John Samuel Bewley Monsell (2 March 1811 - 9 April 1875) was an Irish
Anglican
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
clergyman and poet.
Life
The son of
Thomas Bewley Monsell,
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in the Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion, St Thomas Christians, Eastern Orthodox churches and some other Christian denominations, above that o ...
of
Derry
Derry, officially Londonderry (), is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland and the fifth-largest city on the island of Ireland. The name ''Derry'' is an anglicisation of the Old Irish name (modern Irish: ) meaning 'oak grove'. The ...
, he was born in St. Columb's, Londonderry, and educated at
Trinity College, Dublin
, name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin
, motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin)
, motto_lang = la
, motto_English = It will last i ...
, receiving a BA in 1832 (and an LL.D in 1856). He was ordained deacon in 1834, and priest in 1835. His sister was the noted botanical artist
Diana Conyngham Ellis
Diana Conyngham Ellis (née Monsell) (1813 - 4 May 1851) was a botanical artist from Ireland.
Life
Diana Monsell was born, most probably in County Londonderry, in 1813. She was the eldest daughter of the four children of the Archdeacon of Derry ...
. He lived in Milford House, Co. Tipperary for a time.
He married Anne, daughter of Bolton Waller, of Shannon Grove and Castletown on 15 January 1835. It is widely noted that eldest son Thomas Bewley Monsell, a Lieutenant in the 19th Regiment, died on the way to the
Crimean War
The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia.
Geopolitical causes of the war included the de ...
, aged 18, in a shipwreck off Italy. However, the date of death given by newspapers (February 16th) apparently predates the late-April fire and sinking of the SS Croesus offshore from the Monastery of San Fruttuoso Monastery near Genoa. The eldest daughter Elizabeth Isabella died in
Torquay
Torquay ( ) is a seaside town in Devon, England, part of the unitary authority area of Torbay. It lies south of the county town of Exeter and east-north-east of Plymouth, on the north of Tor Bay, adjoining the neighbouring town of Paignton ...
at the age of 28 in 1861. Another daughter, Jane Diana, married the Rev.
C. W. Furse in 1859. Through his son William Thomas Monsell, a magistrate and inspector of facturers, Monsell was grandfather to the artist
Elinor Darwin
Elinor Mary Darwin (née Monsell; 1879–1954) was an Irish born illustrator, engraver and portrait painter. Her illustrations were included in several of her husband, Bernard Darwin's books for children.
Personal life
Elinor Mary Monsell was ...
(née Monsell).
His brother Charles, also a clergyman, married Harriet O'Brien, who refounded the
Community of St John Baptist
The Community of St John Baptist (CSJB), also known as the Sisters of Mercy, or formerly Clewer Sisters, is an Anglican religious order of Augustinian nuns.
History
The Community was founded in England in 1852 by Harriet Monsell (the first Supe ...
at
Clewer near
Windsor after her husband's death in Italy. Through Charles and Harriet, John Monsell became influenced by the
Oxford Movement
The Oxford Movement was a movement of high church members of the Church of England which began in the 1830s and eventually developed into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose original devotees were mostly associated with the University of O ...
and an admirer of
Edward Bouverie Pusey, and also became acquainted with
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-conse ...
, with whom he maintained a correspondence.
[Letters in the British Library]
He was responsible for the building or rebuilding of three of his churches: Ramoan, at
Ballycastle, County Antrim, St Jude,
Englefield Green, during his incumbency at
Egham, and
St. Nicolas' Church, Guildford
St Nicolas' is an Anglican parish church in Guildford, England.
Location and parish Location
St Nicolas’ church (spelt ‘Nicholas’ until the early 20th century) is on the west bank of the River Wey, at the bottom of Guildford High Street ...
.
While inspecting the rebuilding of the latter, Monsell fell from a boulder, and subsequently died in 1875 from an infected wound.
Service
*Curacy of Templemore (Diocese of
Derry
Derry, officially Londonderry (), is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland and the fifth-largest city on the island of Ireland. The name ''Derry'' is an anglicisation of the Old Irish name (modern Irish: ) meaning 'oak grove'. The ...
) 1834-1836
*Chaplain of Chapel of Ease (St. Augustine’s) 1836-1838
*Chaplain of
Magdalene College, Belfast 1843-1846
*Rector of
Dunaghy 1846-1847
*Rector of Ramoan (Diocese of
Connor) 1847-1853
*Chancellor of Connor 1847-1853
*Vicar of
Egham, near Windsor 1853-1870
*Rector of
St. Nicolas' Church, Guildford
St Nicolas' is an Anglican parish church in Guildford, England.
Location and parish Location
St Nicolas’ church (spelt ‘Nicholas’ until the early 20th century) is on the west bank of the River Wey, at the bottom of Guildford High Street ...
and Chaplain to
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
1870-1875.
Published writings
Monsell was a prolific hymnist. He published eleven volumes of poems and about 300 hymns.
His books include: ''Hymns and Miscellaneous Poems'' (1837), ''Parish Musings: In verse'' (1850), ''Spiritual Songs for the Sundays and Holy Days Throughout the Year'' (1859), ''Hymns of Love and Praise for the Church's Year'' (1863), ''Our New Vicar'' (1867), ''Litany Hymns'' (1870).
His hymns include:
*"
Fight the good fight with all thy might"
*"Mighty Father! Blessed Son"
*"On our way rejoicing as we homeward move"
*"Sing to the Lord a joyful song"
*"O Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!"
*"I hunger and I thirst"
References
Parish Musings: In verse (London: Francis and John Rivington, 1850)
Hymns of Love and Praise for the Church’s Year (London: Bell and Daldy, 1863)
Further reading
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Monsell, John
Irish Anglican hymnwriters
19th-century Irish Anglican priests
1811 births
1875 deaths
19th-century classical composers