THE
LIFE AND TIMES OF BENJAMIN SLIGHT (1800-1889)
Chapter
1: Early Years
Benjamin SLIGHT was born on
Some time before
We do not know what kind of
education, if any, his grandson Benjamin enjoyed in Kelso during his boyhood;
nor the reason why Benjamin and his family left Scotland; nor their whereabouts
during the period 1815-1826 (apart from a reference to Benjamin's sister
Elizabeth who is said to have married her husband George ROBSON in Jedburgh on
12 August 1819). At the end of this
period of mystery, he was, in a published discourse, to "plead the cause
of the English Sabbath School System......[which]...has
become endeared to my heart by a long acquaintanceship"; such remarks, if
taken literally, suggesting that he had been in England, at least, if not in
Newcastle on Tyne for quite a number of years.
It is not known whether he was in contact with his aunt, Ann SLIGHT (née
BEAL), a native of Warkworth, Northumberland, who was living in Alnwick,
Northumberland, on 1 January 1811, with
her infant son, James Beal SLIGHT, and who was the widow of his father's
younger brother, Archibald (1780-1810),.
Chapter
2: His Apprenticeship in
We know with certainty that,
as a young man, Benjamin was a member of the
Benjamin's employment up to
1826 had been 'chiefly mercantile' so it is almost certain that he would have
been capable of reading, writing and arithmetic (possibly including accounting)
during his early manhood.
We know he was a member of
the Sunday School Union of Newcastle upon
The Rev. John Smith was to
be instrumental in propelling Benjamin on his life's course by means of a
letter of recommendation which he wrote to the Directors of the London
Missionary Society who accepted Benjamin as a student at the
Benjamin therefore left
Chapter 3: Study in
On
"...It
is, I can assure you, with extreme reluctance that I part with him. He was a
student from which I expected considerable credit to the
Mr S. has made very respectable
progress during the period he has been with us. He is a hardworking student,
eager in the pursuit of knowledge, and evinces much docility of mind. His
preaching talents with some further cultivation are likely to be very useful. I
can most cordially recommend him to your Institution as a pious, devoted and promising
young man; and I hope the Great Head of the Church will bless him and make him
a blessing to many."
Henderson, the Icelandic
missionary, had returned to England from missionary travels throughout Europe
on 5 July 1825, when he took charge of the missionary students at Gosport and
went with them to the newly-opened Mission College, Hoxton where he was
resident and theological tutor from April 1826 (the College opened officially
on 10 October 1826) until 1830 when the college closed. Benjamin's own letter of application to the
Committe of 10 October also survives together with that of Dr. Thomas H. Burden
of 2,
"Mr
Slight does not appear to me to labour under any permanent disease, but merely
a strong tendency to disease, requiring a moderated application to Study and a
regular use of exercise in the open air.
With these precautions, I think he may not only prevent an increase of
his occasional disorder, but may also /
Deo pisante / gradually overcome the tendency at present existing. I think
you may safely receive him."
The front of
Benjamin moved to
The front of
The course normally lasted
three years and the curriculum consisted of Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Chaldee and
Syriac languages, intellectual and moral philosophy church history, elementary
mathematics, biblical criticism, composition of sermons and theology. We know for certain that he was taught to
read the Bible in Greek and Hebrew and, throughout his period of study, he was
diligent and showed promise. Apart from
Ebenezer Henderson, who arrived in 1830 as senior linguist and philologist, the
tutors at the College included Robert Halley (classics tutor from 1826),
William Harris (senior classical tutor until 1829), Dr. Henry Foster Burder
(from 1810 until 1830) and his successor, Henry Rogers (until 1839).
The gardens at the rear of
Chapter
4: His Ministry in Tunbridge Wells
Thomas Wilson of Highbury
(1764-1843), manufacturer of ribbons, silks and gauzes, Non-Conformist
benefactor, Treasurer of Highbury College and one of the leading spirits of the
Congregational Home Missionary Society, had reopened Mount Sion Chapel,
Tunbridge Wells, on 8 July 1830 and, a month later, on 8 August 1830, the
Congregational Home Missionary Society sent Benjamin SLIGHT to Mount Sion to
preach there for the first time.
Benjamin stayed in this
fashionable town and, by 1 September 1830, had acquired lodgings (two rooms) at
the house of Mr J Armstrong, Calverley Road at a rent of 12/- per week and was
involved with the fledgling congregation at Mount Sion, supervising the sales of
sittings (pew rents), the school, hymn books and tracts. A church was formed four months later at a
meeting presided over by Rev. Thomas Jones of Woolwich which was held in the
vestry on 8 December. A declaration as
to the doctrine, duties and discipline was unanimously agreed and signed by
eleven members of the church and by the Rev. Slight who took the minutes of the
meeting. Within a few years, four of
these 11 members were to join the Baptists (whose chapel opened close by in
1834), one had left the town, two were dead and the rest had allowed their
membership to lapse. The following
month, on
Mount Sion Chapel (now
converted into offices) in September 1991 from the south. The former chapel is the white building on
the left, displaying the 'TW TS' logo
By 22 March, attendances at
the chapel were good. He had, by this
time, moved to Myrtle Cottage, which was somewhere near the junction of the
north side of
Benjamin was confirmed in
his post when Dr. Henderson of Highbury College read a letter of acceptance in
March and his public ordination took place on 10 May 1831 in Mount Sion Chapel
at 10.30 a.m., the ordination prayer being read by Rev. J. Slatterie of Chatham
in the presence of Rev. A. S. Dubourg of Marden, Rev. R. Halley of Highbury
College, Rev. John Clayton M.A. and Rev. E. Jenkins of Maidstone. In the
evening, the service was led by Rev. J. Stratten of Paddington.
Between the two devotions, a
"plain dinner" took place at the prestigious
Services were held on
Sundays at
A "violent cold"
was sweeping through the congregation towards the end of June 1831 and having a
marked effect on attendances at the Chapel.
Benjamin arranged to take time off at the beginning of August for
relaxation including some time by the sea.
Benjamin ran Bible Classes
from October 1831 which were both novel for their time and popular and also
founded a library for the Sunday School early in
1833. A school was founded on Friday 9
October for illiterate servants (presumably female) and other young women and
began with a dozen pupils. The syllabus
included principles of simple accounting.
The Rev. SLIGHT was granted,
at his own insistence, one month to six weeks holiday each year for 'recreation
and visiting friends'. Benjamin
wrote to Thomas Wilson on
"It
seems desirable that there should be something of the kind—as the expenses of a
minister here, who must appear respectable in such a place, are much
greater than in most others. And every Minister requires books."
However, some members of the
church expressed dissatisfaction with the way in which the church funds were
being spent. Benjamin explained, in his
defence, that his salary was not fixed and his only income came from pew rents
(280 from the chapel's capacity of 450 seatings), visitors
donations and surplus money from collections.
The church also paid a
weekly sum of 2s 6d to any members who became unemployed, and, later in 1835, a
Sick Fund was created to which each church member contributed one penny per
week. Benjamin wrote to Thomas Wilson on
"....Do
you think we are acting properly in receiving a person into the church whose
circumstances are such as to leave but little prospect of being able to support
himself and family—probably he may very soon become
chargeable to the Parish? —There appears to be little or no doubt as to his
piety, and the correctness of his motives in wishing to join us. But for the
present I have recommended him to put off his application— until I should have
an opportunity of consulting with you on the case."
In May (? check this) 1832, Benjamin was one of the representatives of the
Kent Congregational Union amongst the 82 ministers present at the inaugural
meeting of the Congregational Union of England and Wales which took place at
the new Congregational Library, Blomfield Street, Finsbury Circus. Annual meetings of the
During this period, the
minister in charge of the nearby Chapel-of-Ease, the
Benjamin was ill in May
1833, though how seriously is not known.
Benjamin had a lithograph
portrait of himself drawn and printed which most probably dates from the
1830's. A copy of it survived and was
published on
On the evening of Sunday 4,
October, 1835, Benjamin preached an uncompromising sermon on the subject of the
influence of Roman Catholicism, its doctrine and practices and of similar
traits in other denominations. It also
contained a plea for tolerance of all religious beliefs. The sermon was published in November under
the title The Prevalence of Popery.
Rev. Benjamin Slight from an
old print (in the possession of Mrs Bertha Luxford in the mid-1960s)
On
Robert TWISS and Mary TWISS
(née SCOTT), parents of Charlotte TWISS
Coat of Arms of the TWISS family of Rotterdam
In 1835 (he appears in the
Poll Book for that year), Charlotte's uncle, John SCOTT (c. 1771-?), was living
at No.2 Somerset Place, Tunbridge Wells, one of the elegant properties on the
northern side of Mount Ephraim overlooking the town and was still there on 6
June 1841. This address was within the
parish of Speldhurst and could have been
Around this time, Benjamin
and his new wife moved to 3, Park View (now no. 46, Grove Hill Road), a plain,
inelegant and very modest 3-storey house in a terrace of four, but nevetheless
well situated with a fine view across Calverley Park. In 1837, Benjamin is listed there in the Poll
Book for Tunbridge Wells. In 1841, the
large household at this address was made up of the SLIGHTs, Charlotte Stapley
(a woman of independent means) and her daugher and son-in-law, Charlotte and
George Stephens (a solicitor) and the Stephens' 11 month old daughter,
Edith. It is not clear whether the
SLIGHTs were the landlords or tenants (though the fact that Benjamin owned
other properties in the Wells would indicate the former as being the most
likely) nor whether the house was partitioned. The servants must have lived
elsewhere as none are shown. After the
SLIGHTs had left the Wells, other members of the Stapley family were resident
there in 1851.
Park View, Tunbridge Wells,
home of the SLIGHTs in the 1830s and '40s, pictured in 1991. No. 3, now No. 46 Grove Hill Road, is the second from
the left.
In 1837, another sermon of
his, Christian Unity: or all believers one in Christ, was published.
Also, in that year, Joshua
Wilson (1795-1874), son of Thomas Wilson, writer of tracts and historian of
Congregationalism, married Mary Wood, only daughter of Thomas Bulley of
Teignmouth.
The first marriage to take
place at Mount Sion Chapel, following the passage of parliamentary legislation
to legalise Nonconformist and other marriages, was conducted by Rev. SLIGHT on
Wednesday, 2 October 1839, when a member of the church, Miss Mary Trice,
married Rev. Samuel Martin of Cheltenham who later became pastor of Westminster
Chapel, intimate friend of Dean Stanley and, in 1862, chairman of the
Congregational Union.
Benjamin's activities
expanded as he became involved himself in the plan to form a Sunday school at
Hawkenbury (then known as "Tutties' Village") to be connected with
Mount Sion Chapel. Plans for a
schoolroom followed and Rev. SLIGHT wrote to the local rector to see if
anything could be done. Nothing came of
this approach and the plan evolved into one to build a combined chapel and
schoolroom. Bethel Chapel came into
being in 1839 and was opened on 1 December by Rev. SLIGHT who preached at the
dedication. Services were initially
conducted by lay preachers from
On census day,
Benjamin's mother died as a
result of asthma on
Thomas Wilson died at
Chapter
5: The Erection of the New Church in Tunbridge Wells
At
Handbills and subscription
agreement forms were sent out on
Congregational Church,
On
.
Benjamin SLIGHT continued
his ministry for the next two years at the new chapel, being assisted by Rev.
Ebenezer Whiting Finch of Wollaston near Wellingborough, Northants, in
1849. The exertions of the years up to
this point had, however, taken their toll on his health and, in October, the
Rev. SLIGHT took the advice of his medical attendant, Mr Rix, and resigned on
grounds of ill-health 119 members of the church signed and gifted to him a
memorial and expressed their hope that he would remain in their midst. A collection for a parting gift raised
£40. He was succeeded in 1850 by the
Rev. W. P. Lyon.
Congregational Church (now
'Habitat'),
Benjamin had other plans,
however. He had been advised by his
doctors and, in particular, Dr George Moore, retired physician of Tunbridge
Wells, "to seek for rest in some quiet country town or village, and to
refrain from study, preaching or any exciting labour for at least two
years." The SLIGHTs moved to the
neighbouring
Mount
Pleasant, Tunbridge Wells, showing the Congregational Church (now 'Habitat') on
the left (September 1991).
On
Chapter
6: Retirement to
After visiting relatives in
View looking west along the
Before Benjamin's
arrival in the town and after, for the rest of the decade, the neighbouring
Neale was appointed by
warrant on
On 25 February 1851, having
lived in the town for only a few weeks, the SLIGHTs endured a baptism of fire
when a mob marched on
Benjamin became an attendee
on Sundays at
Although the "two
years" Benjamin had been advised to take as rest were not yet exhausted,
the idea of re-entering the ministry came to him in or before January 1852
when, in a letter to Joshua Wilson, he mentions a proposal to officiate at a
service in Highgate and the possibility of taking on a small charge.
On
Only a few days later, on
Ward's directory of 1852,
under 'Gentry', listed Benjamin erroneously as the Rev. Samuel SLIGHT, subsequently corrected by 1855.
At this time, Benjamin
assisted the minister at Zion Chapel, Rev. S. T. Gibbs and also preached in the
neighbouring villages of Outwood in
Benjamin wrote in October
1854 of his occasional preaching and of his decision to sell the freehold of
his remaining property in Tunbridge Wells.
Joshua Wilson's will (of
Zion
Chapel,
In or around November 1854,
Rev SLIGHT gave a lecture on Mohammedanism, a topical subject in the days of
the Crimean War involving
Benjamin was suffering on
The Rev. Neale had suspected
one of the residents at
At the nearby village of
Ashurst Wood, a "preaching station" existed, known as "the
Room" built in 1831 by friends of Zion Countess of Huntingdon's Chapel,
East Grinstead, on a piece of Common or waste land belonging to the Manor of
Wall Hill (which, according to one account, later became the site of the
village infants' school and, to another by 1889, the site of the residence of
Mr. Henry Finch). Later on, in payment
of a debt, it became the property of Mr. William Charlwood, but was rented
annually for £2 by the friends of
On 23 December 1855, he was
engaged in the writing of Uncle Daniel, the Pious Farmer, a memorial to
his friend, Daniel Dickinson of Pembury, who had died earlier in the year on
Monday, 28 May, being buried on Friday 2 June).
This was published in March the following year and dedicated to Rev.
George Jones, minister of the Countess of Huntingdon's Chapel in Tunbridge
Wells and to the congregation there.
Benjamin states his opinion,
in a letter of 3 September 1856, that the word 'chapel' should be abandoned in
favour of 'church', 'meeting house' or 'place of worship' as it had too many
connections with popery.
Meanwhile, next door, on
Mrs. Butcher, the Sunday
School teacher at Ashurst Wood, died in January 1857 and funeral sermons
preached on Sunday 8 February: Mr. SLIGHT took as his text "And I heard a
voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are they that die in the Lord
from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours;
and their works do follow them.".
Mr Chapman preached in the afternoon from 2 Corinths.iv.17 "For our
light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more
exceeding and eternal weight of glory;".
On
Towards the end of 1857,
Rev. William Hill came to
On
On
Benjamin wrote to Joshua
Wilson on
Next door, at
Across the road from the
Room at Ashurst Wood, a piece of ground forming part of Ashurst Wood Common,
belonging to the recently deceased Mr. Bowrah, was put up for sale in March,
1859. A lime-kiln stood at its
North-West end. Benjamin arranged for
his solicitor, William Pearless Esquire, solicitor, of East Grinstead to buy it
on his behalf for £7 10s (with legal expenses of £4 11s 4d).
On
In May, 1859, Benjamin had
an irritation and hoarseness in the throat.
Joshua Wilson's wife and daughter travelled by road to
Benjamin conducted a prayer
meeting at the Room on
Building began a month
later. Benjamin wrote to John Finch regarding the design of the chapel on
On,
Benjamin SLIGHT became first
pastor of the church and took no remuneration for his work.
The War Memorial, Ashurst Wood
with the Congregational Church in the background.
Contributions were now
sought to set up a day school in the Room, Miss Dickinson of Pembury and Mr
Berger of Saint Hill being donors. The
school was opened, after renovation of the Room, on
About this time, the
Anglicans in Forest Row launched a campaign to attract attendees away from the
Chapel to the district church in Forest Row.
Despite some loss of attendance, the congregations became settled and
regular and the Sunday School grew in size.
Ashurst Wood Congregational
Church on
Fund-raising to pay off the
building costs of the church continued.
Anniversary services were held in three successive years until, finally,
on that held on
Three letters were written (
Chapter 7: Re-emergence from Retirement—His Ministry
at Ashurst Wood
On census day,
In fact, Benjamin and his
wife were staying at Saint Hill Manor near
William
Thomas BERGER and his wife Mary The
One of Saint Hill Manor's
later owners was L. Ron Hubbard (1911-1986), founder of the Scientology
religion/movement/cult who lived there from 1959 until 1967. Saint Hill remains in the possession of the
Scientology organisation and a training centre was built in the ground in the
shape of a mock-medieval castle.
Some time between
'Nenthorn',
pictured in Septmber 1991, home of the SLIGHTs from 1861 until 1889.
Benjamin's next task was to
enlarge the schoolroom now used as a day-school. He reorganised
it and placed it in touch with the requirements of the Education Act of 1870,
placing it under managers, who carried it on for three years. The School Board having then been formed and
got into good working order, the management of the school was handed over to the
new body and the buildings leased to it at a nominal rent. Mr. SLIGHT's next good work was to buy the
land adjoining the school, and an infant department was then added to it. Mr. SLIGHT then made a gift of the whole
premises to certain trustees, to be held by them for education purposes.
Meanwhile, in
In 1863, a new Vicar of
About 1866, Benjamin
encouraged Joshua Wilson to engage an evangelist named Parry, of the Nottingham
Institute, to hold Sunday services in the Old Town Hall (also variously known
as Thompson's Corn Store and the County Court House), London Road. Joshua paid all of the expenses and Rev. D.
Davies of Zion Countess of Huntingdon's Chapel co-operated.
The Rev. J. M. Neale of
In or after November 1868,
Benjamin wrote his account of the building of
Chapter
8: His Final Project—the
Apparently, spiritual and
religious life was at a low ebb in the late 1860s in
This declining state of
affairs was presumably the trigger which caused the idea to form in Benjamin's
mind of the creation of a Congregational church in
So, at the end of the 1860s,
in this attempt to revitalise the religious life of the town, Benjamin decided
that
Meanwhile, at Zion Countess
of Huntingdon's Chapel, the Rev. Eustace E. Long (d. 1915), a student from
Whilst Moat church was being
built, a congregation was formed at the "Temperance Hall", a small
iron room near the Railway Inn by an evangelist though prayer meetings were
intermittent and sometimes poorly attended.
The church, designed and
built by Mr Steer, was opened on 5 April 1870, the Rev. Joshua Harrison and
Rev. Dr. Stoughton, two fellow students of Mr SLIGHT's conducting the
services. Services took place on the
Wednesday afternoon and evening (6 April), the other on the following Sunday
(10 April). There was no permanent
pastor at Moat throughout 1870 when various preachers were invited to preach. In August, a young man, Joseph Townsend
Maxwell, was asked to step into the breach and found Mr Steer's attitude
towards his youthfulness rather off-putting.
However, a note from Mr SLIGHT ensured that he was invited back the
following week.
Benjamin acted as Treasurer
in charge of the building fund, receiving and disbursing contributions and
expenses, in collaboration with Joshua Wilson who held to his promise to make
up any shortfall in Mr. Maxwell's salary of £100 per annum for two years which
Mr Wilson had promised as an incentive to engaging him at Moat. There was no other organisation of any kind
so the responsibility lay squarely on Benjamin's shoulders.
Samuel Morley (1809-1886),
Liberal politician and statesman, was a life-long friend of Benjamin and
frequently helped him in his work. He
was one of the chief subscribers to the building and, several years later, when
funds were low, made a further contribution towards its upkeep.
Samuel
Morley M.P. (1809-1886)
On the snowy morning of
Rev. Maxwell and Rev.
Eustace E. Long would lunch with Reverend SLIGHT at least once per week when
they would discuss matters relating to their two churches. Rev. Maxwell alludes in his "Memories of
Moat Church" to '...the shrewd wisdom and lofty piety of that fine old
Scotch gentleman, and the multitude of ways in which he proved himself a guide
and counsellor! Yet always with ready sympathy and quick
response to the perhaps crude and novel ideas of a young and eager man. There were things attempted which were not
always in accord with his rather conservative notions; but he never frowned
upon them. Sometimes my first suggestion
would be received with intense amusement.
He would laugh heartily, perhaps chaff me about the details; but if it
were a matter of importance or likely to be of service, he would sit a long
time and listen, while I explained or reasoned out my scheme, probably saying,
half reluctantly, "Well, try it! try it! but do not be disappointed if it fails!" If it did prove effective, no one would
rejoice more heartily. He would say,
"I never thought you would make it go.
I must be getting an old man!" as though he had failed in
perception, but, as long as I knew him, his faculties were ever at their
best. I only wish I could bear more
adequate testimony to his abilities and the readiness with which they were
expended in the interests of
So far, all Communion
Services held at
'All the services were well
attended from eleven in the morning till late at night. For the ministers attending lunch was
provided in my room, and a public tea was served in the church. This was prepared in the open air and the
whole proceedings aroused much local interest.
The list of communicants was handed to Mr. SLIGHT. By prayer and with a few words of counsel,
these were formally constituted a Congregational Church. They then invited me to the Pastorate and my
acceptance was signified. A written
statement to this effect was handed to the Revd. Thos. Foyster, Secretary of
the Sussex County Union, who officially and cordially recognised the church as
part of the
In the evening my former
Pastor, Dr. Newman Hall, preached to a densely crowded congregation. This was the public birth of the new
church.'
The SLIGHTs were staying in
Chapter
9: His Final Years
On
The whole of 1873 and the
early part of the following year saw the purchase of additional land at
Rev. Benjamin SLIGHT in his
final years
Benjamin was on the
committee of the Dispensary and took great interest in the proceedings and
activities of the Dorcas Society.
Between
Benjamin's friend, Joshual
Wilson, died at his home, 4,
The Rev. Maxwell was succeeded by Rev. J. Brantom in
November 1875.
On
In 1879, The Rev. C. A.
Singleton who lived in Forest Row became junior pastor, the first ordained
assistant of Mr SLIGHT, and remained there until 1885. He succeeded Mr George James Vince whose wife
was in charge of the day school. Mr
Vince had been Mr Spong's successor and continued to work in Ashurst Wood,
described in 1881 as a "missionary".
A resolution was passed at
the AGM of Ashurst Wood Congregational Church which took place after the Lord's
Supper on Sunday evening, 5 March 1882, expressing sympathy with Rev. SLIGHT
"whose devoted wife and loving helpmeet is now suffering from an illness
from which there is no prospect that she can ever recover.", the Rev.
Singleton being requested to "convey a verbal report of the resolution to
Mr Slight, and enter a minute of the same in the Church Book."
Benjamin made his will on
Catherine MORRIS's original
role in the SLIGHT household was as companion to Mrs. SLIGHT and is so
described in the 1881 census. She was
born in 1835 in
James Widdrington Whinfield
was born about 1812 in Gateshead, Co. Durham, by profession a grocer and tea
dealer, soda water and lemonade manufacturer at 22 Grainger Street, Newcastle
on Tyne, (before 1851 until after 1855) and grocer at 41 Grainger Street
(before 1876 until after 1874). His wife, Eliza, was born c. 1822 in Leith,
Edinburgh and they lived in 3 Higham Place, Newcastle on Tyne (before 1851
until after 1858), 25 Albion Street (1865), 27 St Mary's Terrace (1871) and 46
Jesmond Road, Jesmond (1881). The legacy
is clearly a personal one as it is stated that his wife should benefit, were he
to die in the interim. The reason for it
is unknown. It may be that Mr. Whinfield
was connected in some way with Congregationalism in the North East of England
or perhaps rendered some service in the past to Benjamin's family. He died on
The SLIGHTs' servants at
East Grinstead and Ashurst Wood included Eliza Briggs (1851), Esther Randall
(1861), Mary J. Langdon (1871), Frances Esther Grove (1871 and 1881), Emily
Grove (1881), George Martin (1883) and 'Nellie' (date and surname unknown).
Between
Charlotte SLIGHT died on
In 1885, he wrote to Dr
Paton of Nottingham to find a new minister for Ashurst Wood and on 11 March wrote to his
friend, the Rev. Alexander Reid of Wilmslow, Cheshire, to inform him of the
death of his wife and to ask his opinion of a young minister from Knutsford,
Rev. Meek, recommended by Dr. Paton, as a possible successor at Ashurst
Wood. Presumably, the Rev. Reid's
response was satisfactory as Rev. Meek came to Ashurst Wood later that
year. Rev. Meek was later to recall:
"I generally went in to
see him [Rev. Slight] after the Sunday service was over, and his first greeting
was: “Well, my dear friend, how have you got on?” And this would be followed by a chat about
the texts and sermons for the day. He
had a kindly interest in my work and a pleasing happy way of expressing
thoughts which have often cheered and comforted my heart."
On
"I declare
that in allusion in my said Will to principal money stock or investments to
which I might become entitled through or under any Will Codicil or Testamentary
appointment respectively made by my said wife in exercise of power given to her
by her marriage Settlement and the Will of John Scott deceased as to a moiety
of Two thousand pounds in such Will mentioned or either of them I neither had
nor have any intention of deducting any sums which I may have held or borrowed
on security but considered and consider myself simply as a stranger
borrower"
He suffered from some sort
of brain disease in his later years, slight deafness and lapses of memories although
his other faculties were unimpaired.
Miss E. M. Jenks, a Life
Deacon of Ashurst Wood Congregational Church reminisced in 1959 on the occasion
of the centenary of its founding: "I, of course, had been Christened in
the church, I expect by Mr. Slight, and as soon as I was old enough was taken
to Chapel by my parents. Mr. Slight was
to me a very important figure. He was
short, with white hair and sparkling eyes full of humour, and he wore a black
velvet skull cap with a tassel hanging over from the crown. We, as children, all loved him. He always had a cheery word for us. I do not remember him preaching often and I
was too young to judge of his sermons, but I have heard he was a good
preacher. Whenever he was well enough he
would walk up the path from his house to the vestry and come in to sit in an
armchair by the pulpit so that he could hear better.,
for he was slightly deaf. Mrs. Slight
generally came. She was quite a stately
Dutch lady, always very nicely dressed, with her ringlets hanging down each
side of her head. She was exceedingly
kind and thoughtful and much loved. If
there was any illness or sorrow, it was her first concern, and at Christmas
time I shouldn't think anyone was forgotten.
After the death of my grandmother, who always used to knit my father's
stockings, Mrs.
Slight knitted them for him (and they were stockings
not socks!)." At that time, the
church seated 220. The choir sat on one
side and Sunday School girls on the other. In the fron pew there always sat three farmers
in smocks and old ladies in bonnets, with narrow bands of black velvet across
their foreheads. Miss Margaret J. Waters
of Forest Row remembered that Mrs. Slight gave two home-made mince pies to
every member of the congregation at Christmas and that Mr. and Mrs. SLIGHT
"were so gracious and courteous".
Exactly when Benjamin
retired from active service as a minister is disputed among the sources, some
saying as early as 1877, others as late as 1886. The truth is that there was probably a
gradual phasing out of his activity between the two dates.
In 1886, the Rev. Bransom
was replaced by the Rev. J. Brooker at
In October 1886 (Sunday
10th?), Ashurst Wood celebrated its 27th chapel anniversary, sermons being
preached by the Rev. Meek. On the
Tuesday, an afternoon service was held and the preacher was Rev. G. W. Cowper
Smith of Tunbridge Wells (the third minister to succeed Mr. SLIGHT at Mount
Pleasant, in 1883), his text being the prayer of Jabez in 1 Chronicles iv. 9 and 10. This was followed
by a public tea meeting in the schools, torrential rain leading to poor
attendance of both residents of
On
Benjamin SLIGHT's great great
niece, Irene HARRISON, and his great great great nephew, Keith BULLEY, pictured
outside the front door of 'Nenthorn' on
On August Bank Holiday
Monday, 5 August 1889, Benjamin appeared at the drawing-room window of his
residence "Nenthorn" to address, as he had done in previous years,
the Sunday school children as part of their annual treat. Already ill, he caught a chill and he had to
retire to his bed a few days later. His
condition worsened but he rallied sufficienty however on Friday 15 August to
come down for family prayers. Not long before his death, Benjamin was told of
the Jubilee celebrations at Hawkenbury and the opening of the new chapel
there. His recovery was short-lived and
he died at 2.30 on the afternoon of Saturday 17 August. Dr. John Magrath was
sent for and certified the cause of death as "senile asthenia - hypostatic
pulmonary congestion". Mary Grove had been present and registered the
death on the Tuesday.
Christina SLIGHT (1815-1899),
Benjamin's sister
The morning following his
death saw the Rev. Meek preaching a sermon mourning
Benjamin's death on a text from Psalm cxvi. 15.
"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints".
Benjamin's funeral took
place on Thursday 22 August. There was a
brief, simple and well-attended service at Ashurst Wood Chapel conducted by
Rev. James Caddell, Benjamin's old friend from Sevenoaks:
"The
coffin was borne from the house to the chapel in the presence of the mourners
and many of the Sunday-school children.
It was carried by Messrs. B. Groves, J. Bowrah, H. Mitchell and E.
Morris, and was placed on the platform where the pulpit usually stands. Among those present we noticed the Rev. W. J.
and Mrs. Meek, Mr. J. R. Pearless, Mr. Mrs. and Miss Young, Mr. and Mrs. Jenks,
Miss Owden, Mr. and Mrs. Martin, Miss Groves, Mr. and Mrs. Huggett, Mr. and
Mrs. Bysh, Mrs. Potten, Mrs. Sayers, Mr. Jas. Waters, Mr. and Mrs. G. J. Vince,
Mr. and Mrs. McNaughton, Mr. H. Mills, Mrs. Cox, Mr. and Mrs. John Waters, Mr.
and Mrs. Baxendale, Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell, Mr. Groves, Mrs. Tester, Miss
Hooker, &c. The chief mourners
present were Mr. Robson (nephew), Mrs. Phillips (niece), Mr. Suermondt (great
nephew from Rotterdam) and Miss Morris (adopted daughter)... At the conclusion
of the service, the coffin, which was of polished oak, with massive brass
furniture and covered with some beautiful wreaths, was placed in a hearse and
taken to Tunbridge Wells, the congregation following a portion of the
way."
According
to one account, the Rev. W. J. Meek broke down in tears during the singing of
the hymn "When our heads are bowed with woe." The remains were taken in a plain hearse by road
to the railway station of the London & Brighton Line at Tunbridge Wells to
meet the
"The mourners left Forest Row by the
half-past one train and among the many who went to Tunbridge Wells were nearly
all those mentioned above as being present at the Ashurst Wood service. The journey from the station to
The official representatives
from Tunbridge Wells were the deacons, J. W. Hawkins and E. H. Strange. A simple service (in accordance with
Benjamin's wish) was conducted by Rev. Meek of Ashurst Wood, Rev. G. W. Cowper
Smith and Rev. E. Bailey, an old friend.
Mr. James Waters organised the funeral arrangements at Ashurst Wood. Mr Young of
The tree in the centre of the
picture taken in September 1991 is growing from the grave of the Rev. Benjamin
SLIGHT and his wife, Charlotte.
On
'It was a
favourite expression of our dear old friend's when saying “Good-night” to her,
who had been for so long his faithful nurse and friend, to say, “Good night,
sleep in Jesus;” and only a night or two before his death he said “Oh to sleep
in Jesus and awake with him, then all will be well.” The same night he repeated some of his own
verses, one of which appears specially suitable as we look back and think how
near he was to the end of his life:—
Amen, Amen, so let there be,
A
blest eternity for me.
Where I shall
never sigh nor sin,
But drink unending
pleasures in,
Amen, Amen, Amen
again,
Till heaven and
earth resound Amen.
The night before he died,
although at times not conscious, he said “Pray, pray,” and lay with his eyes
looking up as if in prayer. Thus passed
away in the peace and hope of the gospel our dear old friend. It was a calm and beautiful sunset, and our
friend is gone to be “For ever with the Lord.”'
The "faithful
nurse" was most probably Catherine Morris.
The second sermon, given at
the evening service was on a text from Psalm XII., 1st verse:—“Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for
the faithful fail from among the children of men.” and contained the
following tribute to his influence in Ashurst Wood:
"In many respects it
would be true if we said that he lived for Ashurst Wood, for although through
the infirmities of age he was unable for a long time past to take any active
part in our work; he never ceased to remember us in his sympathies, his help,
and his prayers."
The Ashurst Wood 40th Chapel
Anniversary was supposedly, according to newspaper reports, postponed on
account of Benjamin's death. It took place on Sunday 6 October and Monday
7th. Presumably the anniversary was
normally held on an earlier date (perhaps in September) than 10 October, the
date the Chapel was originally dedicated in 1859. The Sunday morning and evening sermons were
given by the Rev. R. Hamilton of Brighton and that on Monday afternoon by the
Rev. W. A. Linington, of Cheshunt and formerly of Zion (Countess of
Huntingdon's) Chapel, East Grinstead.
This was followed by a tea meeting in the schoolroom. The public meeting in the church, which
followed it was presided over by Rev. Meek who, after opening prayers, gave
apologies for absence from Mr. T. C. Thompson (who was to have chaired the
meeting), the Rev. Robert Hamilton (who had had to leave earlier on business on
behalf of the Sussex Congregational Union of which he was president) and Mr. T.
Cramp. He expressed sympathy with the
Vicar of Forest Row, Rev D. Y. Blakiston, recently bereaved for the second time
in a year and, once again, expressed the feelings of the congregation at
Ashurst Wood on the death of the Rev. SLIGHT, suggesting that, though no
monument was necessary other than the church and schools which he had built, he
would nevertheless like to see a tablet put up on the church wall to the memory
of Rev. and Mrs. SLIGHT. So far as is
known, nothing came of this suggestion.
Rev. Linington also referred to his friend Benjamin and his work at
Ashurst Wood and gave an address on the merits of rural congregations over
those in towns. Rev. J. J. Brooker and
Rev. J. Bainton spoke next and the final contributions were from Messrs. G. J.
Vince, S. Jenks, J.
Huggett, B. Grove, J. Waters and J. Bysh with closing prayers from Mr. Vince.
The SLIGHTs are buried in
Area B Section 1 Grave Space 5 in the unconsecrated area of
Benjamin's estate was valued
at £2,907 - 0s - 8d at the time of the
granting of probate on 31 October 1889 at the Principal Registry, London, by
Rev. James Cattell, James Richardson Pearless and William Young. The legacies from the estate were paid out on
Benjamin's death was
recorded in The Congregational Year Book for 1890 by way of an obituary
article.
One of Benjamin's verses
("Thou art gone to the grave....") appeared on a memorial card for
his nephew, John English ROBSON, who died 31 May 1894 in Melbourne, Victoria,
Australia.
In October 1916, forty five
years after the event, Rev. J. T. Maxwell, former pastor of
Chapter
10: Postscript—The Campaign to Save the Church at
Ashurst Wood
After the national merger of
many Congregational churches with the Presbyterian Church to form the United
Reformed Church in 1972, the church's continuance was under threat.
By early 1874, the United
Reformed Church authorities had decided the church was to close and planning
permission for demolition of the Congregational Church and for the building of
a three- or four-bedroomed detached house or bungalow on the site was granted
to the URC in March by East Grinstead Urban Council just before local
government reorganisation. No objections
were raised as, up to that time, the sense of community within the village had
become eroded.
This turn of events came as
something of a blow to village organisations which were currently using the
church's facilities which were fully booked well in advance. These organisations included a playgroup
which met three mornings a week, the Friday Night Club, the Trans-Atlantic
Brides Association, the St Dunstan's Fellowship and the Women's Institute and
the newly formed youth club led by Bruce Campion-Smith.
Every Sunday morning about
40 children and teachers met there for an inter-church Sunday School at 9.45. There
were four classes with a separate room and hall for each class.
The inter-church St
Dunstan's Fellowship met there on Tuesday evenings at
twice a month, having
previously abandoned the "cold spaciousness of St Dunstan's big hall"
for "the cosy little hall" of the United Reformed Church.
Meanwhile, the Church of England,
anxious to find an alternative venue for their worship to their existing
incommodious and inconvenient St Dunstan's, had been negotiating for some years
with the Sussex Congregational Church with a view to buying the church and its
attached rooms which were in a very good state of repair and there was general
acceptance in the village that a sale would eventually take place.
The formation of the youth
club had been the Action Group's triumph of a rebirth in community. On the day
before its first meeting,
As a result of this immediate
threat to one of the institutions at the heart of village life, a public
campaign was launched amongst the villagers to save the church in the weeks
following. In the following months, this
gained the support of the local press.
Eventually, in 1976, the
Ashurst Wood Action Group was formed, following a "village appraisal
meeting" arranged by the local Women's Institute. Among its aims was the goal of acquiring the
church buildings to ensure that they were preserved for the use of the
community and, especially, the youth club.
Matters came to a head on
Tuesday 30 November 1976 when a "for sale" sign was put up at the
church and it was put on the market for between £8000 and £10000 and the news of
its possible demolition was broken. An
approach was made to the amenities committee of Mid-Sussex Council in the hope
that it might consider buying the church buildings and converting them into a community
centre. In doing so, West Sussex County
Council would have the opportunity of remedying the traffic hazard at that
point.
So much interest was shown
in the property that the agents, Turner, Rudge and Turner of
In pleasant quiet position
A
Consent for one dwelling
All services
ST MARY'S
VICARAGE.
WINDMILL LANE
(at a disclosed
reserve price)
_____________________________
ASHURST WOOD
In a quiet village position
UNITED
A
rooms,
kitchen, etc.
Vacant Possession
Consent
for demolition and erection of one house
or
bungalow.
Joint Auctioneers:
_____________________________
BOTH PROPERTIES TO AUCTION
ON
------
AUCTIONEERS:
TURNER, RUDGE & TURNER
and
Protests increased over the
coming weeks and resulted in the cancellation of the auction on 12
January. By May 1977, plans to sell the
church into private hands had been abandoned and its future assured as the new
Anglican parish church for Ashurst Wood.
|
|
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Birth at Nenthorn,
Berwickshire |
|
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Baptism at Nenthorn Kirk,
Berwickshire |
|
12 May 1804 |
Benjamin's infant twin
brothers buried in Kelso |
|
1809 |
Birth of Samuel Morley |
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1814 |
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Marriage of Benjamin's
sister Elizabeth to George ROBSON in Jedburgh |
|
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Baptism of Benjamin's
first cousin, James Beal SLIGHT, in Alnwick, Northumberland |
|
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|
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Opening of United |
|
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Ebenezer Henderson returns
to |
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Apr 1826 |
Ebenezer Henderson arrives
at |
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Benjamin delivered
farewell discourse on the merits of the |
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Began studies at |
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Directors of the |
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Ebenezer Henderson wrote
to Thomas Wilson recommending Benjamin's admission to |
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Benjamin's letter of
application to the Committee of Highbury College |
|
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Dr. Thomas H. Burden wrote
to Thomas Wilson regarding Benjamin's health prospects. |
|
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Robert TWISS, Charlotte
TWISS's father, dies in |
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Mount Sion Chapel,
Tunbridge Wells, reopened by Thomas Wilson. |
|
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Benjamin preaches at Mount
Sion Chapel for the first time. |
|
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Benjamin living at the
house of Mr J Armstrong, |
|
|
Meeting at Mount Sion
Chapel, Tunbridge Wells, to begin the formation of a church. |
|
1831 |
"The Room" at
Ashurst Wood built by |
|
|
Meeting at which Benjamin
was appointed pastor of |
|
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Benjamin living at Myrtle
Cottage, Tunbridge Wells. |
|
Mar 1831 |
Ebenezer Henderson reads
letter of acceptance of Benjamin's pastorate. |
|
10 May 1831 |
Benjamin's public
ordination at Mount Sion Chapel, Tunbridge Wells. |
|
|
Benjamin wrote to Thomas
Wilson regarding the Sick Fund |
|
Oct 1831 |
Benjamin began running
Bible classes at |
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May (?) 1832 |
Bnjamin represents |
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1833 |
Benjamin founds Sunday
School library at |
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May 1833 |
Benjamin ill |
|
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Benjamin founds school for
illiterate servants and other young women at |
|
|
Benjamin's lithograph
portrait published in East Grinstead Courier |
|
|
Bertha Luxford, owner of
Benjamin's lithograph portrait, dies in |
|
|
Princess Victoria and her
mother staying in Tunbridge Wells |
|
|
Benjamin preaches sermon
"The Prevalence of Popery Considered" |
|
Nov 1835 |
Publication of "The
Prevalence of Popery Considered" |
|
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Mary TWISS née SCOTT,
Charlotte TWISS's mother dies |
|
|
Benjamin marries Charlotte
TWISS at St. Mary the Virgin, |
|
1837 |
Benjamin preaches sermon
"Christian Unity: or all believers on in Christ" |
|
1837 |
Joshua Wilson marries Mary
WOOD |
|
|
Benjamin officiates at
first marriage to take place at |
|
|
Benjamin opens Hawkenbury
Chapel and schoolroom |
|
|
The SLIGHTs not at home on
census day |
|
|
Benjamin writes of plan to
build a new chapel on a new site to replace |
|
|
Benjamin's mother, Hannah
née DOWNS, dies in |
|
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Thomas Wilson dies at |
|
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Public meeting to discuss
building of new chapel to replace |
|
|
Handbills and subscription
forms sent out for building of |
|
21 May 1845 (or 1846?) |
Foundation stone of Mount
Pleasant Congregational Church laid by Charles Hindley M.P. |
|
|
Railway arrives in
Tunbridge Wells |
|
26 May 1846 |
Rev. John Mason Neale
officially appointed as Warden of Sackville College, |
|
08 May 1847 |
Rev. Neale placed under an
inhibition by the Bishop |
|
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Mount Pleasant
Congregational Church opened |
|
|
Service held at |
|
|
Service held at |
|
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Private enquiry at St.
Swithun's, |
|
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Rev. Neale tried before
the Court of Arches and loses case |
|
|
Queen |
|
Oct 1849 |
Benjamin retires as
minister of Mount Pleasant Congregational Church, Tunbridge Wells |
|
Good Friday 1850 |
Rocks Chapel opened in |
|
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Benjamin sells property in
Tunbridge Wells to John Colbran |
|
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The SLIGHTs move to |
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1851 |
Fire in the Earl's Room, |
|
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Riot outside |
|
Jan 1852 |
Benjamin decides to
re-enter the Ministry |
|
|
Benjamin returns home from
holiday in |
|
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Death of Benjamin's
father, James SLIGHT |
|
Oct 1854 |
Benjamin preaching
occasionally |
|
Nov 1854 |
Benjamin gives lecture on
Mohammedanism |
|
June 1858 |
Rev. James Turnbull M.A.
of Rocks Chapel, |
|
16 May 1855 |
Benjamin visited his
friends in Tunbridge Wells, the Stranges |
|
19 May 1855 |
Benjamin suffering from
"face ache" |
|
28 May 1855 |
Death of Daniel Dickinson
of Pembury, late of |
|
May/Jun 1855 |
The Room at Ashurst Wood
closes |
|
|
Funeral of Daniel
Dickinson |
|
|
Benjamin reopens the Room
at Ashurst Wood |
|
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Benjamin writing Uncle
Daniel, the Pious Farmer. |
|
Mar 1856 |
Publication of Uncle
Daniel, the Pious Farmer. |
|
Jun 1856 |
The Sisters of Mercy move
into William Pearless's premises in |
|
|
Edward Martin assaults
John Henry Rogers, assistant warden of |
|
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Letter to Joshua Wilson |
|
|
Death of George Taylor of |
|
Jan 1857 |
Death of Mrs. Butcher,
Sunday School teacher at Ashurst Wood |
|
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Funeral of Mrs. Butcher |
|
18-19 Nov 1857 |
Rev. Neale attacked at a
funeral in |
|
|
Benjamin proposes
acquiring William Pearless's property in |
|
|
Benjamin ill with "an
inflammation" and bled by the physician |
|
|
The SLIGHTs travel to |
|
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The SLIGHTs still in |
|
Jun 1858 |
Sisters of Mercy quit
William Pearless's premises in |
|
|
Letter to Joshua Wilson |
|
|
Rev. Neale's wife, Sarah,
attacked by Mary Ann Preston, an inmate at |
|
Mar 1859 |
The future site of Ashurst
Wood Congregational Church put on the market |
|
|
The Rev. David Davies
appointed minister of |
|
|
Prayer meeting held in the
Room, Ashurst Wood, for the building of a new church |
|
|
Rev. Neale accused of
arson by the Brighton Gazette |
|
|
Letters seeking donations
sent to Congregational ministers |
|
May 1859 |
Benjamin suffering from a
throat infection. Joshua Wilson and
his family stayed with the SLIGHTs |
|
07 May 1859 |
Benjamin wrote to John
Finch regarding the design of the chapel at Ashurst Wood |
|
|
Benjamin staying with Rev.
James Cattell at Marsh Green, |
|
|
Benjamin sill at
Edenbridge |
|
|
Mr. Smye Scripture Reader
at Ashurst Wood, witnesses scandalous behaviour of the Rev. Neale's servants
at |
|
|
Opening of Ashurst Wood
Congregational Church |
|
|
Opening of Ashurst Wood
day school |
|
|
Benjamin staying with Rev.
James Cattell at Marsh Green, |
|
|
The SLIGHTs staying at
Saint Hill Manor as guests of William Thomas BERGER and his wife Mary. |
|
|
The SLIGHTs in residence
at "Nenthorn" |
|
|
Anniversary services at
Ashurst Wood celebrating payment of the debt on the building of the chapel |
|
Nov 1863 |
The Bishop of Chichester
withdraws his inhibition on Rev. John Mason Neale |
|
1866 |
Mr. Parry, the evangelist,
begins to hold Sunday services in the |
|
1866 |
Rev David Davies leaves |
|
|
Death of Rev. John Mason
Neale |
|
1868 |
Benjamin buys the site of
the future Moat Congregational Church |
|
Nov 1868 |
Benjamin writes an account
of the building of the church at Ashurst Wood |
|
|
The Rev. Eustace Long
begins his ministry at |
|
05-10 Apr 1870 |
Opening of Moat
Congregational Church, |
|
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Benjamin officiates at a
baptism at Ashurst Wood |
|
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The Rev. Maxwell becomes
pastor of |
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Meeting at |
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Benjamin conducts a
marriage at Ashurst Wood |
|
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First AGM of |
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Thanksgiving meeting at |
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Inauguration of |
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Sep 1872 |
The SLIGHTs staying in |
|
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Benjamin officiates at a
baptism at Ashurst Wood |
|
21 May 1873 |
Letter to Joshua Wilson:
Benjamin comtemplates complete retirement |
|
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Letter to Joshua Wilson:
Benjamin unable to continue his ministry unaided. |
|
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Letter to Joshua
Wilson. Mr Spong mentioned for the
first time. |
|
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Benjamin conducts a
marriage at Ashurst Wood |
|
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Opening of the new Sunday
School building at |
|
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Anniversary services at |
|
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Joshua Wilson makes his
will |
|
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Death of Joshua Wilson |
|
Nov 1875 |
Rev. J. Brantom becomes
pastor at Moat Congregational Church, |
|
|
The Rev. Eustace Long
leaves |
|
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Rev. SLIGHT gives the
children of Ashurst Wood school a treat "in his meadow" |
|
1879 |
The Rev. Singleton becomes
junior pastor at Ashurst Wood |
|
|
Anniversary celebrations
at |
|
|
AGM held at Ashurst Wood
Congregational Church. Meeting
expresses sympathy to Benjamin for his wife's incurable illness |
|
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Benjamin makes his will |
|
1885 |
The Rev. Singleton leaves
Ashurst Wood |
|
1915 |
Death of the Rev. Eustace
Long |
|
|
Closure of Ashurst Wood
United Reformed Church |
|
March 1974 |
Planning permission
granted by East Grinstead Urban Council for demolition of Ashurst Wood United
Reformed Church and building of a 3-4 bedroom bungalow on the site. |
|
|
"For |
|
|
Ashurst Wood youth club
meets for the first time at the Ashurst Wood United Reformed Church |
|
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Auction cancelled |
|
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Planned auction of Ashurst
Wood United Reformed Church and hall at the Crown Hotel, |
|
ADNEY, Rev. J. |
of |
|
ARMSTRONG, Mr. J |
of |
|
BAILEY, Rev. E. |
old friend of the
deceased who offered prayers at his funeral service in the cemetery chapel at
Tunbridge Wells. |
|
BAINTON, Rev. J. |
Spoke at the public
meeting in Ashurst Wood Congregational Church on |
|
BAYES, Thomas |
statistician and
mathematician, inventor of Bayes' Theorem.
Presbyterian minister of Mount Sion Chapel, TW. |
|
BAXENDALE, Mr. & Mrs |
Attended Benjamin's
funeral service at Ashurst Wood on |
|
BEAVIS, Rev. H. J. |
of Ramsgate
preached on |
|
BEDLAKE, Mr. |
Designer of Ashurst Wood
Congregational Church built in 1859. |
|
|
Minister of United |
|
BERGER, William Thomas |
(1815-1899) owner of Saint
Hill Manor and director of the China Inland Mission. Contributed to the setting up of a day
school at Ashurst Wood, opened on 9 Jan 1860 and the SLIGHTs were staying with
him on 7-8 April 1861 when the census was taken. |
|
BLAKISTON, Rev. D. Y. |
Vicar of |
|
BORNER, |
Offered prayers at the
laying of the foundation stone of Mount Pleasant Congregational Church on |
|
BOWRAH, Mr |
Owned the site of |
|
BOWRAH, J. |
One of the pallbearers at
Benjamin SLIGHT's funeral on Thur 22 Aug 1889. |
|
BRANTOM, Rev. J. |
succeeded Rev. Maxwell
as pastor of |
|
BROOKER, Rev. J. J. |
succeeded Rev. Brantom
as minister of Moat Congregational Church, |
|
BRUCE, |
|
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BURDEN, Dr. Thomas H. |
of 2, |
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BURDER, Dr. Henry Foster |
lecturer at |
|
BUTCHER, Mrs |
of Hammerwood,
assistant to Mr Chapman in the Sunday School in the Room at Ashurst Wood
before and after 1855. She died in
January 1857. Benjamin preached a
funeral sermon on Sunday 8 Feb in the morning. Mr. Chapman (q.v.) preached in the
afternoon. |
|
BYSH, J. |
Attended Benjamin's
funeral service on |
|
BYSH, Mary Ann |
School governess living at
the SLIGHTs' newly built house, "Nenthorn" on |
|
CATTELL, Rev. James |
of Marsh Green,
Edenbridge (1859-1861), later of Stone Villa, |
|
CHAPMAN, William |
of |
|
CHARLWOOD, William |
Friend of Rev. James
Cattell (q.v.) and owner of the Room at Ashurst Wood until May or June 1855
when the friends of Zion Chapel were unable to keep up the rent and Benjamin
bought the building. |
|
CLAYTON, Rev. John |
M.A. Present at B.S.'s ordination on the morning
of |
|
COLBRAN, John |
publisher of the Guide to Tunbridge Wells of 1840 and
later of the Tunbridge Wells Gazette. Bought properties (nos. 13, 15 and 17) on
Little Mount Sion. These were sold on
again in 1890 to John Goulden. |
|
CRAMP, Thomas |
Unable to attend the
postponed anniversary of Ashurst Wood Congregational Church on |
|
DAVIDSON, Rev. Ralph |
pastor of the Poster
Chapel, |
|
DAVIES, Rev. David |
of |
|
DAWSON, Rev. Adam |
assisted Rev. John Smith
at |
|
DICKINSON, Daniel |
Farmer of Pembury who
retired to |
|
DICKINSON, Miss |
of Pembury. Contributed to the setting up of a day
school at Ashurst Wood,
opened on |
|
DON, Sir Alexander |
Benjamin's father's
employer before and after |
|
DUBOURG, Rev. A. S. |
of Marden. Present at B.S.'s ordination on the morning
of |
|
FINCH, Ebenezer Whiting |
of Wollaston near
Wellingborough, Northants became assistant minister at Mount Pleasant
Congregational Church, TW, in 1849. |
|
FINCH, Henry |
by August 1889, his
residence built on the site of the Room at Ashurst Wood |
|
FINCH, John |
of Tunbridge
Wells. Joint organiser of fundraising
for the building of Ashurst Wood Congregational Church in 1859. |
|
FOYSTER, Rev. Thomas |
Secretary of the |
|
FROST, Rev. John |
of Cotton
End. Former tutor of Rev. J. T.
Maxwell who delivered the charge at his ordination on |
|
GALLAWAY, Rev. James C. |
M.A. of |
|
GIBBS, Rev. S. T. |
Minister of |
|
GILLON, Rev. Adam Dawson |
co-pastor of |
|
GRIGG, Rev. Henry Thomas |
Baptism minister of
Dorman's Land, Lingfield. Preached at the public meeting at 6.00 p.m.of the
opening of Ashurst Wood Congregational Church on |
|
GRIGSBY, Rev. William |
of the
Tabernacle, Moorfields, |
|
|
Addressed the public tea
meeting of the 27th chapel anniversary at Ashurst Wood in October 1886. One of the pallbearers at Benjamin's
funeral on Thur 22 Aug 1889. Spoke at the public meeting in Ashurst Wood
Congregational Church on |
|
HALL, Dr. Newman |
Former paster of Rev. J.
T. Maxwell who preached on the evening of his ordination at |
|
HALLEY, Rev. R. |
classics tutor at |
|
HAMILTON, Rev. Robert |
of |
|
HARRIS, Rev. John |
D.D., President of |
|
HARRIS, William |
senior classical tutor at |
|
HARRISON, Rev. Joshua |
One of Benjamin's fellow
students at Highbury. Conducted the
opening services of Moat Congregational Church, |
|
HEDGECOCK, Rev. J. |
of Marden. Participated in the opening service at
Mount Pleasant Congregational Church, TW, on |
|
HENDERSON, Ebenezer |
(1784-1858). Missionary to |
|
HILL, Rev. William |
Anglican clergyman who
conducted services at St. Swithun's parish church, E. Grinstead at the end of
1857 and attended the evening service at Zion Chapel when Benjamin was
preaching. Espoused the cause of
Ashurst Wood to Mr H Kennedy (q.v.) of Saint Hill, with whom he stayed and
was instrumental in engaging the "Scripture Reader", Mr Smye
(q.v.). |
|
HINDLEY, Charles |
M.P. Laid the foundation stone of Mount Pleasant
Congregational Church on |
|
HOOKER, Miss |
Attended Benjamin's
funeral service at Ashurst Wood on |
|
HUGGETT, J. |
Attended Benjamin's
funeral service at Ashurst Wood on |
|
JACKSON, Oswald |
See Rev. Meek's morning
sermon on death of Rev. Slight |
|
JENKINS, Rev. E. |
of |
|
JENKS, Miss E. M. |
Life Deacon of Ashurst
Wood Congregational Church who remembered the Slights there. Alive at the time of the Church's centenary
in 1959. |
|
JENKS, Mr. S. |
Addressed the public tea
meeting at the 27th chapel anniversary at Ashurst Wood in Oct 1886. Attended Benjamin's funeral on Thur 22 Aug
1889 at Ashurst Wood. Spoke at the public meeting in Ashurst Wood
Congregational Church on |
|
JONES, Rev. George |
minister of the
Countess of Huntingdon's Chapel, TW, in March 1856. Dedicatee of Benjamin's Uncle Daniel.
Preached at the public meeting at 6.00 p.m.of the opening of Ashurst Wood
Congregational Church on |
|
JONES, Rev. Thomas |
of Woolwich. Chaired meeting to form church at Mount
Sion Chapel on |
|
KENNEDY, H. H. |
Esq., lessee of Saint Hill
at the end of 1857 until at least 1859.
Rev.William Hill (q.v.) persuaded him to fund a "Scripture
Reader" at Ashurst Wood who took up his post on |
|
KOCH, Rev. E. F. W. |
oif Oesterwyk near
|
|
LEIFCHILD, Rev. John |
D.D. of |
|
LININGTON, Rev. W. A. |
of |
|
LONG, Rev. Eustace E. |
Minister at |
|
LUXFORD, Mrs. Bertha P. |
died |
|
LYON, Rev. W. P. |
B.A.,
succeeded Benjamin as minister of Mount Pleasant Congregational Church, TW,
in 1850. Preached at the public meeting at 6.00 p.m.of the opening of Ashurst
Wood Congregational Church on |
|
MAGRATH, Dr. John |
Physician who attended
Rev. Slight at his death at |
|
MARTIN, Mr and Mrs |
Attended Benjamin's
funeral at Ashurst Wood on |
|
MARTIN, Rev. Samuel |
of |
|
MAXWELL, Rev. Joseph
Townsend |
First preached at |
|
MEEK, Rev. William John |
of Knutsford, |
|
MILLS, John Remington |
Contributor to Ashurst
Wood Congregational Church building fund in 1859. |
|
MITCHELL, H. |
One of the pallbearers at
Benjamin's funeral on Thur 22 Aug 1889 in Ashurst Wood. |
|
MOORE, Dr. George |
retired physician of
Tunbridge Wells who advised Benjamin in 1849 to retire to the country and
refrain from pastoral duties or other work for at least two years. |
|
MORLEY, John |
of |
|
MORLEY, Samuel |
M.P.(1809-1886).
Liberal politician and statesman.
Lifelong friend of Benjamin Slight.
Contributor to Ashurst Wood Congregational Church building fund in
1859 and one of the chief subscribers to Moat Church, East Grinstead in 1870
and contributing to the upkeep in later years. |
|
MORRIS, E. |
One of the pallbearers at
Benjamin's funeral on Thur 22 Aug 1889. |
|
NEALE, Rev. John Mason |
(1818-6 Aug 1866), Warden
of |
|
NEAR, Rev. I |
Was to have addressed the
public tea meeting of the 27th chapel anniversary at Ashurst Wood in October
1886 but made his apologies. |
|
OWDEN, Miss |
Attended Benjamin's
funeral service at Ashurst Wood on |
|
PARRY, Mr. |
Evangelist of the
Nottingham Institute who held Sunday services, at the instigation of Rev.
SLIGHT, at the |
|
PATON, Dr |
of |
|
PAWLING, Rev. W |
of Lenham. Participated in the opening service at
Mount Pleasant Congregational Church on |
|
PEARLESS, James Richardson |
Solicitor to Benjamin
SLIGHT at the time his will was drawn up on |
|
PEARLESS, William |
solicitor of |
|
PEAT, Rev. John |
Vicar of |
|
PODMORE, Harriett |
Taught at the newly opened
day school at Ashurst Wood from |
|
PODMORE, Sarah |
Taught at the newly opened
day school at Ashurst Wood from |
|
POPE, Rev. William Law |
minister of |
|
POTTEN, Mrs. |
Attended Benjamin's
funeral service at Ashurst Wood on |
|
RANDALL, Esther |
servant of the
SLIGHTs, in 1861, living at "Nenthorn", Ashurst Wood, on |
|
REID, Rev. Alexander |
B.A. Intimate friend of B.S.'s from Highbury
days (late 1828-mid-1830) until at least 1885. At |
|
RIX, Mr. |
Benjamin's medical
attendant at TW in 1849 |
|
ROGERS, Henry |
successor to Dr. Henry Foster
Burder at |
|
ROGERS, John Henry |
assistant warden at |
|
SAINT, Rev. John James |
Rector of St Mary the
Virgin, |
|
SAYERS, Mrs. |
Attended Benjamin's
funeral service on |
|
SCOTT, John |
(c. 1771-?), brother of
Charlotte SLIGHT, lived at No. 2, Somerset Place, TW, in the parish of
Speldhurst, before 1837 until after 6 June 1841. |
|
SIMPSON, Rev. J. |
temporarily filled the
vacancy at |
|
SINGLETON, Rev. C. A. |
In 1879, the first
ordained minister to become junior pastor at Ashurst Wood. Lived at Forest Row and departed in 1885. |
|
SLATTERIE, Rev. J. |
of |
|
SMITH, Rev. John |
of |
|
SMITH, Rev. G. W. Cowper |
In 1883, third minister to
succeed Rev. Slight at Mount Pleasant Congregational Church, TW. Preached at Ashurst Wood's 27th chapel
anniversary in October 1886 and read from the Scriptures at Benjamin's
funeral service at the cemetery chapel in Tunbridge Wells. |
|
SMYE, J. H. |
"Scripture
Reader" engaged on recommendation from the Country Towns Mission by Rev.
William Hill on behalf of Benjamin and Mr. H. Kennedy (q.v.) of Saint Hill
who took up residence in Ashurst Wood with his family on |
|
SPONG, Mr. |
Evangelist and assistant
to Rev. Slight at Ashurst Wood, first mentioned by him in his letter of 9
Dec. 1873. |
|
STAPLEY, |
One of those living at 3,
Park View, the SLIGHTs' home in 1841. |
|
STEER, Edward |
Property developer in |
|
STEPHENS, George |
solicitor living with his
wife Charlotte, mother-in-law, Charlotte STAPLEY, at 3 Park View, in 1841 a
house shared with the SLIGHTs |
|
|
One of Benjamin's fellow
students at Highbury. Conducted the
opening services of Moat Congregational Church, |
|
STRANGE, E. Hilder |
linen draper by
profession in the |
|
STRATTEN, Rev. J. |
of
Paddington. Led the evening service on
the day of B.S.'s ordination at Mount Sion Chapel on |
|
TESTER, Mrs. |
Attended Benjamin's
funeral service at Ashurst Wood on |
|
THOMPSON, Rev. J Radford |
the second
minister to succeed Benjamin at Mount Pleasant Congregational Church, TW,
appointed in 1862. Presided at the
ordination service of Rev. J. T. Maxwell at |
|
THOMSON, Patrick |
Intimate friend of B.S.'s
at Highbury (late 1828-mid-1830). |
|
TRICE, Mary |
Married MARTIN, Rev.
Samuel (q.v.) at the first marriage to take place at Mount Sion Chapel, TW,
on |
|
TURNBULL, Rev. James |
M.A. Minister of the Rocks Chapel, |
|
TWISS, Caroline |
sister of Charlotte
SLIGHT and witness at her marriage on |
|
TWISS, Daniel |
brother of Charlotte
SLIGHT and witness at her marriage on |
|
TWISS, Mary |
nee SCOTT (1767-20 January
1836), mother of Charlotte SLIGHT |
|
TWISS, Robert |
died |
|
VINCE, George James |
Succeeded Mr. Spong as
Benjamin's assistant at Ashurst Wood until replaced by Rev. Singleton in
1879. Remained there, described in
1881 as "missionary". His
wife was in charge of the day school. Addressed the public tea meeting of the
27th chapel anniversary at Ashurst Wood in October 1886. Present at Benjamin's funeral at Ashurst
Wood on |
|
WATERS, J. |
Spoke at the public
meeting in Ashurst Wood Congregational Church on |
|
WATERS, James |
Attended Benjamin's
funeral service at Ashurst Wood on |
|
WATERS, John |
Attended Benjamin's
funeral service at Ashurst Wood on |
|
WATERS, Mrs. Margaret J. |
of |
|
WHINFIELD, James
Widdrington |
(c.
1812-27 Feb 1891). Grocer, tea dealer
and soda water and lemonade manufacturer in Newcastle upon Tyne before 1851
until at least 1874, at 22 Grainger Street, moving later to no. 41. He and his wife Eliza (born c. 1822 in |
|
WILINSON, Mr. |
Bought Sackville Cottage, |
|
WILSON, Joshua |
(1795-14 Aug 1874). Son of Thomas WILSON (q.v.). Married Mary Wood, only daughter of Thomas
Bulley of Teignmouth in 1837. Lived at
|
|
WILSON, Thomas |
(1764-17 June 1843). Non-conformist benefactor Treasurer of
Highbury College, manufacturer of ribbons, silks and gauzes. Reopened Mount Sion Chapel, TW, on |
|
YOUNG |
Undertaker of |
|
YOUNG, William |
Grocer of |