Daniel, still living.
Joseph John Gurney, Esq.
Among the eminent citizens of this century, none will take a higher place than the late J. J. Gurney, Esq., the well-known philanthropist. He was born at Earlham Hall on August 8th, 1788. That hall was one of the happiest homes in England. It was also the birth-place of Mrs. Elizabeth Fry, sister of J. J. Gurney, and almost as celebrated as her brother. Here they were both trained with religious care, and passed their days of childhood and youth in happiness and peace. In after life they were associated together in works of benevolence, and the brother often aided his sister in many of her schemes for improving prison discipline.
In 1803, soon after he had completed his 15th year, Joseph John was sent to Oxford with his cousin Gurney Barclay to pursue his studies under the care of John Rogers, a private tutor. Young J. J. Gurney continued at Oxford two years, with the exception of the vacations, which he spent mostly at home. His tutor, though resident at Oxford, was not in that character connected with the university or with any of the colleges. The student became an excellent classical and oriental scholar, and ultimately the author of several valuable religious works, such as “Essays on Christianity,” “Thoughts on Habit and Discipline.” He was scarcely seventeen when, in August, 1805, he was removed from the care of John Rogers. He had become attached to his tutor and to his studies, and he quitted the place with regret, but there was brightness in the thought of settling at home. The bank in which his father was a partner had been established in Norwich in the year 1770. After that time the concern was considerably extended with branch banks at Lynn, Fakenham, Yarmouth, and other places. His elder brother, John, had been placed in the establishment at Lynn, and his brother Samuel had been sent up to London, where he had become the head of a district concern; so that circumstances had prepared the way for that which J. J. Gurney himself had desired—a place in the bank at Norwich. Here in the enjoyment of daily communication with his father, and a home at Earlham with his sisters, the ensuing three years of his life passed in peace and joy. In the year 1806, he accompanied his father and a large family party in a tour to the English lakes and through Scotland. On their return, J. J. Gurney was regular in his attendance at the bank, but he found time for study at home, and he carefully read ancient historians in the original languages. Gradually, however, his attention became unceasingly directed to biblical literature, which continued for some years to absorb much of his leisure. His habits of study were eminently methodical, exemplifying his favourite maxim, which he was afterwards accustomed strongly to inculcate upon his young friends, “Be a whole man to one thing at a time.” His position and tastes introduced him to the highly-cultivated society, for which Norwich was at the time remarkable, at the house of his cousin Hudson Gurney, where he was accustomed to meet many persons who were eminent for their parts and learning. He had early become a favourite with Dr. Bathurst, then Bishop of Norwich, and their intercourse gradually ripened into a warm friendship, which was maintained unbroken till that prelate’s decease, in 1837, at the very advanced age of ninety-three. Young J. J. Gurney was but just twenty-one when, as one of his father’s executors and representative at Earlham, and as a partner in the bank, very grave responsibilities devolved upon him. However, he continued to pursue his studies with ardour, and he made his first essay as an author in an article published in the Classical Journal on September 9th, 1810, under the title of “A Critical Notice of Sir William Drummond’s Dissertations on the Herculanesia.” After this effort his mind became increasingly drawn towards the principles of the Society of Friends, and many of his allusions to his feelings, in his autobiography, are peculiarly interesting and instructive, indicating the spiritual phase of his mind. The example of his sister, Elizabeth Fry, as well as of his sister Priscilla, who like her, had become a decided Friend and a preacher of the gospel, strengthened his convictions; but the influence of other members of the family who resided at Earlham, as well as of many other estimable persons, tended in an opposite direction. The editor of the Memoirs, already referred to, says:—
“Whilst Joseph John Gurney’s religious convictions were thus gradually drawing him into a narrower path in connection with the Society of Friends, his heart was becoming increasingly enlarged in Christian concern for the welfare of others. He had already warmly interested himself in the formation of a Lancasterian School in Norwich, an institution which long continued to have his effective support. The establishment of an auxiliary Bible Society in this city, was an object into which he now entered with youthful ardour. The general meeting for its formation was held on the 11th of the 9th month, 1811.”
The philanthropist was married to Jane Birkbeck on October 10th, 1817, in his 29th year, and it appears to have been a very happy marriage. The event took place at Wells Meeting, and, after a short sojourn at Hunstanton, the newly-married couple travelled to their home at Earlham, where they received the visits of many friends, who were most hospitably entertained. After his marriage, J. J. Gurney continued at Earlham; and the hall, where his father had resided, and in which he himself lived from his birth, was his settled residence.
“To this place (with its lovely lawn nested among large trees) he was strongly attached all his life. And they who knew him there can still picture him in his study among his books, or in his drawing-room among his friends, his countenance beaming with love and intelligence, the life of the whole circle; or in his garden amongst his flowers, with his Greek Testament in his hand, still drawing from the books ‘of nature and of grace’ that lay open before him, new motives to raise the heart to the Author of all his blessings.
“Placed by circumstances, though not the elder brother, in the position which his father had occupied in Norfolk as Master of Earlham, and a partner in the bank, it was his delight, as far as possible, to continue Earlham as the family house. Even after his marriage, his sisters, Catherine, Rachel, and Priscilla, continued to live with him, occupying their own apartments, and it was the custom of the other members of the family frequently to meet there as under a common roof. * * * Up to the period of his brother John’s decease, and for some time afterwards, it was the habit of his brothers and himself, with their brothers-in-law, Thomas Fowell Buxton and Samuel Hoare, to improve these occasions by a mutual impartial examination of their conduct, in which each with brotherly openness stated what he conceived to be the brother’s faults. Happy indeed was such an intercourse between such minds. * * * Besides this, to him, delightful band of brothers and sisters, his house was, as must have been already apparent to the reader, freely opened to a large circle.
“Whilst every year strengthened his conviction of the soundness and importance of the christian principles which he professed, he rejoiced in that liberty wherewith Christ had made him free to embrace as brethren all those in whom he thought he could discern traces of his heavenly image.
“Towards the close of the year (1817) in company with his wife, his brother Samuel Gurney, his brother and sister Buxton, and Francis and Richenda Cunningham, he took a short tour upon the continent of Europe, their principal objects being to establish a branch Bible Society in Paris, and to procure information as to the systems of prison discipline adopted in the jails of Antwerp and Ghent. Having accomplished their objects, they returned home after an absence of about a month.”
Soon afterwards J. J. Gurney began to preach at meetings of the Friends in Norwich and elsewhere.
“Early in the year 1818, private business called him to London. His sister, Elizabeth Fry, had previously entered upon her important labours for the benefit of the prisoners in Newgate, and for the improvement of prison discipline generally. Joseph John Gurney warmly entered into his sister’s views, and accompanied her to the committee of the House of Commons on the occasion of giving her evidence, and afterwards to Lord Sidmouth, then Secretary of State for the Home Department.
“His visit to London and the pamphlet on Prison Discipline, soon afterward published by his brother-in-law, Thomas Fowell Buxton, tended to deepen in his own mind a sense of the importance of that subject, and an opportunity soon occurred for endeavouring to influence the authorities at Norwich to some exertion respecting it. The mayor and corporation, attended by the sheriffs and other citizens, whilst perambulating the boundaries of the county of the city, were by his desire invited to partake of refreshment in passing by the hall at Earlham. Besides those immediately connected with the magistracy many others assembled, the whole company consisting of about 800 persons. On this occasion, Joseph John Gurney, in an address to the mayor and corporation, urged the erection of a new jail, and its establishment on better principles, with a view to the employment of the prisoners, and the improvement of their morals; enforcing his appeal by a reference to the extraordinary change that had then recently taken place in Newgate, through the exertions of a committee of ladies, and concluding by offering a donation of £100 towards the object. The effort was not without fruit, though the result was not immediately apparent.”