation minute followed, which helped to some extent every parish, however poor, where there was an efficient school. Under the system pupil teachers and training schools bore very heavily on Government funds. Then, a new Education minute was introduced a few years ago, with a scheme for lessening grants and throwing the burden of pupil teachers entirely on the local school managers.

“Up to this year, 1870, this was the position of matters. No doubt the previous system did not reach as far as could be wished, and it might with advantage have been supplemented so as to extend education to all. However, instead of this, an altogether new Education Bill was introduced last session, placing the daily education of the poor on the rates, and without religious instruction. This was happily modified before it passed. The Bible is to be allowed, if the Local Board approve; and existing voluntary schools are recognized; that is, they are still to have Government aid, if they satisfy H.M.'s School Inspectors, and if there is sufficient school accommodation for the number of children who ought to be under instruction in the parish. In this case the parish will not be under an Education rate, but then voluntary subscribers must come forward in sufficient force. The Wooburn public elementary schools are by the trust deeds connected with the Church of England on this voluntary system, and from the first they have been carried on on liberal principles, and there has never been any objections from the parents.

“They have been supported by voluntary subscriptions, but the funds have generally been insufficient; there has been a deficiency of about £ 25 per annum. Therefore, if they are to be carried on additional subscriptions are necessary. The new Act says ‘Education must be paid for by rates,’ if the voluntary schools are not sufficiently supported. If the present system is carried on with increased teaching power, and additional room of about 800 square feet will be necessary to meet the requirements of the new Act.

“The voluntary or present system cannot be said to have failed in results— as to funds it may. In this parish it has raised the number educated from a very small school of thirty-five till there are schools now to hold about 320 scholars. The town schools and teacher's residence, completed in the year 1852, have been built under the system; also the infant school at Wooburn Green, and a piece of ground has been made over for another school residence on the opposite side of the road. The system has not, as yet, reached as far as could be wished.

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the opposite side of the road. The system has not, as yet, reached as far as could be wished. Some children idle about, and, under the new Act, we ought to have room for about a hundred more children. The public faith is pledged towards the existing schools, and money has voluntarily been contributed towards raising them in reliance upon the Government pledge. In the hope that the same system would be carried on, plans have been drawn for an additional room adjoining the town schools.

“ Throughout the country the system cannot be said to have failed. It must have brought under daily education about two million children …. It is most important that every child should receive a good secular, moral and religious training. Secular education will be secured by a rate-paid school; not so moral and religious teaching. The Education Act, as regards rate education, does not secure, though under certain circumstances it may tolerate, religious instruction to those willing to receive it. Secular education teaches a man for this world, but leaves him ignorant as to the next. It is not worthy the name of education, for man is composed of body and soul, and true education instructs for both worlds. Knowledge is power, for good or evil. True religion sanctifies it, and guides it to be used for the glory of God and the good of men. It may be said that little of religion can be taught in a daily school. This is not so. Much time cannot be given to it, but a little is of the greatest possible consequence. The youthful mind is impressible, and the memory quick to retain texts of holy Scripture; and besides, where much is not learnt, the Scripture lesson, the hymn, and prayer give a tone to the whole school.

“Secular education, divorced from religion, is harsh and hardening; but leavened, with the Word of God, it becomes gentle and softening, loving and brotherly. Whether we will or no, the teacher is influenced by it, and the scholar feels its power more or less: then it is carried home by the children, and thus permeates the parish to a considerable and very valuable extent.  By the Christian religion accompanying secular instruction there is great gain. We cannot calculate its extent; we are so accustomed to its silent and indirect influence that we do not trace it to its source; but if ever the day should come—which God forbid—that our elementary schools should be conducted without religion, we shall tremble for the consequences, and learn to appreciate, but too late, our national and infinite loss. I have endeavoured to put the case plainly before you: it is hurried, and I know imperfect. At any rate, our position is this — a law has been passed on education; it is our duty to obey and put ourselves under it. The only question is, whether you will carry it out under the present voluntary system or have an  education rate. This question I am content to leave with you, and abide by your decision.”

p. 290

Great efforts were made by some in favour of a Board to bring up voters, but to my joy it was carried against them. I cannot be thankful enough. As stated above a site has been given for another school residence opposite the Infant School—the legal expanses were £ 14. The teacher's house opposite the Town schools, was formed out of two Vicarage cottages legally made over by me to the parish for ever for that purpose in 1850.

Perhaps the income of the living should be mentioned. It was £ 140 per annum when I came in, and increased to £ 160. A portion of it was only obtained with difficulty and after great delay, and more than once half the year's income was lost. I had no liking for fees, and never received anything more than the legal sum appointed—except on the occasion of one or two weddings. A friend observed to me that I was very deficient in commercial instincts, or I would have taken fees for special ground for graves and the erection of memorial windows, & c. It has been said that we deserved, if we had not achieved, a suitable income, but our Bishop had but few livings in his gift..

For many years a good proportion of the income of the living was absorbed by the schools and other charities. I frequently applied to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to increase the living, but in vain. Two or three years before I resigned, our neighbour the Duke of Westminster, most kindly exerted himself with the Commissioners, and succeeded in getting a grant from them of £ 20 per annum towards the stipend of a Curate: this was a great relief to me, for that

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amount, almost always after I had a fellow-labourer, came out of my pocket in addition to the above-mentioned calls. Nevertheless it was a very happy sphere and rich in work: more than sufficient for myself and all my family every day in the year, and we rejoiced in the privilege of working for a good Master and among a kind people. Many of my brethren are in a worse case. I have known a Dissenting farm labourer, with thirteen shillings a week, give one shilling every Sunday to his chapel regularly. Some Churchmen might, if they would, learn a lesson from the poor Wesleyan.

A few years after coming to the parish—these jottings do not follow in chronological order— I found that various names of places had been corrupted: for instance, every one spoke of Bone End and Beggar's Hill—indeed they are thus in the ordnance map and in parish documents. By a little research I found one ought to be Bourne End, and the other Berghers Hill; and I lithographed a map of the parish, giving every road, path and cottage, and inserting the correct names. The map was fixed in the parish magazine for 1858, and has been very useful in various ways; now everyone adopts the right names. A view of the valley faces this page.

Parish gifts are of great value, but an evil if they lead people to be looking for them instead of depending on their own honest exertions. The scrub-common money was a trouble when I first came to Wooburn. It consisted of about £ 20 which used to be given in single shillings, to everyone who came on St. Matthews Day to the Vestry. The money was in lieu of the use of the common which had been closed, and it was supposed that every one had a claim. It was a

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painful sight on the day of distribution , for the people noisily crowded into the church, climbing over the pews eager to get their dole. Little of the money reached their homes, for it was a great day for the public-houses and a general holiday. I looked into the matter, and found that by the Deed it should be given in fuel, and only to selected poor families, and discovered also that I was ex-officio a trustee. We made a change. It required a little courage and firmness, for some in authority liked the old way, and many thought themselves grievously wronged. To do what is popular is easy, but I was determined to do what was right. We had poor families selected and given a substantial quantity of coals annually. The opposition cooled down in a few years, for the plan was reasonable and just, as well as legal.

When I had been in the parish some thirty years I found my throat was worn out. From the time I entered the ministry I had used finely powdered camphor; by putting a pinch at the back of the tongue it greatly helps the voice. After exerting it for five or six hours it will enable one to start fresh and better apparently than at the beginning of the day. It was also useful in preventing cold or sore throat when coming out greatly heated from cottage lectures on winter nights. However, at last this failed; I persevered, but suffered indescribably. It was impossible for me to rest my voice in the parish, so I went away several times for twenty-four

or forty-eight hours. I went where I would need to speak to no one, and told the landlady to bring me a cup of tea or a chop at such and such hours, but I was not to speak another word.

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Rest soon relieved me, and I went joyfully to the station to return home. On asking too gently, for a ticket, and having to repeat it, the pain came on, and I returned crushed and disappointed..

The Rev. E.B. Squire, Vicar of Swansea, wrote to me that he had been to Dr Morell Mackenzie, and was quite cured. I went to him, and the good man examined me with the laryngoscope. He threw up his arms and said, “ Why, I never saw such a throat; it is no good coming now; you should have come six years ago.” It was inflamed two inches down into the windpipe, and he asked how I had been able to go on. I told him of the camphor, which had enabled me to continue when I ought not. At my request he said he would try, if I would come every day for a month, but he did no expect it would be of any avail. Every morning at ten he galvanised the part, but it was of no use. I then went to a hydropathic establishment, and had my throat douched for some weeks, but it was of little avail. The rest, of course, was beneficial, and I returned and took my share of the three services one Sunday. It was as bad as ever afterwards, and I felt disheartened. The next morning, while thinking I was at the far end and no way open, I received a letter from a friend at St Leonards , enclosing a cutting from from the Record  newspaper. It was from a clergyman, saying his voice was restored by following the rules given him by Mr Matthew Stowe, of Sneyd Park, Clifton, Bristol, and that the gentleman only wanted to do good, and would be glad to attend any clergyman who was troubled as to his voice.

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I went to Bristol by the next train, though every one around me said it was no good, I had tried everything.  Well, I had not tried that. Mr S. kept me speaking high for two hours, and my throat, by his system would not hurt. He first made me read, and then said, “Why, you use your throat.” I said I always did in speaking. He replied I never should ; the voice should not come from the throat, but be formed by the action of the end of the tongue, lips, and teeth. He put me through the vowels, keeping me up to a high treble, then the letters d,t,l, which require the tongue to be kept up to the roof of the mouth. He said this should be practised continually. His great point was having an active tongue and keeping it always up to the palate. I had been in the habit of letting it lie passive, and could bring out any tone from the throat alone.. It is not easy after doing wrong for so long to begin to do it right. However, I tried. Before leaving Clifton I wrote to Mr Stowe, saying if I could send him a fee for 100 guineas it would not pay him for what he had done for me. On my return it was almost a miracle to our people. I could take any amount of public duty on a high key. It was simply not using the throat, which was damaged, but forming the sound by the end of the tongue and front of the mouth. The throat will do wonders; still, it is vulnerable, so speaking with it is unwise.

It gave me a new lease, and I heartily thank God, for I continued ten or twelve years, never sparing my voice, and when I resigned it was not on account of my throat in any way. For

p  295

years I could not swallow anything warm, it was so painfully inflamed, but now the cause has long been removed and I have no difficulty. At first I kept on a high key continuously, but by degrees I was able to modify and vary the tones. One difficulty remained, for in speaking sympathizingly to the sick or in administering Holy Communion one cannot well be high; the voice comes down, and the throat is more or less affected.

Mr Stowe's services have been very valuable to many clergymen. He wished to found an Institution where any minister or schoolmaster might learn how to use and preserve his voice, for he considered we all need to be taught. I fear every one thinks he knows how to speak; as well, I suppose, as every one thinks he knows how to walk, but any drill-sergeant would condemn forty-nine out of fifty, who have not had lessons on the matter, as faulty and awkward in their movement, and also for spending more labour in the process than is necessary.

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PART XV     

In the year 1858 Bishop Wilberforce appointed a Commission to inquire into the practice of auricular confession in an adjoining parish. The matter had made a great stir, and gave Dissenters strong ground for opposing our Church. In my parish they saddled us with this and other strange teaching, so I felt bound to justify our Church before the people and denounce the erroneous doctrine. [ Rev. Ashley proceeds to give his views on various aspects of Church procedure and apparel which seem to have aroused controversy at the time but seem relatively trivial today ] ……

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To turn to a different subject, I have heard a story of an extremely short man going to call at a house; he could not reach the rapper, but he saw a very tall man coming by, and he asked him to rap for him. He did so, and then said, “ I wonder what little men are made for.” “ Why,” answered the small one, “ it is just that big men like you may wait upon us.” It seems ungracious, but it is about the fact: it brings out the brotherhood of mankind and shows our

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dependence on one another. The small bodies give the opportunity and pleasure to the great of helping. . The infirm draw forth the love and kindness of the strong. This was exemplified in the following occurrence. I was labouring hard in my large and poor parish, with a numerous family, and one morning I was told a gentleman wanted to see me. I went into the room ; it was the Curate of Bray; he had been faithful in that position for forty years. We have all heard of a Vicar of Bray who altered his views to keep his place for forty years, but that was near Dublin. This was my neighbour, and I wondered what he came about. He was not long in telling me. He said, “ Some of the neighbouring gentry have heard of  and seen your work, and have had the pleasure of combining to serve you; they have sent me with these papers, by which you will receive from the bank of England £ 85 per annum for five years, and there are fifty sovereigns”— laying a bag on the table. Nothing more would he say. I tried to express my thanks , and he left. To this day I never heard a word more about it, but it was very opportune, I felt grateful, and sent him a portfolio of choice water-colour drawings to give to my unknown friends.

God is good; He knows our difficulties and provides. This relieved me for a good while of much distraction, and no doubt I was better able to serve my people. Subsequently I was considerably pinched for means, but then a younger brother's heart was opened; his pecuniary affairs had prospered, and he for many years has helped nobly. May others who work hard with an insufficient income find a brother raised up to assist. My parishioners never knew the

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straits in which I was— such a subject never arose.

Not long before I resigned I was taken greatly by surprise at receiving an invitation to meet the parishioners at the school room in the evening. It was my birthday, and there I was presented with a beautifully illuminated address handsomely framed., a purse of 250 guineas, and a book with the signatures of subscribers. This too great kindness was overwhelming: Wooburn people are very grateful for my poor and imperfect service, and show great forbearance as to my shortcomings. May God's gracious blessing ever rest on the parish!…….

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PART XVI

Long before special parochial missions were thought of I had a week's services, and the Rev. A. Dallas, C. Bridges, and several others who were formerly at Wooburn preached each week-day in rotation. It was considered a useful plan, and the sermons were briefly reported in the local paper. Since that the Rev. Hugh McNeile started a kind of parochial mission, which was very successful. Five or six parishes, sometimes rather far separated, combined to receive a preacher, and he went to them in succession. After I had a Curate I frequently took one of these tours, and always found them  greatly refreshing to myself.

.

Now there is a “ Church of England Parochial Mission Society,” and it is doing a great and much-needed work. Such is the deadness with some under the ordinary means, even in places most favoured, that it justifies an unusual or extraordinary effort, and humbly conducted with a quiet dependence on God, they cannot but be useful. We had one for ten days, during which the Rev. Dr Wrenford was our excellent missioner. Results cannot be gauged; it is an unseen work which cannot be measured by us, but there was much prayer and the church was always

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filled. Spiritual counsel followed, heavenly influences were abroad., and personal religion was greatly extended and deepened. I think the mission stirred up some who were in a dry and barren state , and set them forward in a spiritual, joyful and active religious course.

Not very long before I resigned the parish the last additional room to the schools was opened, and also the new fountain: the water is supplied by our generous friends of Soho Mill ( see the picture ), and the following is a cutting from the local paper in reference to the occasion :-

“ On October 20th there was an interesting gathering at Wooburn. About 350 children and some friends assembled at the school-yard for the opening of the fountain. It is a neat edifice, designed by Mr A. Vernon, and stands in front of the porch, harmonising well with the surrounding buildings. Water both for drinking, and washing before needlework, drawing, and after games is most necessary, and now the fountain in front supplies it. Travellers in the public road can also avail themselves of a glass of the refreshing beverage.

“ The ceremony of opening was as follows :- The Vicar gave out the 275th Hymn in the ‘Hymnal Companion’, and it was sung beautifully and heartily by those assembled. He then read Rev. xxii 17 and St John iv.14 and the 444th Hymn was sung beginning ‘ Shall we gather at the river?’ Next a special prayer was offered, and Hymn 346 followed; it is by Bishop Onderdonk, and the verse—

‘Yes, whosoever will,

O let them freely come,

And freely drink the stream of life;

'Tis Jesus bids him come,’

well impresses the inscription over the fountain.

“Mr Greenwood ( the excellent and experienced schoolmaster ) then spoke, and addressed the children in hearty, earnest, loving words of encouragement. He said this was one of the prettiest sights he had seen in Wooburn— between 300 and 400 children, with their happy faces, arranged round the new fountain, which they were formally opening. To the parishioners in general it would be a great boon, but it would be more than doubly so to the children. It was also another most valuable and useful adjunct to the already noble pile of

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school buildings before them. Only a few weeks ago they met in the new class-room to open and set it apart for the grand purpose of true education—not the popular education, falsely so called: that was, mere instruction without the true foundation , but sound education of mind and body—education based upon God's own precious Word. It was the one great object of the school  not only to fit and prepare the boys and girls to fulfil certain duties in this life creditably, but to fit and prepare, by sowing the seeds, for the better life to come, to train the mortal immortal, for  earth, for heaven. To the children this addition was one which gave great pleasure indeed, but to their esteemed Vicar, who had planted the schools and seen them grow wing by wing—growth entirely due to his unwearied diligence and perseverance for the true education spoken of—this day must be one of more than ordinary pleasure. The children would use the fountain first for drinking purposes, and then for keeping themselves clean. To it they would come and come again. Thirst would be quenched, but the thirst would return. To them it would be a constant reminder of that Fountain which was always flowing, and of which they could drink ‘never to thirst again’— the Fountain of Life, of which they had just been singing., and of which the Vicar had just read. While keeping themselves by it clean in person, let it remind them of keeping themselves pure in heart. He asked them to take special care of it, as it was beautifully carved, and could be easily injured by throwing stones or cutting.

“Mr John Cox, a nephew of the Vicar's, just from India, gave a very interesting address on the value of water in a thirsty land. He enlarged on its  preciousness in the desert, and to the famine-stricken, and then applied it spiritually , showing how our parched and perishable souls were given pardon, peace, and new and everlasting life by coming to Christ and drinking of the Living Water.

“The new room, which is only just completed, has been in use two or three weeks, and there was a meeting there before commencing work in it. A special prayer was offered and a few hymns were sung. Afterwards an address was given explaining the ornamental stone shield designed by the Vicar, which has been at the end of the original building for the last thirty-five years. The design gives ample field for contemplation, for the shield rests upon the Holy Bible, and on it is depicted the Cross, the lamb, the Anchor, the pastoral Staff; above all is a Dove descending, and on a ribbon below is the passage from Ephesians ii. 18- “Through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”…[ Rev. Ashley then discourses on Buddhism and Christianity ]…..

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I had a most valued Curate for nearly five years; every hour was a comfort while he was in the parish, and God's work prospered. It was an evil day when he was induced, greatly against his own will, to leave. However, may our Heavenly Father prosper him wherever he labours. About this time I had an injury—hernia—which, with incessant work I neglected. At last it was aggravated by being too active, and it became very serious. I was obliged to be recumbent again and again, and having failed in every effort to supply my Curate's position suitably , I felt it my duty to give up my charge. It was an unspeakably crushing blow, and with great difficulty, I tore myself away from my parish. The work there was difficult and heavy, but it was a simple luxury to endeavour to perform it. …..

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The foregoing reminiscences have been written under difficulty—generally while recumbent. They might be greatly lengthened, almost every page, and a key given: but this is enough. If they should prove of interest or profit, instructive or helpful in any degree, to my fellow-creatures—whether to follow or avoid—let them thank God.

INDEX TO ASHLEY’S EDITED AUTOBIOGRAPHY

TOPIC	PAGE NUMBER
Abney House - tenant of	174
Ashley Francis - artistic talents	58,170,208,209,307
Ashley Francis -offer of being minister to Wooburn	148
Ashley Francis - friends from Wooburn House visit N. Wales	149
Ashley Francis - arrival at Wooburn 1847	150
Ashley Francis - views on air, water and exercise	179,180,182
Ashley Francis - views on early rising	213,214
Ashley Francis - views on newspapers	226
Ashley Francis - instructions on domestic duties	153,154
Ashley Francis - convalescence in France	233-239
Ashley Francis - visit from Prince Louis Bonaparte	240
Ashley Francis – gift from parishioners	239,308
Ashley Francis - offer of a more lucrative parish	200
Ashley Francis - conversations with a Baptist neighbour	274
Ashley Francis - suffers from stroke	266
Ashley Francis - scheme  for coping with parish work	267
Ashley Francis - pamphlet advising on health	285,286
Ashley Francis - income for the minister	148,149,150,290,291,307
Ashley Francis - throat problems	292-295
Ashley Mary - daughter,  birth Bay of Bengal	90
Ashley Mary - daughter, death Ceylon	90
Ashley William - son, as a child in Wales	145
Ashley William - son, death at Spalding	146
Bengal or India Mutiny – Ashley’s views on contributory factors	231,232
Bonaparte , Prince Lucien Louis - visit to Wooburn	240
Book -saloon started at Wooburn	242
Caxton boys - book distribution by	242
Cores End Chapel	221
Chartism	193
Cholera - comments on	179,181,182
Dell House – school at	287
Dissenters - problems arising from disputes with	151, 201-208,215,218,243,287
Du Pre - Lord of the Manor and Church Patron	177,184,185
Evening classes - at Vicarage	189
Evening lectures	224,225
Football - Rev. Ashley's comments on	180
Gilbey Alfred	174,215,227
Glory Mill       - tenants of	174
Mission hall - mobile prefabricated version	186,187
Paper mills - bankruptcy in	174,228
Paper mill rioters	193
Princes Mill - accident at	274
Railway - journey before the branch line opened	150
Railway - evening class for navvies	224
Railway - accidents	216,217
Railway - Sunday school trips on	193-195
Republicanism	193
Rev. Du Pre - former vicar	152,177,178
Rev. Thomas English - minister at Cores End Chapel	176,221
Rev. T.G. Tyndale - former vicar	176,177,178,287
Rev. S. Weston - minister at Cores End Chapel	203,204,220
St Paul's Church - brasses	173
St Paul's Church - concerns about the bell-ringers	223,224
St Paul's Church - poor singing	161
St Pauls Church - procedures for marriages	160
St Paul's Church - improvements to hymn singing	162,163
St Paul's Church - sexton	168,169
St Paul's Church - improvements to funerals	169
St Paul's Church - repair of the interior	201-211
St Paul's Church - repair of the exterior	215, 216
St Paul's Church - tomb of Philip Lord Wharton	173
Sabbath breaking - by parishioners	196,197
Services in rag-room at mill	198
Sunday School - unruly character of at Wooburn	151
Sunday School - Ashley's improvements to	152,153
Sunday School - visit to London	193-195
Sunday School - visit to Burnham Beeches	195
Sunday School - visits to other venues	195
Teachers House	290
Vicarage - use of lawn for public teas	241
Wharton Philip, Lord - tomb in St Paul's Church	173
Wooburn - short history of parish	171-174
Wooburn -  education within the parish	287-289
Wooburn - differences between higher-class people	153
Wooburn Green Infants School	185,215
Wooburn - Mormons at	158-160,217
Wooburn - new church-yard	215
Wooburn - parish clerk	168
Wooburn - place names	291
Wooburn - public houses at	242
Wooburn - Scrub-common money	291,292
Wooburn House - comments on tenants	174
Wooburn Improvement Society	183,284,285
Wooburn - sickness and ill-health at	178,179,181
Wooburn - sanitary measures for	182-183
Wooburn - state of the parish accounts 1847	150
Wooburn Town School - early ideas	183
Wooburn Town School - financial aid for	227,228,230,231
Wooburn Town School - inauguration of the fountain	310-311
Wooburn Working Men's Club - portrait in	58
Wooburn Working Men's Club -  as a reading-room	227

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