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Thomas Banbury, 1827-1913

Daily Gleaner, August 29, 1870

The Rev Mr Banbury wrote in 1902 about the circumstances of his ordination as deacon in 1870; it is clear that there was objection to him on the grounds of colour and that Bishop Courtenay refused to consider such objections.

'With regard to Mr. _______, I can make allowance for his Anglo Saxon prejudices, and he was [work]ing in concert with the clique of [missing in original] gentlemen in Westmoreland who, in 1870, would have moved heaven and earth to prevent my being ordered deacon, and if ex Bishop Courtney were not one of an independent mind and opinion they would have succeeded too well as they went into it "tooth and nail". But he simply returned their petition with complements, alleging that he "had found Mr. Banbury equally qualified with the white man" the Rev. Edward Clarke, "and did not see any reason why he would not ordain him &c." '

Daily Gleaner, February 8, 1902

Note: The Rev Edward Clarke was the brother of the Rev Henry Clarke, senior, who holds a prominent place in the ecclesiastical and political history of the period.