Church of England.
The Church of England, which is also known as the Established, Anglican, or Episcopal Church, continues to be the state religion today. Being the official church its form of worship had to reflect the requirements of everyone be they wishing to worship in a very simple way or take part in more elaborate ritual. This lead to many priests who preferred the second style to be lampooned for trying to return the Church to that of Rome. Members of the clergy who followed the Oxford movement and adhered to their tracts were labelled as being a Tractarian or Puseyite (so named after one of the principle leaders of the Oxford Movement Edward Bouverie Pusey, Regius Professor of Hebrew at Christ Church, Oxford. for over fifty years) among the clergy found on our tree John Ingle and his father-
Lay Worker and Officials in the Parish.
Sextons, Parish Clerks, Churchwarden and Overseers have been covered on their own pages.
Lay Reader.
In 1866 the archbishops of both Canterbury and York agreed to a form of "reader's licence". The License was granted after a two year training period and may be revoked if the parish priest left. This permitted the recipient only to read the scriptures in a specified parish, but it led in the 1880s to the concept of preaching readers, at least some of whom had a diocesan rather than a parochial licence. The lay readers differed from the scripture readers in that they worked in the Church while the scripture readers worked with people yet to be members of a church. The lay readers trained to administer to the dying, conduct funerals assist at communion, read banns, and take on some community visiting. They also took evensong in absence of the Priest and were able to give sermons from the lectern not from the pulpit. They ensured that a service was held every Sunday when the parish was between Priests by conducting Matins or evensong.
One known family lay reader was George LEESE [20748]. On 8 Jan 1900 he signed an illuminated address as licensed lay reader which was presented to his father-
Scripture Reader.
A Scripture Reader had to be a communicant of the Church of England for at least two years, nominated by the minister of the parish to the bishop, to be examined as to his fitness for the office either by the bishop himself or someone appointed for that purpose. On being approved the scripture reader was then appointed in writing by the bishop, and was under the control and direction of the clergyman who nominated him. It was the duty of the scripture reader to search out the most destitute and ignorant of the parishioners, and to read the Holy Scriptures from house to house. They were strictly prohibited from carrying, distributing, or reading from any book or publication except the Old and New Testament, the Book of Common Prayer, and any books sanctioned by the the incumbent. They were also strictly forbidden to preach anywhere.
In the middle of the nineteenth century the salary of a Scripture Reader was between £50 and £70 a year. The work suited men who were employed in work that took them into regular contact with people in their homes, such as insurance collectors who were able to deliver a scripture reading and its interpretation when they collected their subscriptions. The object of appointing Scripture Readers was to give the clergy increased means of parochial efficiency
In our family: Edward ELLARD [5142] was a Scripture Reader and later became an Evangelist
Evangelist.
The most intense training for lay people was reserved for those seeking the position of evangelist. They were able to preach outdoors and conduct most services without a priest present. An evangelist could not give a blessing, conduct a marriage or consecrate the elements of Communion but they could read banns of marriage and administer pre consecrated elements to the sick and dying.
In our family: Edward ELLARD [5142], a locksmith by trade also a baker and grocer, who became first a Lay reader then a Scripture reader and later an Evangelist.
Church Army.
The formation of the Salvation Army and the success of Lay Scripture Readers lead to the formation of the Church Army. The Church Army was founded in England in 1882 by the Revd Wilson Carlile (afterwards prebendary of St Paul's Cathedral), who banded together in an orderly army of soldiers, officers, and a few working men and women, whom he and others trained to act as Church of England evangelists among the outcasts and criminals of the Westminster slums.
Previous experience had convinced Carlile that the moral condition of the lowest classes of the people called for new and aggressive action on the part of the Church, and that this work was most effectively done by lay people of the same class as those whom it was desired to touch. As the work grew, a training institution for evangelists was started in Oxford, but soon moved (1886) to London, where, in Bryanston Street near Marble Arch, the headquarters of the army was established.
All officers of the Church Army are admitted to the office of evangelist at their commissioning and licensed to their work by a diocesan bishop.
Church Army Evangelists found in our family:
Charles Alfred Augustus ELLARD [5247] later ordained in Lichfield.
John Richard MARTINS a direct ancestor of a cousin’s husband.
Church of England Clergy.
The priests that are connected with our family can be split into two groups; one the descendants of, or who married descendants of William ELLARD [5136], the other the descendants of, or who married descendants of Matthew INGLE [27038]. See separate page Church of England Clergy.
Free Church of England
The Free Church of England was a small Protestant body of which Henry EBBEN [17476] was a member.
Reformed Episcopal Church
In 1877, in response to a petition from REC sympathizers in England, the REC's Fifth General Council acted to establish the Reformed Episcopal Church in England, it had started in America and Canada. Former Church of England minister Thomas Huband Gregg was consecrated a bishop to lead adherents there. By 1910 there were 28 ministers and 1,990 communicant members constituting the Reformed Episcopal Church. In 1927, the Reformed Episcopal Church in England merged with the Free Church of England.
John Richard MARTINS (direct ancestor of a cousin’s husband) Clerk in Holy Orders.
Anglican Nun
Winifred Cuzon INGLE [27689]
Youngest daughter of John INGLE [27042] she took over as organist at St Olave's after her sister Mary Agnes married Robert Dymond in 1878.
With her sister Mildred she attended St Anne's school in Baltonsborough, Somerset. St. Anne's school for the daughters of clergy and professional men was opened by Anglican nuns from Clewer, Berks., before 1871. It was on a site in Martin Street given by Georgiana and Cicely Neville. In 1881 there were five teachers, including those specialising in French and music, and pupils came from all over Britain. Day pupils were also taught. The number of boarders fell from 37 in 1883 to 28 in 1889 and the school had closed by 1897.
In 1891 she was living with her father and step mother and was a teacher of English, French and Music. She entered the Community of St. Mary the Virgin of Wantage sometime between 1891 and 1901. Her name as a nun was sister Wenefried. She lived in the branch known as The Holy Rood in Findon, Sussex. There she and the other sisters nursed incurable women. Her obituary says she ‘continued to use her music skills at the convent. The Mother Superior feels that her music will be much missed.’
She passed away after a very short illness, resulting from a chill when proceeding to Bath for her annual rest. Returning home very ill, her heart gave way and she died in collapse.
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