Thomas Crowther

Thomas Crowther (1794, in Thornton – 1859) was an evangelical clergyman in the Church of England, a friend of the Brontës,[1] and the first vicar of the church of St John in the Wilderness in Cragg Vale from 1822 until his death in 1859.

For other people named Thomas Crowther, see Thomas Crowther (disambiguation).
Thomas Crowther
Born1794
Thornton in Craven, Yorkshire, England
Died1859
Cragg Vale, Yorkshire, England
OccupationClerk in Holy Orders (Anglican Minister)
NationalityBritish
CitizenshipBritish subject
PeriodNineteenth century
SubjectChild labour
SpousePhebe Wilkinson

Biography

Early life

He was the son of a weaver[2] and studied at Trinity College, Dublin. He married Phebe Wilkinson on 6 February 1815 at Thornton in Craven. He was made a deacon in 1821[2] and a priest in 1822,[2] serving as a curate in Overton, North Yorkshire, until coming to the newly built church of St John the Baptist in the Wilderness, being installed on 5 July 1822.

He was a regular visitor to the Brontë parsonage, and appears to have visited at least once in each year.[3] In 1854 he visited the Howarth Church to assist and performed 10 baptisms in a day.[4] On the same day he preached the Sunday School sermon which raised the substantial sum of £18 10s.[5]

Opposition to child labour

He was a supporter of men such as Richard Oastler and John Fielden in his opposition to child labour in the mills.[6] He also worked to support the passage of the Factories Act 1847.[7] Crowther spoke in support of Richard Oastler at public meetings held at the Old Assembly Rooms in Halifax on 8 April 1833[8] and again at Hebden Bridge on 24 August 1833.

Illness and death

In the visitation records kept by Robert Bickersteth as Bishop of Ripon of his visitation in 1858 Crowther is recorded as saying that he was totally incapacitated from sickness, and that his son was deputising for him.[2] He was buried in St John's churchyard and his gravestone reads:

In Loving Memory of The Late Revnd Thomas Crowther

For 38 Years Incumbent of this Parish Who Departed this Life Nov. 18. 1859 His Sole Aim Was to Win Souls to Christ
Also of Phebe, Widow of the Above Who Died March 13. 1875, Aged 80 Years

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints Psalm 116:15

References
  1. Letters of Charlotte Brontë,
  2. Edward Royle (editor) Bishop Bickersteth's Visitation Returns for the Archdeaconry of Craven, Diocese of Ripon, 1858 Borthwick Institute, 2009 ISBN 1904497268 at page 129.
  3. Juliet Barker The Brontes first edition. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1994 ISBN 0297812904 at page 684.
  4. Haworth Church Register of Baptisms 1854–1876
  5. Leeds Intelligencer 29 July 1854.
  6. John Fielden The Curse of the Factory System 1833 reprinted (second edition) Rouledge, 1969 ISBN 0714613940 in the Library of Industrial Classics
  7. 10 & 11 Vict., c. 29
  8. Poster An Appeal to the Public Todmorden 9 July 1833 now in Goldsmiths Collection
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