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Celebrating Hampshire Historians

Vaughan, John

22.1.1855 - 10.07.1922

John was born in Brixton where his father, Matthew, had been ‘perpetual curate’ of St John’s Church since 1853. In 1864 the family moved to Finchingfield in Essex following the appointment of his father as vicar. John was educated at Felstead School and subsequently Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, from where he graduated in 1876. He was ordained in 1878 and served his first curacy at Stratton in the diocese of Gloucestershire and his second at Alton. Thereafter he remained in Hampshire. Initially vicar of Portchester, from 1890 to 1897, he subsequently held the livings of Langrish (a village west of Petersfield), from 1897 to 1902 and Droxford, from 1902 to 1910. Between 1903 and 1909 he was an Honorary Canon of Winchester and then Canon Residentiary from 1909 until his death in 1922.

In 1892 he had married Gertrude Whyley the eldest daughter of the Reverend F. Whyley, who was, at the time, Vicar of Alton. John and Gertrude had two daughters, Margaret (born in 1893) and Celia (born in 1896). Like many clergymen, Vaughan’s academic interests extended beyond theology. Although best known as a botanist, as some of his publications testify these also included history and literature. Such was his reputation as both a clergymen and a lover of nature that his unexpected death, having been taken ill while celebrating Holy Communion at the cathedral, was fully reported in The Times.

Sources

  • Hampshire Advertiser (HA) 20 July 1922

  • The Times 11 July 1922

  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Vaughan_%28naturalist%29

  • Kenneth Ward, A Fruitful Life in Hampshire. A brief biography of Canon John Vaughan M.A. (1855-1922). Rural rector, Botanist, Philospher, and great Churchman of Winchester Cathedral from 1909 to 1922. (copy in HALS)

Portrait

Canon John Vaughan

Hampshire Advertiser, 20 July 1922

Contribution to county’s history

Vaughan was a frequent contributor to a variety of journals, including Winchester Century, Saturday Review, Chambers Journal and The Churchman. Unsurprisingly, many of his articles were on aspects of Hampshire’s natural history, but others dealt with such topics as the history of the “Ancient Market-Towne” of Titchfield; French prisoners at Portchester Castle and parish documents relating to Portchester’s history, more generally. Ward describes his essays as ‘informative and entertaining’. In some of his academic pursuits he collaborated with F.J. Baigent.

Relevant published works

  • A Short History of Portchester Castle

  • The Wild Flowers of Selbourne & Other Papers (John Lane, The Bodley Head, 1906).

  • Winchester Cathedral Close: its historical and literary associations (Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons, 1914)

Critical Comments

Ward is fulsome in his praise of the book about Winchester Cathedral which he describes as ‘remarkable for its content, as for its concept and completeness.’ In his words, it ‘is no dry volume’, but ‘a book of gladness and sadness; of triumphs and tragedies; a veritable cathedral ‘cavalcade’ ’.

Other Comments

‘A valued member of the Hampshire Field Club … his lectures were always full of charm’. He was also ‘an admirable preacher’ and his close involvement with the Diocesan Society for the Promotion of Higher Education in Religious Knowledge ‘brought him friends from all parts of the diocese.’ (HA 20 July 1922)

Contributor

Roger Ottewill (10 August & 16 September 2023)

Key Words

Botany, Titchfield, Portchester Castle, Winchester Cathedral Close

If you are able to add anything to this entry, please send your ideas to celebrating@hantsfieldclub.org.uk.

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