Author: Hulbert, Charles Augustus
Biography:
HULBERT, Charles Augustus (1805-88: ODNB)
He was born at Castle House, Coleham, near Shrewsbury, on 31 Dec. 1805 and baptised on 24 Jan. 1806 at St. Julian’s, Shrewsbury, the only (not “eldest”) child of Charles Hulbert (1778-1857) and his wife Anna Wood (1783-1857), the daughter of Thomas Wood (the proprietor of the Shrewsbury Chronicle), who had married on 3 Mar. 1805. His father was a Manchester calico printer who had expanded the firm in Shrewsbury but with the economic downturn in the later stages of the war, became an Evangelical bookseller, stationer, and printer. In 1839 Charles Hulbert’s house and library burnt down and he applied to the RLF for assistance. The ODNB suggests this was a one-off accident alleviated by subsequent public subscription and the purchase of an annuity but it is quite clear from the documents that his financial difficulties persisted up until his death in 1857 and he made several applications. His son assisted him in his final illness, dealt with the RLF, and wrote his obituary. Charles Augustus was educated at Shrewsbury School and Sidney Sussex, Cambridge (Matric. 1830, BA 1834, MA 1837, Crosse scholar 1834, Tyrwhitt scholar 1835). He was ordained deacon (1834) and priest (1835). He was Curate of St. Mary’s, Islington (1834-39), Perpetual Curate of Slaithwaite, Yorks. (1839-67) and Vicar of Almondbury (1867-88). He also became a Canon of Ripon (1866-88). The ODNB states that he died unmarried but this is incorrect. He married Mary Lacy on 29 June 1837 at St. Mary’s, Islington. They had seven children. Before and after her marriage she worked as a Sunday School teacher and District Visitor, and was also an artist, poet and “beautiful reader aloud.” He died on 5 Mar. 1888 at the Vicarage, Almondbury, leaving a small estate of just under £750. In addition to the works listed here, he published a further volume of poetry, Sabbath Recreations: or Hymns and Sacred Poems (1844) by “his family circle” with contributions from his wife (Mary H.) and others. His On the Genius of Milton, a Declamation (Shrewsbury 1834) has escaped attention. He also wrote several sermons but was better known for his histories or annals of his parish churches, Slaithwaite (1864) and Almondbury (1882-85). (“Hulbert, Charles,” ODNB 8 Jun. 2022; CCEd 8 Jun. 2022 ; SJC 1 July 1837; GM Sept. 1837, 310; Shrewbury Chronicle 6 Nov. 1857; Huddersfield Chronicle 5 June 1884; Leeds Mercury 6 Mar. 1888; RLF, 1/953; Charles Hulbert, Memoirs of Seventy Years of an Eventful Life [1852]) AA
Other Names:
- C. A. Hulbert