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Edward Pickard HALL (1808–1886)
His wife Mrs Annie HALL, née Ralph (1814–1892)
Their daughters Alys HALL (1853–1883)
and Mary Ellen Pickard HALL (1840–1914)
St Paul section: Row 2, Grave A13 [St Paul refs. J.1 for parents and 1.JK for daughters]

Edward Pickard Hall was born at Worcester on 3 June 1808 and baptised at St Swithin’s Church there. He was the son of John Vine Hall, editor of the Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser, and Mary Teverill. He had two younger brothers: John Vine Hall junior (born 1813) and Christopher Newman Hall (born 1816).

Anne Ralph (known as Annie) was born at Bow (Cheapside), London in 1814, the daughter of James Ralph, Esq.

On 13 April 1836 at St Mary Le Strand, Westminster, Edward Pickhard Hall married Anne Ralph, and they had thirteen children:

• Edward Vine Hall (born in Maidstone on 11 June 1837)
• Charles Frederick Hall (born in Maidstone on 11 December 1838)
• Mary Ellen PIckard Hall (born in Maidstone on 22 May 1840)
• James Ralph Hall (born in Maidstone on 31 May 1843)
• John Vine Hall (born in Maidstone on 9 January 1845)
• Emily Anne Pickard Hall (born in Maidstone on 27 July 1846)
• Eleanor Martha Hall (born in Maidstone on 31 October 1847)
• Frank Henry Hall, later known as Francis (born in Thornham, Kent on 6 June 1849)
• Sarah Maria Hall (born in Barming, Kent on 15 November 1850)
• George Herbert Vine Hall (born in Barming, Kent on 15 February 1852; died aged two months on 19 April 1852)
• Alice or Alys Hall (born at Banbury Road, Oxford on 26 October 1853 and baptised at St Giles’s Church on 27 November)
• Arthur Pickard Hall (born at Banbury Road, Oxford on 26 July 1855 and privately baptised by St Giles’s Church on 26 August)
• Mary Louisa Hall (born at Banbury Road, Oxford on 1 May 1857 and privately baptised by St Giles’s Church on 18 May).

At the time of the 1841 census, Edward Pickard Hall was a bookseller, living in Bank Street, Maidstone with his wife Annie and their first three children, plus an apprentice bookseller and two female servants. His first contact with Oxford may have been when his eldest son Edward went to board at New College School as a chorister in about 1844.

By the time of the 1851 census Hall was the proprietor and editor of the Maidstone Journal and the family had moved to a house called Scraces in Barming, near Maidstone. Another five children had been born in the previous ten years, and again they had two female servants. Two children were missing: Edward (13) had moved on from New College School to be a chorister at Magdalen College School and was living in its boarding house at 38 High Street, Oxford; and Charles (12) was now a chorister at New College School, boarding at 29 Holywell Street, Oxford.

In 1853 Edward Pickard Hall moved his whole family to Oxford when he became a partner of the Clarendon Press: he and Henry Latham originally had four shares each, while Thomas Combe had eight.

Oxford University Press (the Clarendon Press) in 1833. The Bible Press was in the
south wing (left), and the Learned or Classical Press in the north wing (right)

Hall’s three youngest children were born in Oxford, and five of his sons were to become undergraduates at the University, starting with his eldest son Edward Vine Hall, who was matriculated from Magdalen College on 27 July 1855 at the age of 18, and his second son Charles, matriculated from The Queen’s College on 30 May 1856, aged 17.

The 1861 census shows the family living at 1 Park Place, which was at the south end of the Banbury Road, running north from opposite St Giles's Church (map). Hall’s occupation given as “Partner & Chief Manager Of The University Bible Press employing 47 men and 97 boys”, and the family had two servants. Eight of his children were at home: Edward (23), who was working as a tutor; Mary Ellen (20); James (17), Frank (11), Sarah (9) and Alice (6), who were at school; and Arthur (5), and Mary Louisa (4). Charles (22), who was now an undergraduate at Oxford, was staying with his widowed grandmother, Mrs Mary Hall (74) at St Pancras in London.

On 21 October 1862 Hall’s third son, James, was matriculated at the University of Oxford from Merton College at the age of 19; and on 20 October 1868 his fifth son, Frank, was matriculated from Corpus Christi College at the age of 19.

By 1871 Edward Pickard Hall (62) was described as the University Printer. He now lived with his family in South House (left) in the University Press Yard (the quadrangle of the press buildings facing Walton Street), following the retirement of the previous Printer James Wright to Park Town. There were two conjoined managers’ houses here, and Thomas Combe lived next door to him in North House until 1872.

Hall’s daughter Emily (24) was the only member of the family at home here on the night of the 1871 census, plus two servants. His wife Anne spent census night at the Royal Crescent, Brighton with her unmarried son Frederick (32) and Eleanor (24).

On 19 October 1874 Hall’s youngest son, Arthur, was matriculated at the University of Oxford from Keble College at the age of 19. Five of his sons were now Oxford men, and on 6 March 1877 Hall himself, who was now senior managing partner of the Clarendon Press, was created an Honorary M.A. by the University.

At the time of the 1881 census Hall (71) was still working as Printer to the University, and so the family was still living at University Press Yard. This time the only child at home with them was Mary Louisa (23).

Their daughter Alys died in 1883:

† Alys Hall died at the family home at the University Press on 9 March 1883 at the age of 29 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 13 March in a double plot evidently reserved for the future use of other members of the family.

By 1884 Hall had completed thirty years at the Clarendon Press: his working hours had always been 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and outside working hours he instructed up to eighty boys at night school; and at weekends he organized games on Saturday afternoons, Sunday school on Sunday afternoons, and singing classes at his home for the compositors in the evenings. So when that year he was summarily dismissed by the Delegates of the University Press at the age of 76, it came as a shock. His dismissal was largely at the behest of Benjamin Jowett, Manager of the University Press, who wanted to appoint an innovator. Hall wrote to Professor Bartholomew Price, the Secretary (Chief Executive) of the Delegates, “The blow to me and to my family is unspeakably painful.” He is said to have “faced poverty in old age”; but none the less his family was able to move to a large north Oxford house, at 23 Norham Road, and continued to maintain two servants.

Hall died in 1886:

† Edward Pickard Hall died at 23 Norham Road on 6 November 1886 at the age of 78 and was buried at St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 10 November (burial recorded in the register of St Paul’s Church).

The following obituary appeared in Jackson’s Oxford Journal on 13 November 1886:

THE LATE MR. E. PICKARD HALL
On the evening of Saturday, Nov. 6th, a distinguished citizen was taken from us. Mr. Edward Pickard Hall was born at Worcester on the 3rd of June, 1809, and was therefore in his 79th year. His father Mr. John Vine Hall, was the compiler of “The Sinner’s Friend,” a little book which has obtained a circulation of more than three million copies. He derived his name PIckard from his grandmother, a niece of the Rev. Edward Pickard, one of the founders of the Orphan Working School. On leaving school, Mr. E. P. Hall was associated with his father in the conduct of the Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser, which he edited for more than twenty years. Devoted to music and Church work, he was for some years voluntary Choirmaster and Organist at St. Peter’s, Maidstone, and afterwards Precentor of All Saints, the collegiate Parish Church of that City. On removing to Bearsted he found the singing in Church led by the schoolmaster’s flute, but soon obtained the substitution of an organ. Two years later he went to East Farleigh, then under the charge of the Rev. Henry Wilberforce. Here he acted as Organist and Choirmaster, and was in other ways most helpful to a Vicar whom he much esteemed. During this period of his life he was actively engaged in many public duties, undertaking, amongst other honorary offices, the Secretaryship of various Agricultural and Horticultural Societies, as well as of the Maidstone Board of Health, and of the Irish Famine Fund, &c.

In 1853, Mr. Hall became one of the partners of the Oxford Clarendon Press, and so continued until 1884. Besides supervising the discipline of the Institution, he took charge of the Boys’ Night School four nights a week in the winter months, and directed the Men’s Brass Band, and the Boys’ Drum and Fife Band. Mr. Hall assisted in founding the Oxford Churchmen’s Union, was for many years a member of its Council, and for some time the Lay Honorary Secretary. In this connection he was associated with the Rev. W. D. Macray in the management of those Saturday Evening Entertainments at the Town Hall, which are now resumed under other auspices. He was also, for some time, President of the North Oxford Working Men’s Club, to which he gave lectures, readings, and concerts. For many years he was an ardent Volunteer, and in 1866 was appointed Captain of one of the Companies, which consisted largely of employés at the Press. Mr. Hall greatly valued the various tokens of respect from time to time from those whom he had tried to serve. Among these may be mentioned the acknowledgement of his services as a first volunteer organist at St. Giles’s Church, where a barrel organ reigned as late as 1863. But that which he regarded as the crowning honour of his life was the presentation to him of the Honorary Degree of M.A. by the University of Oxford, on March 6, 1877, and his subsequent association with Keble and with Hertford College. While he lived at the Clarendon Press he was a generous helper to all good works at St. Paul’s, and one the most regular worshippers at its daily services. On removing to the Norham Road, in St. Philip’s Parish, he gave his aid and presence to the different organizations of that Church, of which he was sidesman when he died.

He was buried at St. Sepulchre’s Cemetery on Wednesday, the 10th inst., at a quarter-past one in the afternoon. The funeral was conducted by the Rev. E. C. Dermer, assisted by members of the St. Philip’s choir. The service in the Chapel commenced with the singing of verses of the hymn “Saviour, blessed Saviour.” The lesson was read by the Vicar of St. Paul’s, the Rev. W. B. Duggan. As the coffin was taken out of the Chapel (covered with wreaths and crosses, including one from the Press Band, one from the churchwardens, and one from the congregation of St. Paul’s) the choir sang the Nunc Dimittis. Among the large company of mourners at the funeral were a great number of members of the Press, with a deputation to carry the coffin from the Chapel to the grave, the Provost of Queen’s College, Professor Montagu Burrows, Dr. Biggs, Professor Bartholomew Price, Mr. L. Gell, Mr. Horace Hart, the Rev. W. Lock, Rev. A. Butler (Oriel), Rev. Mr. Spurling (Keble), Rev. E. L. Balmer, Mr. Wilson (Oriel), the Rev. G. Lewis, the Rev. F. Brown, &c.

Mr. Hall was author of an “Index to the Authorised Version of the Bible,” and also of a short “History of Printing.” He was married in 1836 to Anne, daughter of James Ralph, Esq., who survives him, with their six sons and five of six daughters.

His personal estate came to £16,988 2s. 7d.

At the time of the 1891 census his widow, Mrs Annie Hall (76) was living on her own means at 23 Norham Road with her unmarried daughters Sarah (40) and Mary Louisa (33), plus a cook and a parlourmaid. She died the following year:

† Mrs Annie Hall died at 23 Norham Road on 6 November 1892 at the age of 78, and was buried with her husband in St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 9 November (burial recorded in the register of St Paul’s Church).

Her personal effects came to £4,348 18s. 1d., with probate granted to three of her sons: the Revd Edward Vine Hall, the Revd Francis Henry Hall, and James Ralph Hall, solicitor.

Her daughter Mary Ellen Pickard Hall was boarding at 74 St John’s Park, Blackheath at the time of the 1911 census. She died in 1914, and her body was brought to Oxford for burial with her parents:

† Miss Mary Ellen Pickard Hall died at 74 St John’s Park on 21 October 1914 at the age of 74 and was buried in St Sepulchre’s Cemetery on 24 October (burial recorded in the register of St Paul’s Church).

Her effects came to £1,774 18s. 4d., and probate was granted to her sister Miss Mary Louisa Hall and to Miss Elizabeth Griffin.

Some of the precise dates have been obtained from the ClanBarker website