TALES FOR A BIBLE CLASS OF GIRLS (1891) - Rev. W. E. Heygate

Hardcover cloth-bound book.
Decorative elements on cover.
Very good condition.
TALES FOR A BIBLE CLASS OF GIRLS
PUBLISHED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE TRACT COMMITTEE
Author: REV. W. E. HEYGATE (Rector of Brighstone)
Publisher: SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE
Publication Year: 1891
Pages: xi + 220
Dimensions: 17 X 11,5 cm
CONTENTS:
ALICE THOMPSON
THE GHOST
BLIND NANCY
SALLY NORTHAM
ALICE COTTON
REGRETS
GOOD FOR EVIL
GOOD FOR EVIL - SECOND READING
MARY O' ROURKE; OR, THE FLOWER-GIRL
MARY FOTHERINGHAM
JANE CAMERON
THE WORM IN THE ROSEBUD
THE REVIVAL
PEGGIE BROOKS
FALSEHOOD
LIZZIE BENSON
MARTHA VINE
GRACE BRAYBROOK
AGNES MORLEY
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William Edward Heygate (1816 - 1902) studied at Merchant Taylor’s School, London and then at St John’s College, Oxford. Taking literae humaniores, he graduated BA in 1839 and MA in 1842. Ordained deacon and then priest in1840, he then served various curacies before 1869 when he obtained ‘the living’ of Brighstone (pronounced Brixton) on the Isle of Wight at the parish of St Mary the Virgin. In 1887 he became Hon. Canon of Winchester.
He married Maria or Mary Elizabeth Penny on 15 July 1846. They had seven sons and four daughters!
In 1851 he is 34, living at Grove Field House, Prittlewell with his wife Maria, 26 and three children, a scholar, nurse and cook.
In 1861 he is still there with Maria and seven children, plus a housemaid, nurse and cook. He is Curate of Leigh Parish Church. By 1871 he is 54 and has moved to The Rectory, Brighstone, Isle of Wight where he is Rector. Five of his younger children are there plus eight young ‘scholars’, three servants and a nurse. But by 1891 all the children have moved away and he is 74 living with Maria 66, a parlour maid, housemaid and cook. He died in 1902.
He wrote many books, poems and fiction and some devotional works.
He was Rector of St Mary the Virgin, Brighstone, Isle of Wight where he is remembered for many parish improvements and his local diary and historical notes. He is especially remembered as he brought about many improvements in the parish and made many historical notes concerning the village and its Church, which he wrote for his parishioners. He also kept a diary of local events for a number of years. This is still in the archive records at St Mary the Virgin and would be interesting to see. In later years he became an Honourary Canon of Winchester Cathedral.
Three of his sons followed in his footsteps and became Canons.