Transcript

of

The Rev. James Henning

Trans. Devon. Assoc., vol. 45, (1913). pp. 43-44.

by

Maxwell Adams (Ed.)

Prepared by Michael Steer

The obituary was presented at the Association’s July 1913 Buckfastleigh meeting. Rev. Henning was a keen Freemason who played a central role in the foundation of a Masonic Lodge at Cockington. An extract from the Freemason’s Chronical for 24th March 1900, p. 135 indicates that Worshipful Brother Henning was one of three principal officers accepted by the Prince of Wales, Grand Master of Freemasons, to officiate at the consecration of Three Pillars Lodge, No 2806, held in the Parish Room at Cockington. The obituary may be found in a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal that can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Mr. Henning, who joined the Association in 1906, died at the age of sixty years on 12 June, 1913, at Midhurst in Sussex. He was ordained deacon in 1877, and priest in 1879. He was curate of St. Luke's, Plymouth, 1877-8; of Christ Church, Plymouth, 1879-80 ; St. Andrew's, Westminster, 1880-1 ; and St. Jude's, Chelsea, 1881-2. He was appointed Duncombe Lecturer at Kingsbridge, and chaplain to the Kingsbridge Union in 1882, and held these offices for thirteen years. He was then presented to the living of Cockington, in succession to Rev. T. S. Rundle, by the late Mr. Mallock.
During Mr. Henning's seventeen years' incumbency great improvements have been effected in the parish, including the erection of St. Matthew's Church, the provision of commodious parish rooms, and the restoration of and addition to the peal of bells in the old parish church. From 1906-10 he filled the office of Rural Dean of Ipplepen, and was a member of the Newton Abbot Board of Guardians to the time of his decease.
Mr. Henning was a man of most genial temperament, an earnest and popular preacher, and an ideal parish clergyman, broad-minded, and a sincere friend of the poor. He had a great love and veneration for the old parish church, and was keenly interested in promoting a fund for the restoration of the ancient rood screen as a memorial to the late Mr. R. Mallock, of Cockington Court.