Archer Thompson Gurney
Encyclopedia
Archer Thompson Gurney was a Church of England
clergyman and hymn writer.
in Cornwall
on 15 July 1820. His father, Richard Gurney
, was vice-warden of the stannaries of Devon
. Archer Thompson Gurney became a student of the Middle Temple
29 April 1842, and was called to the bar 8 May 1846. His connection with the bar was of short duration, as in 1849 he was ordained to the curacy
of Holy Trinity, Exeter
. In 1851 he took charge of St. Mary's, Crown Street, Soho, London, where he remained until 1854, when he obtained the senior curacy of Buckingham
. He was appointed chaplain to the Court Chapel, Paris
, in 1858, and resided in that city till 1871. After his return to England he served as evening lecturer of Holy Trinity Church, Westminster
, from 1872 to 1874, as curate of Holy Trinity Chapel, Brighton
, 1874–5, as curate in charge of St Andrew's, Hastings
, 1877–8, assisted at St. Katharine's Hospital, Regent's Park
, London
, 1879–80, was curate in charge of Rhayader
, Radnorshire
, 1880–1, and was curate in charge of Llangunider, Brecon
, 1882–3. He afterwards resided at 7 Keble Terrace, Oxford
, and died of disease of the kidneys at the Castle hotel, 4 Northgate Street, Bath, 21 March 1887.
He was known as a poet and a theologian, and his work entitled Words of Faith and Cheer, 1874, obtained a well-deserved popularity.
He also wrote the words for Horsley's
Gideon, an oratorio, 1859, several songs which were set to music, many hymns in Shipley's Lyra Eucharistica, 1864, and the hymn commencing Come ye lofty, come ye lowly in Schaff's
Christ in Song, 1870. He wrote in the Theologian, English Review, Fortnightly Review
, Churchman's Family Magazine, Macmillan's Magazine and The Spectator
.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
clergyman and hymn writer.
Life
Archer Gurney was born at TregonyTregony
Tregony is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It lies on the River Fal. In the village there is a post office, shop, and two churches. Tregony has bus links to the nearest town, which is Truro. The village is made up from two parishes namely, Tregony and Cuby...
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
on 15 July 1820. His father, Richard Gurney
Richard Gurney
Richard Gurney was vice-warden of the stannaries of Devon. In 1830, he claimed to be elected member of parliament for Tregony in Cornwall, but did not succeed in obtaining the seat...
, was vice-warden of the stannaries of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. Archer Thompson Gurney became a student of the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
29 April 1842, and was called to the bar 8 May 1846. His connection with the bar was of short duration, as in 1849 he was ordained to the curacy
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
of Holy Trinity, Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
. In 1851 he took charge of St. Mary's, Crown Street, Soho, London, where he remained until 1854, when he obtained the senior curacy of Buckingham
Buckingham
Buckingham is a town situated in north Buckinghamshire, England, close to the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. The town has a population of 11,572 ,...
. He was appointed chaplain to the Court Chapel, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, in 1858, and resided in that city till 1871. After his return to England he served as evening lecturer of Holy Trinity Church, Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
, from 1872 to 1874, as curate of Holy Trinity Chapel, Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, 1874–5, as curate in charge of St Andrew's, Hastings
Hastings
Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
, 1877–8, assisted at St. Katharine's Hospital, Regent's Park
Regent's Park
Regent's Park is one of the Royal Parks of London. It is in the north-western part of central London, partly in the City of Westminster and partly in the London Borough of Camden...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 1879–80, was curate in charge of Rhayader
Rhayader
Rhayader is a market town and community in Powys, Mid Wales. It has a population of 2,075, and is the first town on the banks of the River Wye, from its source on the Plynlimon range of the Cambrian Mountains....
, Radnorshire
Radnorshire
Radnorshire is one of thirteen historic and former administrative counties of Wales. It is represented by the Radnorshire area of Powys, which according to the 2001 census, had a population of 24,805...
, 1880–1, and was curate in charge of Llangunider, Brecon
Brecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
, 1882–3. He afterwards resided at 7 Keble Terrace, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, and died of disease of the kidneys at the Castle hotel, 4 Northgate Street, Bath, 21 March 1887.
He was known as a poet and a theologian, and his work entitled Words of Faith and Cheer, 1874, obtained a well-deserved popularity.
Works
He was the author or translator of the following:- Turandot, Princess of China, a drama from the GermanGerman languageGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
of SchillerFriedrich SchillerJohann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was a German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright. During the last seventeen years of his life , Schiller struck up a productive, if complicated, friendship with already famous and influential Johann Wolfgang von Goethe...
, with alterations, 1836. - Faust, a Tragedy. Part the Second, 1842.
- King Charles the First, a dramatic poem, 1846.
- Love's Legends, poems, 1845.
- Poems, Spring, 1853.
- March and April Ditties, 1853.
- A Satire for the Age, The Transcendentalists, 1853; 2nd ed. 1855.
- Songs of the Present, 1854; 3rd ed. 1856.
- Iphigenia at Delphi, a tragedy, 1855; new ed. 1860.
- The Ode of Peace, 1855.
- Songs of Early Summer, 1856.
- Absolution, its Use and Abuse, and Excommunication, 1858.
- Poems, 1860.
- Sermons Anglicans prononcés à Paris, 1860.
- Restoration, or the Completion of the Reformation, 1861; 2nd ed. 1862.
- A Letter of Entreaty to the Rev. Dr. Pusey, 1864.
- Faith against Freethinkers, 1864.
- On Recent Propositions and the Prospect of Reunion, a letter to the Bishop of Oxford, 1866.
- Letter to a Friend on Obedience to Law, and to the Bishop, 1873.
- Words of Faith and Cheer, a Mission of Instruction and Suggestion, 1874.
- Parables and Meditations for Sundays and Holy-days, 1874.
- First Principles in Church and State, 1875.
He also wrote the words for Horsley's
Charles Edward Horsley
Charles Edward Horsley , English musician, was the son of William Horsley.He studied in Germany under Hauptmann and Mendelssohn, and on his return to England composed several oratorios and other pieces, none of which had permanent success. In 1860 he was appointed to arrange the music for the...
Gideon, an oratorio, 1859, several songs which were set to music, many hymns in Shipley's Lyra Eucharistica, 1864, and the hymn commencing Come ye lofty, come ye lowly in Schaff's
Philip Schaff
Philip Schaff , was a Swiss-born, German-educated Protestant theologian and a historian of the Christian church, who, after his education, lived and taught in the United States.-Biography:...
Christ in Song, 1870. He wrote in the Theologian, English Review, Fortnightly Review
Fortnightly Review
Fortnightly Review was one of the most important and influential magazines in nineteenth-century England. It was founded in 1865 by Anthony Trollope, Frederic Harrison, Edward Spencer Beesly, and six others with an investment of £9,000; the first edition appeared on 15 May 1865...
, Churchman's Family Magazine, Macmillan's Magazine and The Spectator
The Spectator
The Spectator is a weekly British magazine first published on 6 July 1828. It is currently owned by David and Frederick Barclay, who also owns The Daily Telegraph. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture...
.