William Tuckwell (1829–1919), who liked to be known as the "radical parson", was an English Anglican clergyman well known on political platforms for his experiments in allotments, his advocacy of land nationalisation, and his enthusiasm for Christian socialism. He was an advocate of teaching science in the schools.
Tuckwell was born on 27 November 1829. He was the eldest son of Margaret, née Wood (1803/4–1842) and William Tuckwell (1784–1845), a surgeon at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford.[1]
Tuckwell was educated at a preparatory school in Hammersmith before attending Winchester College from 1842 and New College, Oxford, in 1848.[1]
From 1857 to 1864 he was headmaster of New College School. In 1864 the Warden of New College, Oxford, nominated him as headmaster of Taunton Grammar School, later known as Taunton College School.[2] It was recorded that his "energy and vitality" increased the size and quality of the school.
In 1858 he married Rosa Strong (b. 1829/30), eldest daughter of Captain Henry Strong, an Indian army officer. Her younger sister was feminist and trade unionist Emilia Dilke. Rosa and William Tuckwell had four children, one son and three daughters. Their second daughter Gertrude TuckwellCH (1861–1951) was a trade unionist, social worker, author, and the first woman magistrate appointed in London.[1][3]
William Tuckwell died on 1 February 1919.[1] His daughter Gertrude was his executor.[1]
The Reminiscences
He is best remembered as the author of Reminiscences of Oxford, which records the Oxford of the 1830s, but is somewhat misleading. Owen Chadwick records that he liked to "pretend to be much older than he was. ... What Tuckwell knew about were the fifties and sixties, and his portrait of Tractarian leaders is drawn from experiences in that later time; though quite often he likes to give the impression that it is much earlier."[4]
His daughter was Gertrude Tuckwell, to whom his Reminiscences of a Radical Parson was dedicated.
Christian socialism
Tuckwell became active in politics in February 1884, at the time of the great reform bill. His work among the poor had led him to enquire much about their conditions and lives.
Slowly, with much comparison, my conclusions were built up. I found that twentyone shillings in the country, thirty shillings in the town, was the smallest weekly sum on which a worker with wife and four young children could be maintained in decency and comfort; that the average wage throughout England was fifteen shillings in the country, twenty-five shillings in the town, in each case at least five shillings a week below the minimum of decency and comfort. The millions who were enchained by such conditions were further found to be not only underpaid but overworked, their hours of labour ranging from ten to seventeen hours a day; mind, taste, intelligence, starved through want of leisure. And it appeared, finally, that these unfortunates, thus underpaid and overworked, were in many places-rural places more especially, but not there alone-serfs at the mercy of their employers. Engaged on weekly tenure, dismissal hung ever over their heads. If anyone amongst them should attend a radical meeting, vote for a radical candidate, remonstrate against the foul surroundings of his home, omit to touch his hat to squire or to parson, he might be told - and to my knowledge often was told - that his services were no longer required. And to be thus discharged was in every case to be expatriated. Branded with the stigma of insubordination, he would find no employer in the neighbourhood to take him in; he must convey himself and his family to fresh woods and pastures new, removed as far as might be from his former home. Underpay, overwork, slavery-behold the inheritance of those millions whom parsons spoke of on week-days as "the masses," addressed as "dearly beloved brethren" on the Sundays.[5]
Over the next ten years he delivered more than a thousand speeches in support of Christian socialism and in favour of a redistribution of wealth and land.
Bibliography
William Tuckwell, A. W. Kinglake: A Biographical and Literary Study
William Tuckwell, The Ancient Ways: Winchester 50 Years Ago
William Tuckwell, Horace, 1905. Google books edition
William Tuckwell, Tongues in Trees and Sermons in Stones, 1891. Google books edition
William Tuckwell, Reminiscences of a Radical Parson, 1905. Google books edition
William Tuckwell, Reminiscences of Oxford, London: Cassell, 1901, expanded 2nd ed. 1908. Google books edition of 1908 edition
William Tuckwell, Pre-tractarian Oxford: A Reminiscence of the Oriel 'Noetics'
William Tuckwell, The New Utopia or England in 1985: A Lecture, 1885.
William Tuckwell, Christian Socialism and Other Lectures, 1891.
TUCKWELL, W. Science-Teaching in Schools. Nature 1, 18–20 (1869). https://doi.org/10.1038/001018d0
^ abcde"Tuckwell, William (1829–1919), schoolmaster, author, and self-styled radical parson". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/92927. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
^Bromwich, David (1980). King's College, Taunton: The First Hundred Years, 1880–1890. pp. 4–8.
^"Tuckwell, Gertrude Mary (1861–1951), trade unionist and social reformer". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/36572. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
^Owen Chadwick, The Spirit of the Oxford Movement: Tractarian Essays, Cambridge University Press, 1992, p. 137. Google books preview
^Tuckwell, Reminiscences of a Radical Parson, p. 10–11
External links
Wikisource has original works by or about: William Tuckwell
william, tuckwell, 1829, 1919, liked, known, radical, parson, english, anglican, clergyman, well, known, political, platforms, experiments, allotments, advocacy, land, nationalisation, enthusiasm, christian, socialism, advocate, teaching, science, schools, rev. William Tuckwell 1829 1919 who liked to be known as the radical parson was an English Anglican clergyman well known on political platforms for his experiments in allotments his advocacy of land nationalisation and his enthusiasm for Christian socialism He was an advocate of teaching science in the schools The ReverendWilliam TuckwellTuckwell in 1905Born 1829 11 27 27 November 1829Oxford EnglandDied1 February 1919 1919 02 01 aged 89 Pyrford EnglandSpouseRosa m 1858 wbr ChildrenGertrude Tuckwell et al ReligionChristianity Anglican ChurchChurch of England Contents 1 Life 2 The Reminiscences 3 Christian socialism 4 Bibliography 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksLife EditTuckwell was born on 27 November 1829 He was the eldest son of Margaret nee Wood 1803 4 1842 and William Tuckwell 1784 1845 a surgeon at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford 1 Tuckwell was educated at a preparatory school in Hammersmith before attending Winchester College from 1842 and New College Oxford in 1848 1 From 1857 to 1864 he was headmaster of New College School In 1864 the Warden of New College Oxford nominated him as headmaster of Taunton Grammar School later known as Taunton College School 2 It was recorded that his energy and vitality increased the size and quality of the school In 1858 he married Rosa Strong b 1829 30 eldest daughter of Captain Henry Strong an Indian army officer Her younger sister was feminist and trade unionist Emilia Dilke Rosa and William Tuckwell had four children one son and three daughters Their second daughter Gertrude Tuckwell CH 1861 1951 was a trade unionist social worker author and the first woman magistrate appointed in London 1 3 William Tuckwell died on 1 February 1919 1 His daughter Gertrude was his executor 1 The Reminiscences EditHe is best remembered as the author of Reminiscences of Oxford which records the Oxford of the 1830s but is somewhat misleading Owen Chadwick records that he liked to pretend to be much older than he was What Tuckwell knew about were the fifties and sixties and his portrait of Tractarian leaders is drawn from experiences in that later time though quite often he likes to give the impression that it is much earlier 4 His daughter was Gertrude Tuckwell to whom his Reminiscences of a Radical Parson was dedicated Christian socialism EditTuckwell became active in politics in February 1884 at the time of the great reform bill His work among the poor had led him to enquire much about their conditions and lives Slowly with much comparison my conclusions were built up I found that twentyone shillings in the country thirty shillings in the town was the smallest weekly sum on which a worker with wife and four young children could be maintained in decency and comfort that the average wage throughout England was fifteen shillings in the country twenty five shillings in the town in each case at least five shillings a week below the minimum of decency and comfort The millions who were enchained by such conditions were further found to be not only underpaid but overworked their hours of labour ranging from ten to seventeen hours a day mind taste intelligence starved through want of leisure And it appeared finally that these unfortunates thus underpaid and overworked were in many places rural places more especially but not there alone serfs at the mercy of their employers Engaged on weekly tenure dismissal hung ever over their heads If anyone amongst them should attend a radical meeting vote for a radical candidate remonstrate against the foul surroundings of his home omit to touch his hat to squire or to parson he might be told and to my knowledge often was told that his services were no longer required And to be thus discharged was in every case to be expatriated Branded with the stigma of insubordination he would find no employer in the neighbourhood to take him in he must convey himself and his family to fresh woods and pastures new removed as far as might be from his former home Underpay overwork slavery behold the inheritance of those millions whom parsons spoke of on week days as the masses addressed as dearly beloved brethren on the Sundays 5 Over the next ten years he delivered more than a thousand speeches in support of Christian socialism and in favour of a redistribution of wealth and land Bibliography EditWilliam Tuckwell A W Kinglake A Biographical and Literary Study William Tuckwell The Ancient Ways Winchester 50 Years Ago William Tuckwell Horace 1905 Google books edition William Tuckwell Tongues in Trees and Sermons in Stones 1891 Google books edition William Tuckwell Reminiscences of a Radical Parson 1905 Google books edition William Tuckwell Reminiscences of Oxford London Cassell 1901 expanded 2nd ed 1908 Google books edition of 1908 edition William Tuckwell Pre tractarian Oxford A Reminiscence of the Oriel Noetics William Tuckwell The New Utopia or England in 1985 A Lecture 1885 William Tuckwell Christian Socialism and Other Lectures 1891 TUCKWELL W Science Teaching in Schools Nature 1 18 20 1869 https doi org 10 1038 001018d0See also EditLiberal Party UK References Edit a b c d e Tuckwell William 1829 1919 schoolmaster author and self styled radical parson Oxford Dictionary of National Biography doi 10 1093 ref odnb 92927 Retrieved 23 December 2021 Bromwich David 1980 King s College Taunton The First Hundred Years 1880 1890 pp 4 8 Tuckwell Gertrude Mary 1861 1951 trade unionist and social reformer Oxford Dictionary of National Biography doi 10 1093 ref odnb 36572 Retrieved 23 December 2021 Owen Chadwick The Spirit of the Oxford Movement Tractarian Essays Cambridge University Press 1992 p 137 Google books preview Tuckwell Reminiscences of a Radical Parson p 10 11External links Edit Wikisource has original works by or about William Tuckwell Works by William Tuckwell at Project Gutenberg Works by or about William Tuckwell at Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Tuckwell amp oldid 1124819778, 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