George Gaskin
Encyclopedia
George Gaskin was a lecturer
(assistant curate) at St Mary's, Islington
for forty-six years, resigning in 1822, to become a prebendary
at Ely Cathedral
. He was also Rector of Stoke Newington
and of St Benet, Gracechurch.
For a long time, he was secretary to the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge. A street in Islington
bears his name.
, London. He was educated at a classical school in Woodford, Essex, and went to Trinity College, Oxford
, in 1771. He proceeded B.A. in 1775, M.A. in 1778, and D.D. in 1788.
He was ordained deacon in 1774, when he became curate of St Vedast, Foster Lane. He was then appointed to fill the vacant office of lecturer in the parish of Islington, a post which he occupied for forty-six years. In 1778 he accepted the curacy of the parish of Stoke Newington. His first preferment was the rectory of Sutton and Mepal in the Isle of Ely
. This, however, in 1791 he exchanged for the living of St Benet Gracechurch, in order to be on hand for fulfilling his duties as secretary to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. He was employed on behalf by the society to visit and report on the mission schools and churches of the Scilly Islands.
He was a supporter of the Episcopal Church of Scotland and was selected as a member of the English committee for the obtaining of a bill known as An Act for granting Relief to Pastors and Ministers and Lay Persons of the Episcopal Communion in Scotland. In 1797 he was further promoted to the rectory of Stoke Newington. On attaining his seventy-second year he was presented (25 May 1822) to a vacant stall in Ely Cathedral, was able to resign his secretaryship, and ultimately his post as lecturer of Islington. He then took a prominent position in assisting church institutions in the western United States, and in 1823 acted as trustee of the funds collected for the infant church of Ohio.
He died on 29 June 1829, from a rapid succession of epileptic fits. Gaskin was married in early life to Elizabeth Broughton, daughter of the Rev. Thomas Broughton, rector of Allhallows, Lombard Street, and of Wotton, Surrey
.
, who bequeathed him all his manuscripts. In 1821 he published an edition of sermons written by the American bishop Theodore Dehon
.
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
(assistant curate) at St Mary's, Islington
St Mary's Church, Islington
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is the historic parish church of Islington, in the Church of England Diocese of London. The present parish is a compact area centered on Upper Street between Angel and Highbury Corner, bounded to the west by Liverpool Road, and to the east by Essex Road/Canonbury...
for forty-six years, resigning in 1822, to become a prebendary
Prebendary
A prebendary is a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic cathedral or collegiate church and is a type of canon. Prebendaries have a role in the administration of the cathedral...
at Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral is the principal church of the Diocese of Ely, in Cambridgeshire, England, and is the seat of the Bishop of Ely and a suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon...
. He was also Rector of Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington is a district in the London Borough of Hackney. It is north-east of Charing Cross.-Boundaries:In modern terms, Stoke Newington can be roughly defined by the N16 postcode area . Its southern boundary with Dalston is quite ill-defined too...
and of St Benet, Gracechurch.
For a long time, he was secretary to the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge. A street in Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
bears his name.
Life
The son of John Gaskin, a leather-seller (1710–1766), and of Mabel his wife (1707–1791), he was born at Newington GreenNewington Green
Newington Green is an open space in north London which straddles the border between Islington and Hackney. It gives its name to the surrounding area, roughly bounded by Ball's Pond Road to the south, Petherton Road to the west, the southern section of Stoke Newington with Green Lanes-Matthias Road...
, London. He was educated at a classical school in Woodford, Essex, and went to Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
, in 1771. He proceeded B.A. in 1775, M.A. in 1778, and D.D. in 1788.
He was ordained deacon in 1774, when he became curate of St Vedast, Foster Lane. He was then appointed to fill the vacant office of lecturer in the parish of Islington, a post which he occupied for forty-six years. In 1778 he accepted the curacy of the parish of Stoke Newington. His first preferment was the rectory of Sutton and Mepal in the Isle of Ely
Isle of Ely
The Isle of Ely is a historic region around the city of Ely now in Cambridgeshire, England but previously a county in its own right.-Etymology:...
. This, however, in 1791 he exchanged for the living of St Benet Gracechurch, in order to be on hand for fulfilling his duties as secretary to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. He was employed on behalf by the society to visit and report on the mission schools and churches of the Scilly Islands.
He was a supporter of the Episcopal Church of Scotland and was selected as a member of the English committee for the obtaining of a bill known as An Act for granting Relief to Pastors and Ministers and Lay Persons of the Episcopal Communion in Scotland. In 1797 he was further promoted to the rectory of Stoke Newington. On attaining his seventy-second year he was presented (25 May 1822) to a vacant stall in Ely Cathedral, was able to resign his secretaryship, and ultimately his post as lecturer of Islington. He then took a prominent position in assisting church institutions in the western United States, and in 1823 acted as trustee of the funds collected for the infant church of Ohio.
He died on 29 June 1829, from a rapid succession of epileptic fits. Gaskin was married in early life to Elizabeth Broughton, daughter of the Rev. Thomas Broughton, rector of Allhallows, Lombard Street, and of Wotton, Surrey
Wotton, Surrey
Wotton is a small village located on the A25 between Guildford in the west and Dorking in the east. Neighbouring villages include: the Abingers of Abinger Common, Sutton Abinger, and Abinger Hammer; Friday Street and Westcott...
.
Works
His published works included sermons. He compiled and revised in 1798 the writings of the Richard SouthgateRichard Southgate (clergyman)
-Life:Born at Alwalton, Huntingdonshire, a few miles from Peterborough, on 16 March 1729, he was the eldest of ten children of William Southgate , a farmer of the parish, who married Hannah , daughter of Robert Wright of Castor, Northamptonshire, a surveyor and civil engineer...
, who bequeathed him all his manuscripts. In 1821 he published an edition of sermons written by the American bishop Theodore Dehon
Theodore Dehon
The Right Reverend Theodore Dehon was the second Bishop of South Carolina.-Biography:Theodore Dehon was born in Boston and graduated from Harvard University in 1795. He was ordained deacon by Bishop Edward Bass, in Newburyport, Massachusetts, on December 24, 1797 and the next month began his call...
.