WHO DO THEY THINK THEY WERE?

Stephen Wade tells the stories of some lesser-known people behind the commemorative blue plaques of England.

In the ranks of the literary clergymen in the annals of Victorian England,

Sabine BaringGould (18341924) stands very high.

He wrote well over a thousand books, on virtually all aspects of the past, and also some fictional works. Yet, in spite of all this publishing, his name is most celebrated for writing the lyrics of Onward Christian Soldiers.

Sabine’s life and work has attracted all kinds of writers and historians, but sadly, in 2018, the Sabine BaringGould Appreciation Society was dissolved, and on their website, the summary of his life includes the fact that “At his death in 1924, he largely dropped out of the public’s memory”.

However, Sabine’s impact was such that he is remembered and honoured in several locations. One of the most enthusiastic supporters in this regard has to be the Civic Society of Horbury Bridge in Yorkshire.

The writer was there in 1864 and stayed at the vicarage in Horbury, down the road, but he needed to establish a curacy at Horbury Bridge. To that end he rented a cottage there. Even with such limited space, he created a chapel and a night school.

We can only wonder how he found time to write all those books as well as run services and provide some basic education for the workers in the area.

Although Sabine was to move on to other work in 1867, his impact on Horbury Bridge was massive and truly memorable; the place was his first position in the Church of England, and he meant to make his mark. Such was his influence that he attracted much love and friendship.

Not only was a memorial stone placed at Horbury Bridge, but also now a blue plaque marking this remarkable man’s time there.