Henry Maxwell Spooner

“ In October 1869 he accepted Gladstone's offer of the bishopric of Carlisle, which see he held till his death. At Carlisle the bishop brought to bear on the work of the diocese the energy and ability which had made him a man of mark from his early Cambridge days. He infused a new spirit and vitality into all the existing organisations within the diocese, and he also found time to preach frequently in London and to attend the meetings of the great church societies, where he was always a welcome speaker. ”

“ For many years before his death he was chairman of the Universities' Mission to Central Africa. It was in large part owing to his strenuous advocacy of the scheme that the Church House was selected as the Church of England's Jubilee Memorial in 1887, and he lived to see the foundation stone laid by H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught. From his known interest in scientific subjects he was asked by the dean of Westminster to preach in the abbey on the Sunday after the funeral of Charles Darwin, 1 May 1882. ”

“ From 1825 to 1833 he was educated at a private school at High Wycombe. Before going into residence at Cambridge, he joined a party at Keswick and read with William Hepworth Thompson [q. v.] , then a fellow, afterwards master, of Trinity College, Cambridge. He was admitted pensioner of Gonville and Caius College on 16 Nov. 1835, and soon gave evidence of his ability, especially in mathematics. ”