O S T E S S E Y

Husenbeth, Frederick Charles, D.D.,  born at Bristol, May 30, 1796, was the son of Frederick Charles Husenbeth, a wine merchant in that city, and his wife Elizabeth James, a Protestant lady of a Cornish family, who afterwards became an excellent Catholic.
 His father was born at Mentz, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse and received his early education amongst the Jesuits, in whose order he had two relations who were professed fathers.  For some time he resided at Manheim, as a professor well skilled in classics and languages.  He left that city to perfect himself in English and placed himself at Dr. Ireland's academy at Brislington, near Bristol, in Dec. 1787.  The French revolution prevented his return to Germany and three years later he established himself as a wine merchant in Bristol, where he resided till his death, March 15, 1848, aged 82.  He was very exact and methodical in his habits and was much esteemed in Bristol .  He was an accomplished musician, and a celebrated violinist of the day used to be a frequent guest at his house.  He was also intimate with the poet Coleridge.  His wife died June 29, 1816, aged 43 and with her son George was buried in the lobby of St. Joseph's Chapel.  Amongst the obituaries in the "Laity Directory" for 1828 is that of Mrs Josephine Christina Husenbeth, who died at Barrow House near Bristol Feb 4 1827, aged 27.  Thus Dr Husenbeth told Dr. Oliver that he was left " the last of his family and even name, upon the earth ", adding in the words of the psalmist (cxl), "Singulariter sum ego, donec transeam ".
 At the age of six years and eleven months, Mr Husenbeth sent his son Fred to Sedgley Park School, with the intention that he should be educated for trade.  He arrived on April 25, 1803 and there under the care of the president, the Rev. Thomas Southworth, he became conspicuous amonst his companions in every branch of education given at the school.  When nearly fourteen years of age, April 4, 1810, his father removed him to his own counting- house, where he remained for three years.  He then addressed a letter to his father, in which he informed of his desire to enter the Church. His request was reluctantly granted and he returned to his studies at Sedgley Park, April 29, 1813.  Bishop Milner and the superiors were so pleased with his progress that he was removed to Oscott College Aug. 1, 1814.  There on Feb. 25, 1820 he was ordained priest by the bishop. and was retained at the college, with duties attending to the mission at Stourbridge, co. Worcester, every Saturday till the following Monday, walking there and back, a distance of thirteen or fourteen miles.  After a few months he was sent to Cossey hall, in Norfolk, as chaplain to Sir Geo. Wm. Stafford Jerningham, Bart, who suceeded to the barony of Stafford after reversal of the attainder of Sir Wm. Howard Viscount Stafford, in 1824
 Mr Husenbeth arrived at Cossey July 7, 1820 and, by his own desire, was provided with a cottage in the village instead of residing in the Hall, as was customary with previous chaplains.  At the end of 1824 ( or early in 1825)   he returned to Oscott College to teach divinity, but dissatisfied with some arrangements which had been made , he soon resumed his mission in Cossey.
 There for more than half a century he devoted himself to his flock, forming a large proportion of the parish, with willing fulfillment of the calls of duty, which scarcely admitted of relaxation.  His generous kindness and attention to the personal wants and spiritual welfare of his people was dictated by a deep interest in those he was ordained to instruct and guide.  But he was otherwise known than by his pastoral duties.  His literary labours. which he commenced immediately after his settlement at Cossey, were unceasing and widespread.
 In 1827, Dr, Walsh, who had suceeded Dr. Milner to the vicariate of the midland district, appointed Mr Husenbeth his grand-vicar,  the bishop entertained a high opinion of his solid learning and activity.  On May 26, 1841 he opened St. Walstan's Chapel at Cossey.  It was designed by Mr Buckler sen., of Oxford, who also built the presbytery.The good missionary was most assiduous in collecting funds for the completion of the building, in which he was generously assisted by Lord Stafford and others.  On July 7, 1850, his Holiness awarded him the degree of Doctor of Divinity.   In this  year the English hierarchy was re-established, and on June 24, 1852 Dr Husenbeth was appointed provost of the Chapter and vicar-general of the diocese of Northampton, of which Dr. Waring his former comrade at Sedgley Park and Oscott, was the first bishop.  He was also a member of the old English Chapter of which he was elected president in succession to Dr. Rock, shortly before his death.  Thus he continued his labours, save that he relinquished the private chaplaincy at the Hall some years previous to his decease.  It is said that during his fifty-two years' missionary life he was but thrice absent from home on a Sunday !  At length an affection of the heart became apparent, and a few months before his death he retired, by medical advice, from the active duties of his chapel and the care of that flock to whose welfare he had devoted his long and valuable life.  He died at the presbytery, adjoining St. Walstan's Oct. 31 1872, aged 76.
 In private life Dr. Husenbeth was an agreeable and eminently cheerful companion.  He posssessed much conversational power, high classical and antiquarian talent, and not a little humour.  He was kind-hearted and always ready with his pen to give information  to those who applied to him.  His punctuality in answering letters was remarkable and in this he expected his correspondents to imitate him.  The order and regularity which he observed in his habits, in his house and in his daily life, were admirable.  It was the possession of these specialities which enabled him to accomplish so much literary labour, in addition to his clerical and pastoral duties.  Possessing a robust frame and good health, with indomitable perseverance, he was able to undergo the vast amount of mental and personal labour which distinguishes his long life.  His days were all full  days.  after he had attended to his duties during the day, he devoted most of the evenings to his correspondence and to the composition of his works.  He went on writing almost to the very  last.
 His character as a priest was that of life of personal innocence, ardently desiring the promotion of the honour and glory of God, the good of his neighbour and above all that of the flock entrusted to his care.  He was a wise and prudent director of souls, a zealous   but not very eloquent preacher, and an admirable catechist, who knew better than most priests how to adapt his instructions to the capacities of both children and adults.  He certainly was not without peculiarities in ways and ideas, but these were outweighed by his purity and simplicity of intention.  In his intercourse with his people, he sometimes appeared too rigid and dogmatic, not making sufficient allowance for their failings.  Indeed his biographer Canon Dalton, was of the opinion that he was more adapted for a college life than for a missionary priest.  The canon says        :  '' He did not keep up with the progress of religion.  He disliked new devotions, religious communities as teachers and would never introduce into his chapel any popular devotions such as ' Quarant 'Ore or the 'Month of May' or retreats given by any religious order.  He was indeed a priest of 'the old school' but at the same time a priest of which that school may well be proud. "
 For many years before the mission of Fr. Matthew, Dr. Husenbeth was a total abstainer and was hailed as the patriarch of the movement by the apostle of temperance, when they met in England some thirty years before his death.

[   Here followed a list of  54 published works by Rev F.C. Husenbeth  his subjects including theological treatises , prayer books, breviaries, missals, vesper books,   Roman Catholic apologia, Original  Songs adapted to German Melodies, A guide to the Wine Cellar, memoirs and biographies of Bishop John Milner and others churchmen ,  The Life of St. Walstan, Confessor ,  Emblems of  the Saints by which they are distinguished in Works of Art,  very many funeral sermons , The Holy Bible translated from the Latin Vulgate, many other translations of religious works on Catholic subjects, etc.  He published many poems in Catholic periodicals.  In 1836 the poet, Thomas Moore, in a letter said-- "As to what you say about me hailing you as a 'brother theologian' I may with far more justice hail you as a brother poet. "

    The funeral of the Very Rev. Provost Husenbeth, D.D., V.G., was held at St. Walstans Chapel,  Cossey, on the 6th Nov. 1872.  conducted by the Very Rev. John Dalton, Canon of Northampton .
The funeral sermon was published (Lond., Burns, Oates & Co., 1872, 8vo. pp 26) and   dedicated to the Right  Hon. Valentine, Baron Stafford.