author
Alfred Gatty
1813–1903
A long-serving Victorian vicar, he wrote with the steady curiosity of a local historian and the practical eye of someone deeply rooted in parish life. His books and church work helped shape the story of Ecclesfield as much as they recorded it.
1 Audiobook
A Key to Lord Tennyson's 'In Memoriam'
by Alfred Gatty
About the author
Born in London on 18 April 1813, Alfred Gatty was educated at Charterhouse, Eton, and Exeter College, Oxford. After taking holy orders, he became vicar of Ecclesfield in 1839 and remained there for more than six decades, building a reputation as a devoted Church of England clergyman as well as a writer.
Alongside his parish duties, he wrote on subjects that reflected his wide interests, including church history, local history, and religious life. He is especially associated with Ecclesfield near Sheffield, where he oversaw major restoration work at the parish church and became an important figure in the community's historical record.
Gatty was also part of a notably literary family. He was married to Margaret Gatty, the well-known writer of Parables from Nature, and their children included the author Juliana Horatia Ewing. He died on 20 January 1903, leaving behind a life remembered for both steady ministry and thoughtful authorship.