Alfred Gatty

Ordained in the 1830s, he studied at Exeter College, Oxford, and then spent most of his working life as vicar of Ecclesfield near Sheffield. He held that post for more than sixty years, becoming closely associated with the parish and its restoration work as well as with the history of the surrounding area.

Alongside his ministry, he wrote on subjects that reflected those interests, including church bells, local traditions, and parish history. He is also often remembered as part of the notably literary Gatty family: his wife was the writer Margaret Gatty, and their children included author Juliana Horatia Ewing.

His reputation rests less on a single famous title than on a steady, useful body of work shaped by scholarship, community life, and a clear affection for English local history.