James Philip Hewlett I [1780 - 1820]

Biography

James was endowed with a beautiful voice and was educated the the Choir School, New College. His name appears in the New College Increment Book of 1793, and is last found in 1797.  In 1797 he was a Subwarden and was required to perform various tasks for a College officer, perhaps in return for some remuneration.  It is believed that Hewlett may have continued to sing in the New College choir after matriculating at Pembroke on  29 March 1797; gained his BA at Magdalen College on  December 4, 1800, and his MA, also at Magdalen, on 13 July 1803.

James Philip Hewlett was ordained Curate of St. Aldates in December 1804, and soon after became Chaplain of the City Prison. He was a Clerk of Magdalen 1813-1815. From 1812 to 1815 he was a Chaplain of New College; and from 11 October 1815 until his death on 15 March, 1820 was a Chaplain of Magdalen College. In 1817 he became a Chaplain to the House of Industry in Oxford (poor house).

 In 1900 the Reverend William Tuckwell, a New College man, published his 'Reminiscences of Oxford'.  In that work he recorded the discovery, in New College Chapel, of a note hidden in the crevice of the broken wing of a sham oak angel.   Tuckwell treats the note as the work of of one of the 'New College brats' and regards Master James Philip Hewlett (as) "naughty".  It of great interest to know that in 1996 Jonathan Edmunds,  Master of New College Choir School, wrote a history of the life and education of the Choristers of New College and titled his book 'New College Brats'

Tuckwell claims to have discovered the note in the chapel himself while showing a group of people around.   However, Emma Mary Byles OBE, in her unpublished 'Family Notes' (1926), states that it was discovered by a workman and given to a grandson of James Philip Hewlett, Rev. John Howe Hewlett vicar of Fulwood, Sheffield, who had it photographed.  Tuckwell preserved this note in his own grangerized copy of his book which is now located in the Bodleian Library. 

                           Read an analysis of the handwriting of J P Hewlett I
 

Sample of Handwriting from Note   Text of Note [Side 1]           Choristers of New College April 26, 1796 When this you find Recall me in your Mind, James Philip Hewlett Hewlett      Subwardens' Chor Bailey        in the Rowl (Hewlett to Slatter are bracketed) Slatter Evins King           Deans Choris Haldon       Burs Chor Maltby Yeattes Walker Smith Holland Shute Turrell Cecile Liddle Copeland (A bracket links all the names from Hewlett to Copeland)   [Side 2] Yeates 'just' (inserted) gone out of Chapel making as if he was Ill, to go to 'Botleigh' (inserted above crossed-out first attempt) with Miss Watson Q All the Boys at Prayer's this Evening. Mr. Pricket Reads Prayers. Mr. Lardner is now reading the Second Lesson Mr. Jenks read the First.  Slatter sham's a bad Eye because he did not 'know' (inserted) the English of the Theme and could not do it.  Mr. Slatter Master of the School.  A whole Holiday yesterday being St Mark.  Only the Subwarden of the Seniors at Prayers.

[Sincere thanks to Dr. Caroline Dalton, Archivist, New College Oxford for her invaluable assistance in enabling me to see the original note in the Bodleian Library in 1997]

In an article 'Lost and found: A Chorister's Account of a New College Service in Progress, 1796' E.P.Wilson makes the following comment:  "As the Reverend James Hewlett, as Chaplain of New College, must have looked down during a New College service at the crevice where as Master James Hewlett he had hidden his furtively written account in 1796".

The names of New College Choristers are preserved in the archives in Increment Books (account books). The 1796 book is missing.  Thus, James Philip Hewlett's list of choristers has supplied the missing record. Mr. Lardner and Mr. Jenks were Clerks, and Mr. Pricket and Mr. Slatter (who was also the Master of New College School at that time) were Chaplains.

A book of the sermons of James Philip Hewlett was published in 1821 (posthumously): 'Sermons adapted for Parochial and Domestic Use', London, Simpkin and Marshall.

Among the list of subscribers are the names of family members, and people closely linked to the family and include the following:     Mr. Barbet (Henley-on-Thames); Mrs. Beuzeville (Woodford, Essex); Miss Beuzeville (Oxford); Mr. J.C. Byles, Mr. H.N. Byles, Mr. J.B. Byles, (Henley-on-Thames); James Guillemard Esq. (London); Mr. Jolit (Old Broad Street, London); Mr. Samuel Jolit (Kingsland); P. Levesque, Esq. (Montagne Place, Russell Square);  Mr. W. Soundy,(Culham Farm, Wargrave, Berks).

Contents of the book include a sermon titled 'The Consolations of a Faithful Minister', preached September 20, 1819.

James Philip Hewlett died on March 15, 1820 after suffering a debilitating illness of long duration.  He was buried in the Chancel at St. Aldates, Oxford on March 23, 1820.