Page 5 - HGS Suburb News 144 - December 2020

The ‘Actual’ Vision of Henrietta Barnett

enrietta Barnett’s (née To this end the girls were Barnett as “my teacher and himself a disciple of James
HRowland) education and expected to entertain children friend [who] had a dynamic Hinton – even for a while seeing
upbringing was – for its time – from the local workhouse and to effect on my then somnolent as his life task the preservation
unusual. Her mother, also visit and support an orphanage character”, and wrote in her and presentation of Hinton’s ideas.
Henrietta, (who died 16 days that the sisters had founded in personal notebook “I thank you, With Hinton he saw Christianity
after her birth) was a German the nearby countryside. dearest Miss Carrie, for all your as largely responsible for
Catholic. She was the youngest Henrietta would later write boundless goodness to me destroying the cooperative and
of eight children in what was that her time in Dover had set which has been the foundation communal character of
presumably a bilingual house- her on her course in life. However, of my happiness.” primitive society in which
hold or at least one that she might not have been referring Another of Hinton’s ideas humans had enjoyed freer and
considered itself partly German. only to the fresh air and the was that men should become more natural relationships with
Only her age prevented her mixing of the classes – both of more like women: they should each other and the environment.
from volunteering as a nurse which would later be part of her be ‘womaned’ – brought under Although polygamy was never
with the German army during vision for the Garden Suburb. feminine influence and direction part of the plan for Hampstead
the Franco-Prussian War. Her The Haddon sisters were much to achieve both personal inner Garden Suburb, Hinton’s ideas
father, Alexander, made no influenced by the husband of a harmony and social well-being. about the role of the ‘feminine’
effort to inculcate any faith in fourth sister, James Hinton, a Henrietta would marry a man can perhaps be detected in the
his children, preferring instead forgotten figure today but one James Hinton Henrietta Barnett who was described as “almost project. As well as housing
to spend Sunday evenings – the who had achieved a certain religion, morality and science, ‘liberation’ of women. The feminine in his gentleness”, specifically reserved for working
traditional time for family notoriety at the time. and ultimately propounded a ‘Actualist’ became convinced and their relationship was an women and professional young
prayers or Bible reading in Hinton (1822-1875) was the religious philosophy of his own that he had a calling to oppose early example of a new sort of ladies (Queens Court and
middle class Victorian homes – son of a Baptist minister who at which he called ‘Actualism’. the fetters of Christian ‘companionable’ marriage in Waterlow Court respectively), a
teaching them how to look at the age of 16 went to work in a Actualism involved the monogamy in the name of which the traditional roles of girls’ school took centre place
paintings through his collection draper’s shop in Whitechapel. The replacement of the Christian female emancipation. Both the sexes were renegotiated or between the houses of worship.
of engravings. poverty and moral degradation understanding of God with a Hinton and Caroline Haddon even reversed. Although the Suburb is
When she finally went to of the East End made a deep ‘Universal Spirit’ who was the advocated polygamy as a way of The marriage was also a usually presented as a place
school for the first time (at the impression, undermined his ‘actuality’ behind all things. reducing household chores and model, it might be said, for a where the social classes were
age of 16 and then only for four belief in Christianity, and led Individual human beings could responsibilities. If a man had renewed human society of supposed to live alongside and
terms) it was to an unusual him to train as a doctor. In 1852 achieve union with the divine two or more wives, the duties of which Hampstead Garden Suburb influence each another, Henrietta
establishment in Dover run by he married Margaret Haddon spirit through the service of each would be reduced and became an early ‘actualization’. Barnett probably saw this as
the three Haddon sisters who and had his own practice as a others. In Hinton’s personal they would have more time for To fashion this new community only an aspect of much greater
saw their task as broadening the hearing specialist, but after what case the service of others, as his their own interests and to better Henrietta selected Raymond scheme to transform human
outlooks of their middle-class he called his ‘moral revolution’ sister-in-law Caroline Haddon meet their husband’s needs. Unwin, whose plan for a relationships and create a new
charges through an experience he became increasingly interested (who edited his writings) later This same Caroline Haddon Garden City at Letchworth had kind of community.
of the lives of the less fortunate. in the connections between revealed, mainly involved the was described by Henrietta just been accepted. Unwin was REVD ALAN WALKER

Suburb library summer reading challenge

or the past eight years, the Reading Agency to present the This year, with all the issues the challenge having their Saturday from 3pm to 4.30pm Full details can be found at:
FGarden Suburb Community Summer Reading Challenge for around Covid-19 and lockdown, names put into a draw to win a for Click & Collect and we also gardensuburblibrary.org.uk/gscl.
Library has linked with The children aged 3-12 years old. it was a particular challenge for copy of Roald Dahl’s Whizz- offer a print service. MARC HULL
us as well, but combining it popping Joke Book.
with our very successful Click & Several parents commented
Collect service 39 children on how excited their children
joined the ‘Silly Squad’ and got were to participate and how
involved. Many completed part much their reading improved
or all of the challenge to win during the very difficult period
stickers, fridge magnets and of lockdown.
pencils, with children completing Congratulations to all our
at least six books also winning a worthy winners and we hope to
certificate and a medal. hear a joke next time you come
As in previous years, the to collect your books!
library donated an extra prize Please remember that we
for all the children who finished are still able to open Tuesday –

The ten winners of the HGS Library summer reading challenge, photographed by
HGS Library volunteer staff members Hetty Colchester, Marc Hull, Tina Isaacs and
Jeremy Clynes.

Christmas at St Jude’s Look out for

Sunday 20 December your neighbours!
6pm Carol Service
Thursday 24 December ovid-19 is still with us and of Suburb residents checking it
Christmas Eve C so is the ‘Look out for your daily and they will find somebody
6pm Carol Service Neighbours’ group. If you need to help you. You may like to cut
Friday 25 December help with things like grocery out and keep the coupon below
for easy reference – just in case.
shopping or collecting medicines
Christmas Day etc please do not be afraid to Please remember to look out
10.30am Christmas Celebration ask for support. Just call 020 for your neighbours who may
3322 8123. This number is still need some help or just a
unmanned but there is a group friendly word.

LOOK OUT FOR YOUR NEIGHBOURS GROUP
If you cannot get the help you need call
Because of COVID-19 restrictions booking is required for attendance at
Christmas services.To request a place contact: info@stjudeonthehill.com
SAINT JUDE-ON-THE-HILL • THE PARISH CHURCH OF HAMPSTEAD GARDEN SUBURB 0203 322 8123
www.stjudeonthehill.com
Leave a message with your return contact number
and one of the HGS ‘Look out for your Neighbours’ team
SUBURB NEWS IS PRODUCED AND DELIVERED TO YOU BY RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEERS
will call you back.