Tom Hughes Clerical Errors: A Victorian Series, Volume
1, (Kindle edition), £3.86
The behaviour of public figures has always been subject to
scrutiny from an often prurient public. This has been particularly the case with
clergymen especially those who pronounce solemnly on issues of personal morality
and then demonstrate a hypocritical disregard for their own words. Often their
indiscretions were--and still are in some cases--brushed under the carpet by
moving individuals to different parishes but often not before their actions had
become newsworthy. Public attention was magnified by the dramatic expansion of
the local press during the nineteenth century--then as now scandal sold
newspapers. Clerical Errors mines the local press to explore five such
scandals. There is the case of a married London clergyman accused of writing an
obscene letter to his supposed mistress; a country clergy accused of breach of
promise and a Manchester curate who stole the affections of a wealthy cotton
merchant's wife; a slander trial when a Berkshire clergyman sued a farmer who
claimed to have seen the vicar and a female parishioner in a compromising
position; and a vicar with a sickly wife who advertised for a cook with
unfortunate consequences.
Not only are the stories of these five scandals well told and
are based on an obvious detailed understanding of the contemporary press, but
they provide important insights into social attitudes in Victorian Britain to
the politics of class and gender and the ways in which both the common law and
ecclesiastical courts were used in clerical scandals. Reputation was critical
for individuals, especially clergymen, and they were prepared to go to great
lengths to protect it.
This is an excellent book in which Tom Hughes writes with verve
on a subject he knows well. It combines well-structured, interesting narrative
with analysis of why the five stories are important in illustrating social
attitudes to clerical misdemeanours. I look forward to further volumes on the
subject.
