Name/Title
1840/Hughes: family bibleDescription
The Comprehensive Bible was first published in 1827 by Samuel Bagster & Sons, 15 Paternoster Row, London. There is no date on the title page but this is thought to be the first edition. Later editions were brought out by other publishers.
This extremely heavy tome has, in its first 12 blank pages, handwritten biographical details of Seneca and Mary Elizabeth Gill, who became his wife, together with those of their surviving children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Seneca has signed his name twice on the title page. It is highly probable that this family bible was given as a wedding present to Seneca and Mary, as their marriage in 1840 is given prominence on page 1 of the handwritten notes. The last entry in 1936, nearly one hundred years later, was for the election of Humphrey Vaughan Hughes, the grandson of Seneca and Mary, as Prior of the Benedictine Community at Nashdom.
