Henry Hayes Vowles (born at Victoria Park Farm 26 June 1843 in Bath, England and died 13 November 1905 in Gloucester, England) was an author, theologian and a Wesleyan Minister. He also published religious poetry.
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He was the son of Henry Vowles (born 13 October 1816 – died Reading 17 February 1883) of Bath and Mary Yeoman Harding (born 18 December 1812 – died Lyme Regis 10 January 1886) of "The Chancellor" Wanstrow, Somerset. The parents of Henry Vowles (b 1816) were James Vowles (a dairyman) of 2 Quiet Street Bath, (born 2 March 1785 buried 6/2/1859) and Martha Edney (born 1789). James Vowles was the son of William Vowles (a Dairy farmer) of Walcot (buried 1809) and Hannah Hancock.[1] William Vowles was the son of James Vowles and Martha Jane married at Bath Abbey on 6/8/1728.
Rev. Henry Hayes Vowles' father, Henry, is recorded as being employed in a number of roles. In 1838, he is noted as a "yeoman" on a wedding certificate. This piece of evidence is particularly interesting as the whole document, including witnesses' signatures, is completed in the same hand as the Rector. All of the men on the certificate are described as yeomen.[2] In 1851, his occupation was described as a "Carrier's Agent".[3] In 1871, his occupation was recorded as "farmer"[4] He is cited on family trees as a "dairy man". Henry "after getting through two fortunes and driving his wife from home" was steadily employed by Huntley and Palmers of Reading where he died and was buried.
Mary Yeoman Vowles née Harding had "a life of much sadness, but her sweet disposition, like her mother's, made her a favourite with everybody".[5] Mary Harding's brother was Joseph Harding[6] who standardised the production of modern Cheddar Cheese. They were the children of Joseph Harding and Mary Yeoman. The Harding family had originally come from Pewsey, Wiltshire.[7]
Rev. Henry Hayes vowles had three siblings (All four were born at Bath Park Farm):
Their mother Mary Vowles née Harding died at Stalbridge and was buried beside her son Alonzo's grave (see image).[8]
Henry and Alonzo were educated at the expense of John Harding of Holly Bank, Balcombe, Dorset. This was because their father Henry had "led a very intemperate and wild life and spent two fortunes in driving his wife and family homeless. It was not safe for her to continue living with [him] and so she came to my mother at Grosvenor House".
In 1841 his parents were resident at Park Farm, Marlborough Street, Walcot, Lansdown, Bath with their one year old son James.[9] In 1851 Vowles was resident at Kingsmead Terrace, Bath aged 8 and described as a scholar.[10] He did not attend Kingswood school[11]
Henry Hayes Vowles was ordained in 1867.
During his lifetime, he also ministered in the following circuits: Faversham, Nelson, Blackpool, Birmingham, Pembroke, Stockton-on-Tees, Southwark, Gateshead and Barnsley. He was also based at Southwark[12]
He went to work in Gloucester in 1895 as Superintendent of the Gloucester Wesleyan Circuit, which post he held for three years. He then went to Guernsey as Chairman of the Channel Islands District. In 1901, he returned to Gloucester as Supernumerary Minister. He was an accomplished Hebrew and Greek scholar and published at least two of his sermons. He served on the Gloucester City Education Committee.
In 1901, he was resident at St Peter Port, Guernsey.
He married Hannah Elizabeth Thistle (18 November 1842 – 31 March 1903 and buried at Gloucester Cemetery) at St Mary's church Whitby on 29 August 1871. Hannah Elizabeth Thistle was born at 157 Mill street, Liverpool and was the daughter of Thomas Thistle (1813–1892) and Alice Smith (1876–1893). This Thomas Thistle was the son of Thomas and Martha Thistle (née Wilson) of Blue Band (?), Whitby. Hannah Vowles was the sister of Thomas Thistle headmaster of Hereford Cathedral School[13] Alice Smith was the daughter of George Smith.
In 1881 he was resident at Thornaby, Yorkshire.
He had seven children:
Rev HH Vowles' brother James Harding Vowles son emigrated to Ontario, Canada and died there soon after. He left a number of Vowles descendants in the province.
"Henry H. Vowles: was born at Bath, 26 June 1843, and entered the Ministry in 1867. His first appointment was to Faversham, and he laboured in the active ministry until the Conference of 1901. He was an able preacher, a vigorous thinker, and a man of scholarly attainments. His freshness of thought and his power of lucid exposition made his sermons attractive and profitable. His sympathy with the young, his sound judgment, and his varied attainments won for him the confidence and affection of our people. He was cheerful and patient during his painful and prolonged illness, and his faith in his Lord and Saviour was expressed in the words of the Psalm which he had chosen to be read on the day of his burial: "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?". Much more might be said of his character and ministry; but it was his earnest request that as little as possible might be written about him. He died at Gloucester, 13 November 1905 in his sixty-third year and in the thirty-eighth of his ministry."[16]