REVEREND ARTHUR OSBORNE MONTGOMERY JAY 1858-1945
"THE BOXING PARSON"
This week I am again writing about a clergyman. 'What has religion got to do with sport?' you may ask. Well, Arthur Jay was known as 'The Boxing Parson.' He was a man who courted controversy which has resulted in various versions of his life.
Arthur Osborne Montgomery Jay was the younger of 2 sons, born in India on 14th April 1858. His father, William James Jay married to Harriett nee Osborne, was chaplain to the East India Company and was Assistant Chaplain on the Bengal Establishment from 1850-1860 throughout the Indian Mutiny, before returning to the UK.
By 1861 and the census, the family had returned to the UK and were living in Poplar where William had a chaplaincy. During his time in India, William had baptised and instructed the Maharajah Duleep Singh, in his conversion to Christianity. The patronage of the Maharajah perhaps aided young Arthur's schooling.
He is found on the census of 1871 at a school in Leigh, Worcestershire. Arthur's Cambridge University Alumni then suggests that he attended Eton before attending St Catherines College in 1876. He attained a B.A in 1880 and an M.A in 1883. Whist for the purpose of this blog I will address Arthur as the Reverend Jay, he appears to have been known in his parish as Father Jay, perhaps a nod to his Anglo-Catholic leanings which courted much debate and contoversy from his peers and the established churchmen.
Arthur's first church appointment by the Bishop of London was to Stepney however in 1886 he was given the appointement of Vicar of Holy Trinity, Shoreditch.
www.sarahwise.co.uk
This small parish was situated in the centre of one of Britain's direst areas of Victorian Britain, 'The Old Nichol district. This slum area was a rabbit warren of streets and passageways just on the boarder between, Shoreditch, Bethnal Green and the City.
www.horridhackney.com
When appointed to the post, a bishop advised Arthur that, 'Nothing will ever rouse the people of that part, save the last trump, and then they will respond too late.'
Around 5,700 people lived in the Nichols, old and decayed early 1800s terraces, in conditions repeatedly condemned by the local medical officer of health. Charles Booth in his 'poverty' survey of 1889, reported the area as a 'district of almost solid poverty and low life, in which the houses were as broken down and deplorable as it's inhabitants.
How Arthur Osborne Montgomery Jay attained the post is controversial with twoversions. He claimed that he was handpicked by the Bishop of London for the task of redeeming the 'Nichols outcast population.' However it is suggested that he was in fact 3rd choice for the role, but he had already forged lucrative links with Magdalene College, Oxford. He also had access to lucrative patrons, linked to his father. He also had a charisma that attracted many a lady philanthropist.
When Arthur arrived at the parish, services were being held in a hayloft above working stables. Just 14 people attended his first service on New Years Eve 1886. However within a year, Arthur had raised £5000 of the £6000 required to build a church in Old Nichol Street. Society ladies, Miss Betsy Dash, Lady Edith Heather Bigg and Miss Vivian Shuster had donated large sums towards this project.
By the 1891 census, Arthur was residing at 55/56 Old Nichol Street, no.56 being identified as 'Vicarage Club'. Within this dwelling, 17 men aged between 15 and 48, are registered as living with the census return marked as:- all single men, casual lodgers and none giving an occupation.
During one interview the Rev Jay stated that he had always got on better with men than he did women, probably much to the chagrin of his female patrons. So Arthur placed the spirirual welfare of the local women and children to two bodies, the Mildmay Deaconesses and the Anglo Catholic Kilburn Sisters, the former having worked in the Old Nichol for several decades under the tutelage of the wife of the Vicar of St Jude's Islington, Catherine Pennefather. It is difficult to make a valid judgement on the work of the Kilburn Sisters, as much like in my previous blog regarding the Reverend George Samuel Hitchcock, much was written by the Protestant church in relation to its perceived failings of the Catholic church.
Whilst the Rev Arthur Jay, left the welfare and pastoral care of the women and children in his parish to others, he concentrated on the men. In the basement of his church he had a gymnasium and boxing ring set up. The Rev Arthur Jay was not the first to introduce boxing as a structured pastime, mission and charity workers had been encouraging a formulised form of boxing, with rules and structure, rather than the underground and street bare knuckle fighting. However where the Reverend Jay courted most controversy was that the 'sport' was taking place on sanctified ground. For a penny a week, men could spend time at the gym/club, playing cards. dominoes or baguetelle, sing, smoke and learn to box. But alcohol was most definitly banned. At 10pm, the gym would convert to a night shelter.
There was much concern about the Rev. Jay's gym. Not only was there a proper boxing ring but also a trapeze. Accusations were made about what was happening there and the people who were attending, stating that the Reverend was harbouring known criminals. Such names as Scrapper, Donkey, Jack the Bender and Lord Dunfunkas were all members of the Rev. Jays boys. The gym also encourage circus and music hall performers, the comedians, Rich and Rich started their career at Holy Trinity associated gym.
But in a previous post I have written about the politics of religion at the time, there was much suspicion relating to those that practiced High Church Rituals. Whilst the Rev Jay asserted that, 'homeliness, warm colours, candles, flowers and pictures would attract the poorer classes' others would comment about Rev Jay's Holy Trinity Church:- 'The church is more like a chapel of some great Catholic House.'
Whilst the Reverend Jay eventually won his arguement on the Boxing front with his coup in removing boxing from the pub and saloon breaking the association of the sport and alcohol. He continued to be pursued with submissions to the Royal Commission of Ecclesiastical Practices for his 'Romish' style practices, with his candles, incense and embroidered vestements.
Towards the end of the 19th century the Old Nichol was demolished and in 1900 the new Boundary Street Estate was established, whilst living conditions improved, the extreme poor that had been living in the Old Nichol district were pushed into ever more squalid and insanitary conditions.
By the 1901 census, Reverend Jay's household had changed. He was now living at 9 Aden Terrace in Stoke Newington, there is just himself and 2 servants, Sidney Wolfe, identified as a 'footman' and Lizzie Ruby, a 'cook'. It appears that Reverend Jay had been courting ever more patrons inclusive of the Duke of Bedford. At the opening of the Boundary Street Estate, the Prince of Wales is said to have mentioned his tireless work for his parish.
Alongside his parish work, Reverend Jay was also acheiving some success in converting some of the local Jewish community, his footman, Sidney Wolfe is believed to have been one of those converts and it was believed that much of his patronage and personal wealth may have been donated via them alongside other.
By 1911, Arthur had moved again, to an 11 roomed house in Highbury New Park, he remained the Vicar at Holy Trinity but his household had increased. He remained single, but now has a private secretary, William Charles Hunt. Sidney Wolfe remains in service with the Reverend, but has been promoted to 'butler'. Sidney married Lillian Annie Bateman in 1901. She is employed as 'cook' and they have a 3 year old son.
The Westminster Gazette, on the 1st Oct 1920, announced the upcoming retirement from Holy Trinity Church.
It has been suggested that the Reverend Jay, himself, the approached author Arthur Morrison to write his book set in the Old Nicholl.
In 1921 Arthur retired with his faithful servants, Sidney Wolfe and his wife to Malvern, In 1841 the press reported the celebration of 'The Boxing Parson's 83rd Birthday', with a reminiscence of a day out of his parishioners.
Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, 14th April 1941.
Rev Arthur Osborne Montgomery Jay died on 14th January 1945 at his home in Malvern. In one article I have read, it suggested that later in life he suffered with dementia, nonetheless he was considered mentally well enough to make a will in 1941.
As the Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail 4th May 1945 reports, the Wolfe family's loyalty to the Reverend Jay was rewarded in his bequests of his not insubstantial estate.
The rest of his estate worth £33,575 (approx £1.5 million today), was left equally between his nephews and nieces, the children of his clergyman brother Willie Parkinson Jay. Dorothy Jay, Gladys Goodyear nee Jay, Hilda Meakin nee Jay and Charles Douglas Jay each receiving a quarter share.
My intention is to write a post about Dorothy Jay for an upcoming theme.
In the UK, you may hear the comment 'like Marmite' Marmite is a trademark spread that is advertised as Marmite - Love it or Hate it. Father or Reverend Arthur Osborne Montgomery Jay appears to have had that affect on people within his lifetime and Social Historians since. He was without doubt a controversial figure then and now and I have tried to take a balanced approach in this post. For the reader to make their own judgement, these are some of the articles I have read about the man and used within this blog post.
boundarylaunderette.wordpress.com/boundary-estate-a-vicar-an-author-the-jago
He is found on the census of 1871 at a school in Leigh, Worcestershire. Arthur's Cambridge University Alumni then suggests that he attended Eton before attending St Catherines College in 1876. He attained a B.A in 1880 and an M.A in 1883. Whist for the purpose of this blog I will address Arthur as the Reverend Jay, he appears to have been known in his parish as Father Jay, perhaps a nod to his Anglo-Catholic leanings which courted much debate and contoversy from his peers and the established churchmen.
www.sarahwise.co.ukThis small parish was situated in the centre of one of Britain's direst areas of Victorian Britain, 'The Old Nichol district. This slum area was a rabbit warren of streets and passageways just on the boarder between, Shoreditch, Bethnal Green and the City.
www.horridhackney.com
When appointed to the post, a bishop advised Arthur that, 'Nothing will ever rouse the people of that part, save the last trump, and then they will respond too late.'
Around 5,700 people lived in the Nichols, old and decayed early 1800s terraces, in conditions repeatedly condemned by the local medical officer of health. Charles Booth in his 'poverty' survey of 1889, reported the area as a 'district of almost solid poverty and low life, in which the houses were as broken down and deplorable as it's inhabitants.
How Arthur Osborne Montgomery Jay attained the post is controversial with two
versions. He claimed that he was handpicked by the Bishop of London for the task of redeeming the 'Nichols outcast population.' However it is suggested that he was in fact 3rd choice for the role, but he had already forged lucrative links with Magdalene College, Oxford. He also had access to lucrative patrons, linked to his father. He also had a charisma that attracted many a lady philanthropist.
When Arthur arrived at the parish, services were being held in a hayloft above working stables. Just 14 people attended his first service on New Years Eve 1886. However within a year, Arthur had raised £5000 of the £6000 required to build a church in Old Nichol Street. Society ladies, Miss Betsy Dash, Lady Edith Heather Bigg and Miss Vivian Shuster had donated large sums towards this project.
By the 1891 census, Arthur was residing at 55/56 Old Nichol Street, no.56 being identified as 'Vicarage Club'. Within this dwelling, 17 men aged between 15 and 48, are registered as living with the census return marked as:- all single men, casual lodgers and none giving an occupation.
During one interview the Rev Jay stated that he had always got on better with men than he did women, probably much to the chagrin of his female patrons. So Arthur placed the spirirual welfare of the local women and children to two bodies, the Mildmay Deaconesses and the Anglo Catholic Kilburn Sisters, the former having worked in the Old Nichol for several decades under the tutelage of the wife of the Vicar of St Jude's Islington, Catherine Pennefather. It is difficult to make a valid judgement on the work of the Kilburn Sisters, as much like in my previous blog regarding the Reverend George Samuel Hitchcock, much was written by the Protestant church in relation to its perceived failings of the Catholic church.
Whilst the Rev Arthur Jay, left the welfare and pastoral care of the women and children in his parish to others, he concentrated on the men. In the basement of his church he had a gymnasium and boxing ring set up. The Rev Arthur Jay was not the first to introduce boxing as a structured pastime, mission and charity workers had been encouraging a formulised form of boxing, with rules and structure, rather than the underground and street bare knuckle fighting. However where the Reverend Jay courted most controversy was that the 'sport' was taking place on sanctified ground. For a penny a week, men could spend time at the gym/club, playing cards. dominoes or baguetelle, sing, smoke and learn to box. But alcohol was most definitly banned. At 10pm, the gym would convert to a night shelter.
There was much concern about the Rev. Jay's gym. Not only was there a proper boxing ring but also a trapeze. Accusations were made about what was happening there and the people who were attending, stating that the Reverend was harbouring known criminals. Such names as Scrapper, Donkey, Jack the Bender and Lord Dunfunkas were all members of the Rev. Jays boys. The gym also encourage circus and music hall performers, the comedians, Rich and Rich started their career at Holy Trinity associated gym.
But in a previous post I have written about the politics of religion at the time, there was much suspicion relating to those that practiced High Church Rituals. Whilst the Rev Jay asserted that, 'homeliness, warm colours, candles, flowers and pictures would attract the poorer classes' others would comment about Rev Jay's Holy Trinity Church:- 'The church is more like a chapel of some great Catholic House.'
Whilst the Reverend Jay eventually won his arguement on the Boxing front with his coup in removing boxing from the pub and saloon breaking the association of the sport and alcohol. He continued to be pursued with submissions to the Royal Commission of Ecclesiastical Practices for his 'Romish' style practices, with his candles, incense and embroidered vestements.
Towards the end of the 19th century the Old Nichol was demolished and in 1900 the new Boundary Street Estate was established, whilst living conditions improved, the extreme poor that had been living in the Old Nichol district were pushed into ever more squalid and insanitary conditions.
By the 1901 census, Reverend Jay's household had changed. He was now living at 9 Aden Terrace in Stoke Newington, there is just himself and 2 servants, Sidney Wolfe, identified as a 'footman' and Lizzie Ruby, a 'cook'. It appears that Reverend Jay had been courting ever more patrons inclusive of the Duke of Bedford. At the opening of the Boundary Street Estate, the Prince of Wales is said to have mentioned his tireless work for his parish.
Alongside his parish work, Reverend Jay was also acheiving some success in converting some of the local Jewish community, his footman, Sidney Wolfe is believed to have been one of those converts and it was believed that much of his patronage and personal wealth may have been donated via them alongside other.
By 1911, Arthur had moved again, to an 11 roomed house in Highbury New Park, he remained the Vicar at Holy Trinity but his household had increased. He remained single, but now has a private secretary, William Charles Hunt. Sidney Wolfe remains in service with the Reverend, but has been promoted to 'butler'. Sidney married Lillian Annie Bateman in 1901. She is employed as 'cook' and they have a 3 year old son.
The Westminster Gazette, on the 1st Oct 1920, announced the upcoming retirement from Holy Trinity Church.
It has been suggested that the Reverend Jay, himself, the approached author Arthur Morrison to write his book set in the Old Nicholl.
In 1921 Arthur retired with his faithful servants, Sidney Wolfe and his wife to Malvern, In 1841 the press reported the celebration of 'The Boxing Parson's 83rd Birthday', with a reminiscence of a day out of his parishioners.
Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, 14th April 1941.
Rev Arthur Osborne Montgomery Jay died on 14th January 1945 at his home in Malvern. In one article I have read, it suggested that later in life he suffered with dementia, nonetheless he was considered mentally well enough to make a will in 1941.
As the Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail 4th May 1945 reports, the Wolfe family's loyalty to the Reverend Jay was rewarded in his bequests of his not insubstantial estate.
The rest of his estate worth £33,575 (approx £1.5 million today), was left equally between his nephews and nieces, the children of his clergyman brother Willie Parkinson Jay. Dorothy Jay, Gladys Goodyear nee Jay, Hilda Meakin nee Jay and Charles Douglas Jay each receiving a quarter share.
My intention is to write a post about Dorothy Jay for an upcoming theme.
In the UK, you may hear the comment 'like Marmite' Marmite is a trademark spread that is advertised as Marmite - Love it or Hate it. Father or Reverend Arthur Osborne Montgomery Jay appears to have had that affect on people within his lifetime and Social Historians since. He was without doubt a controversial figure then and now and I have tried to take a balanced approach in this post. For the reader to make their own judgement, these are some of the articles I have read about the man and used within this blog post.
boundarylaunderette.wordpress.com/boundary-estate-a-vicar-an-author-the-jago
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