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Silvester Horne

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Silvester Horne
Member of Parliament for Ipswich
In office
15 January 1910 – 2 May 1914
Preceded byFelix Cobbold
Succeeded byJohn Ganzoni
Personal details
BornCharles Silvester Horne
(1865-04-15)15 April 1865
Cuckfield, Sussex
Died2 May 1914(1914-05-02) (aged 49)
Canada
PartyLiberal
RelationsHerbert Cozens-Hardy (father-in-law)
Ronald Gordon (grandson)
ChildrenKenneth Horne
Alma materMansfield College, Oxford

Charles Silvester Horne (15 April 1865 – 2 May 1914) was a Congregational minister, Liberal MP for Ipswich, and a noted orator.[1] He was the father of Kenneth Horne.[2] Horne authored several books, including a history of the London Missionary Society and its global work.[3]

Childhood

Born in Cuckfield, Sussex, on 15 April 1865, he was the youngest child of Charles Horne, minister of Cuckfield Congregational Church, and Harriet Silvester Simpson.[4]

When he was six weeks old,[5] his family relocated to Newport, Shropshire. Here, Charles Horne left the ministry to become editor of the local newspaper, the Newport Advertiser and partnered with his wife's uncle, Charles Silvester, in a printing and bookselling business. Horne spent the remainder of his childhood in Newport and was educated at Adams' Grammar School, where Tom Collins served as headmaster.[6] The family newspaper was a shared enterprise, with every family member contributing at various times.[7]

The family attended the Newport Congregational Chapel, described by Horne's biographer as "The most considerable Nonconformist place of worship in the town."[8] It was through this church that Horne first began preaching, leading him to consider the Congregational ministry.[9]

Early adult years

He earned a MA from the University of Glasgow in 1886 and subsequently studied theology at Mansfield College, Oxford, joining the first intake of students at the new Congregational college.[10] He began his career as Minister of Kensington Congregational Chapel. During this period, he married Katharine, the eldest daughter of Herbert Cozens-Hardy, who served as Master of the Rolls from 1907 to 1918.

Fame grows

His reputation as a preacher and author grew after he took over Whitefield's Tabernacle, Tottenham Court Road in 1903, which he rebuilt as Whitefield's Central Mission.[11] He also wrote hymns that are still sung today.[12] His cantata "Livingstone the pilgrim" was performed by a chorus of 300 voices in the Royal Albert Hall at the Centenary celebrations for the birth of David Livingstone,[13]

He was elected as one of the two Liberal MPs for Ipswich at the General Election of January 1910, serving until his death.[14] He used his position as an MP to gain a national platform for his views.

Death

In 1914, while on holiday in Canada, returning from Niagara Falls, Horne became suddenly ill while travelling on a steamer and died, aged forty-nine, before reaching Toronto.[5] His body was returned home and buried in the cemetery at Cunnery Road, Church Stretton, Shropshire.[5] Tributes were received from many, and his memorial service was attended by David Lloyd George.[15] His wife[16] and all but one of his children, Herbert,[17] outlived him by over half a century; his last surviving children lived until 1984.[18] One of his grandchildren, Ronald Gordon, served as Bishop of Portsmouth from 1975 to 1984.[19]

Family

He married Katharine Cozens-Hardy, daughter of Herbert Cozens-Hardy, in Kensington, London, in 1892. They had seven children:

Born in Kensington, London:

  • Dorothy (1893 – 1959), married Sir Archibald Gordon; mother of Archibald Ronald McDonald Gordon
  • Herbert Oliver (1894 – 1946)
  • Margaret Bridget (1897 – 1984)
  • Joan Silvester (1899/1900 – 1984)
  • Ronald Cozens-Hardy (1902 – 1983)

Born in St. Pancras, London:

Silvester Horne Institute

In Church Stretton, the Silvester Horne Institute,[20] a notable community building serving as the town council's meeting place, is named after him.[21] During his life, he also built the White House on Sandford Avenue in the town as the family home, which later became a nursing home before its demolition in 2006.

Bibliography

  • Binfield, Clyde. "Horne, (Charles) Silvester". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/37569. (Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.)
  • The life of Charles Silvester Horne, M.A., M.P. ([1920]) Author: Selbie, W.B. University of California Libraries Details of Biography
  • The romance of preaching / Author: Horne, Charles Silvester, Publisher: New York : Fleming H. Revell Company, London James Clarke & Co Volumes of Sermons held in Iowa Libraries
  • A Modern Heretic, novel- Horne, C.S. British Library Cataloguing
  • Life of David Livingstone-Horne, C.S. List of Livingstone Biographies

References

  1. ↑ The Times, Monday, 4 May 1914; pg. 8; Issue 40514; col E Obituary
  2. ↑ Father of Kenneth Horne
  3. ↑ Horne, C. Silvester (1895). The Story of the L.M.S., 1795-1895 (2nd revised ed.). London: London Missionary Society.
  4. ↑ W.B. Selbie: The Life of Charles Silvester Horne (London, Hodder and Stoughton, 1920), p. 3
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Death of Mr Silvester Horne, M.P.". Shrewsbury Chronicle. 9 May 1914. p. 11.
  6. ↑ Selbie, P. 3
  7. ↑ Selbie, p. 4
  8. ↑ Selbie, P. 5
  9. ↑ Selbie, p. 6
  10. ↑ Selbie, P. 30
  11. ↑ Johnston, Barry (8 July 2013). Round Mr Horne: The Life of Kenneth Horne. Aurum. ISBN 9781781312032.
  12. ↑ Words of his most famous hymn
  13. ↑ "Livingstone Centenary: tributes to his memory". The Scotsman. 20 March 1913. p. 5. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  14. ↑ Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885–1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  15. ↑ The Times, Friday, 15 May 1914; pg. 6; Issue 40524; col E
  16. ↑ The Times, Monday, 7 July 1958; pg. 13; Issue 54196; col C "Death of Lady Horne"
  17. ↑ The Times, Saturday, 25 April 1959; pg. 8; Issue 54444; col D "Lady Gordon dies".
  18. ↑ The Times, Thursday, 7 June 1984; pg. 30; Issue 61851; col A "Last child Joan dies"
  19. ↑ Who's Who 1971 ISBN 0-7136-1140-5 p. 1224
  20. ↑ Liberal England Silvester Horne Institute
  21. ↑ Church Stretton Town Council
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