Scrivener

Alfred Perry Scrivener (1826–1902): A Life of Principle and Public Service

Alfred Perry Scrivener was born on 24 December 1826 in Blakesley Northamptionshire. By the 1841 census he was living with his father and three brothers and a sister on a farmer in Brook End, Weston Turville. The majority of his life was spent in Aylebury Vale where he could be found contributing to the region’s agricultural, civic, and religious life. His family roots traced back to North Hampshire, but it was in Buckinghamshire that he made his mark — as a miller, farmer, magistrate, and steadfast advocate for Nonconformity, Liberalism, and temperance.

Family

Married Eliza Loosley (1839-1896) in 1857.

Second marriage was to Mary Jane Harle (1849-1927)

Early Life and Work

Scrivener began his working life at Brook Farm in Weston Turville, where he was engaged in milling and farming. He later moved to “Bex Villa”, also in Weston Turville, which became “Rosebank” and Haglis House Wendover. His practical knowledge of rural industry gave him a grounded perspective that would inform his later public service. He was known for his consistency of character — a man whose principles remained firm throughout his life.

Civic Duty and Justice

Scrivener was House Visitor at the Aylesbury Infirmary and on the Board of Guardians and in later years became a Justice of the Peace for Buckinghamshire. Following the death of Mr. George Butcher, he frequently presided over the Aylesbury Petty Sessional Court. His reputation for fairness and integrity earned him respect across the district. Even in the final week of his life, he attended court duties, a testament to his dedication.

Faith and Fellowship

A staunch Nonconformist, Scrivener was deeply involved in the Free Church movement. He served as both president and vice-president of the Aylesbury and District Free Church Council and worshipped regularly at the Congregational Church in Wendover. He was deeply involved in the Weston Turville Union Chapel and for 50 years he worked in the Sunday school. His faith was not merely personal but active — he believed strongly in the spiritual independence of Christian bodies from state control, and he lived out those convictions with quiet tenacity. He was a member of the Society for the Liberation of Religion From State-Patronage and Control.

Politics and Temperance

Politically, Scrivener was a committed Liberal and a member of the Mid Bucks Liberal and Radical Association. He never wavered in his beliefs, even as others shifted toward Unionism. As a temperance advocate, he held strong views that sometimes sparked debate among friends, but he was always forthright and principled. His public writings, including spirited exchanges with figures like Rev. Henry Harpur-Crewe (Rector of Drayton Beauchamp) and Rev. William Ernest Malaher (Rector of Weston Turville), showed a man unafraid to speak his mind. 

Community and Character

Scrivener was known throughout the district not only for his public roles but for his personal warmth and humility. Though well-to-do, he chose to worship among humble congregations and was widely respected by ordinary people. He served on the committee of the Chiltern Hills Agricultural Association and took a keen interest in local affairs.

His first wife, Eliza, the daughter of Richard Loosley of Haydon Mill, shared his convictions and was a source of strength and inspiration. Their shared commitment to faith and service was a hallmark of their life together. Sadly, she died in 1896. In 1898, Alfred married Mary Jane Hurle.

Passing and Legacy

Alfred Perry Scrivener died on 22 December 1902 at his home, Haglis House in Wendover, after contracting influenza. He was 75 years old. His funeral, held on 27 December, was attended by many from across the region. The service began at the Congregational Church and concluded at Wendover Churchyard, where he was laid to rest beside his first wife.

The tributes that followed spoke of a man whose life was “all of a piece” — consistent, principled, and deeply rooted in service to others. As one speaker put it, “It was a splendid thing to die and be missed.” Scrivener’s legacy lives on in the institutions he served and the values he upheld.

Mary Jane Scrivener

Arthur's widow continued to support his causes and communittee involvement. In 1907 Mrs. Scrivener hosted a grand, local celebrity filled, garden party and sale of work at Haglis House, Wendover to raise funds for a Schoolroom to be erected at the rear of the Union Chapel in Weston Turville.[5] 

Curiously, In 1907, Mary Jane Scrivener, still of Haglis House, Wendover was added as freeholder of the Highbury Brewery Company.[2] 

Mary Jane Scrivener, stood for election as a Parish Councillor for Wendover in 1922, she was also supported Thomas Keens (Independent Liberal) against Lionel Nathan de Rothschild (Conservative) at the General Election that year.[3&4]

References

1. ^This page is largely based on obituaries in Bucks Herald and Bucks Advertiser.

2. ^ Morning Advertiser 29 Jan 1907

3. ^ Bucks Advertiser 18 Mar 1922

4. ^ Bucks Herald 11 Nov 1922

5. ^ Bucks Advertiser 03 Aug 1907; Also Bucks Herald