Nat Gould

Norman Robert Ottiwell Gifford Bennett

Norman Robert Ottiwell Gifford Bennett (1) was born on 29 December 1867 at Well Close, Market Street, Chapel-en-le-Frith in Derbyshire, the eldest son of Norman Bennett 1829-1879 and his wife nee Caroline Ferns.

He was educated at Uppingham School and Trinity College in Cambridge, graduating Bachelor of Arts in 1893 and Master of Arts in 1897. He was ordained deacon in 1893 and priest in 1894, both at London (2). While still at School at Uppingham he had been inspired to devote his life to the missionary service of the Church of England, particularly in Africa and India.

He served his curacy at the prestigious church of St. Margaret's Westminster 1893-1895 (3). Subsequently he was Missioner to Public Schools 1895-1902; Rector of Hamworthy in Dorset 1902-1905 (4); Missionary (Church Missionary Society) in West Africa and Chaplain to the Bishop of Sierra Leone 1905-1906; Diocesan Missioner of Hereford Diocese 1907-1910; Chaplain of Christ Church Madras in India 1910-1913; Chaplain to the Lucknow Establishment in India 1913; Chaplain at Roorkee in India 1913-1914 and 1924; living at The Parsonage, Benares in India in 1919; holder of other Indian chaplaincies until 1923; Rector of Charmouth in Dorset 1928-1933; and in South Africa from 1933, living at 24 Hope Road, orange Grove, Johannesburg, South Africa in 1940 (5). He was Rector of Christ Church in Johannesburg in 1939 (6).

He married Mabel Grace Rose Hutchinson in 1908. She was born in 1875 at Mahabaleshwar in India, the daughter of Henry Stephen Hutchinson and his wife nee Evelyn Somerville Chester Rose.

The Reverend Norman Robert Ottiwell Gifford Bennett wrote several books including Be True, and other Sermons for Boys (1896), A Few Thoughts for Boys on Confession and the Holy Communion (1897), The Little Bugler, and other War Lyrics (1900), and Our Cricket Match (1903), and also a hymn The Soldier’s Watchword (circa 1910).

He died on 6 June 1961 at Clyde House, Plumstead, Cape Town in South Africa. His wife died ten days later (7).

(1) He was known as Norman R.O.G. Bennett at Uppingham School, but had changed his surname to Bennet by the 1890s when he graduated from Cambridge University.
(2) Alumni Cantabrigienses Part II 1752-1900 volume 1 (1940) page 232.
(3) St. Margaret's church at Westminster adjoins Westminster Abbey in London, and has close ties with Parliament, being the Parish Church of the House of Commons.
(4) In 1905 he resigned as Rector of Hamworthy and was accepted for service abroad by the Church Missionary Society. The Times 26 October 1905.
(5) Walford's County Families of the United Kingdom or Royal Manual of the Titled and Untitled Aristocracy of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland (1919) page 100; Alumni Cantabrigienses Part II 1752-1900 volume 1 (1940) page 232. Although Walford indicates that he "succeeded" his uncle Robert Ottiwell Gifford Bennett 1836-1902, there was no title for him to inherit, although he then became nominally the senior male member of his family.
(6) A coadjutor was sent to him there in 1939. The Times 4 March 1939.
(7) "[[Deaths] On June 6th, 1961, peacefully in his sleep at Clyde House, Plumstead, Cape Town, in his 94th year, the Rev. Norman Bennett. His widow, Mabel Grace Rose, duaghter of the late Col. Hutchinson, survived him for 10 brief days." The Times 24 June 1961.