PARSON WHO TURNED PUBLICAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14925, 24 February 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

PARSON WHO TURNED PUBLICAN.

REMARKABLE CAREER,

An extraordinary career is ended by tho death of the Rev.' Samuel Thackeray, A., LL.D., a clerk in holy orders, who about six years ago shocked the ecclesiastics by becoming "mine host of the Fish and Eels " at Hoddcsdon, Hertfordshire.

Before that time people had heard of fighting parsons and walking parsons, but they had never heard of one who stood behind a bar and served out beer.

As a youth Mr. Thackeray went to Cambridge and became a wrangler. In 1872 ho was headmaster of Dartford Grammar School and curate of Bexley Heath. Subsequently ho was assistant chaplain at Tilbury Fort and held curacies at St. Luke's, Victoria Docks, All Saints', Ncwington, Christ Church, Greenwich, etc. From 1898 to 1906 he was chaplain of tho Gordon Road workhouse, Camberwell, and it was, while ho occupied that position that his application for the license of the Fish and Eels Hotel at Hoddcsdon brought him into notoriety. The inn adjoins tho river Stort, and in the summer large numbers of anglers go into the vicinity to fish— naturally adjourn to tho Fish and Eels. "I can't provide Divine service there —■ my duties at tho workhouso will prevent that, but I shall probably try a few family prayers in tho hotel," said tho clerical landlord after getting tho license. Ho soldom visited the workhouse, except on Sundays, though he drew £110 a year, and his idea was to leave a manager in chargo of tho public-house on that day. But though tho magistrates raised no objection to having a clergyman as a publican, tho Bishop of Southwark and tho Camborwell guardians objected strongly. When requested by the guardians to resign his chaplaincy Mr. Thackeray declined, and at tho guardians' desire tho Local Government Board issued an order removing him from his office. Services to the Inn. " I shall now," ho said, " hold services in tho inn on Sundays. I shall bo the publican behind tho bar, tho sinners will bo in front of me, and Christ, I hope, will be in tho midst of us." He certainly did hold services, and sometimes on week-days ho conducted prayer meetings. Not only was Mr. Thackeray a brilliant mathematician, but an accomplished musician, being an Associate of Trinity College, London. Ho claimed to have invented a new system of music, and so certain was ho that it would become popular that he patented it. It was called tho Uniclef system, from tho fact that it reduced all music into one —C natural.

Some time after becoming a publican, ho obtained a music and dancing license, informing the magistrates when be made the application that the students of his now system of music would probably want to givo impromptu concerts. When asked if ho thought dancing was a proper recreation, ho replied he did, .and pointed out that it had Biblical sanction.

A Christian Socialist, he was a member of the Independent Labour party, and a book of his, " The Land and the Community," in which land nationalisation was urged, ran into several editions.

Owing to ill-health ho resigned the tenancy of the Fish and Eels in June, 1907, and afterwards held a curacy at East Peckham, near Paddock Wood, Kent.