Rev. Joseph Stratton

Joseph Stratton (1839–1917) was born on 1 May 1839 at Clifton Campville, Staffordshire1, the second son of John Stratton, of Clifton Campville, Staffordshire, and Anne, daughter of Edward Mousley, of Haunton, near Tamworth. He studied at Appleby Grammar School, Leicestershire; Worcester College, Oxford.

Ordained, 1870; held Curacies in Swansea, Burton-on-Trent, New Barnet, etc; retired from the Church on theological grounds, 1878; returned in 1886, and became Curate of Winchfield, Hants; interested in social questions, education, housing of the people, putting labourers on the land, management of prisons and workhouses, etc.

Rev. Joseph Stratton was the Master of Henry Lucas Hospital, Wokingham from 1889 to 1917. He was a member of the Humanitarian League’s campaign against hunting and played a prominent role in the abolition of the Royal Buckhounds.

On 20 September 18922, he married Louise Cecilia Bazalgette Lucas3, daughter of St. John Welles Lucas, M.R.C.S., and Louisa Bazalgette4.

His recreations included reflective walks, and, when sympathetic companions are at hand, philosophical talks; fond of music, vocal and instrumental.

He died on 11th January 1917 at Wokingham, Berkshire, England, and was buried at St Paul’s Church, Wokingham. When the Rev. Stratton died, Louise had to leave her home of 25 years.

Louise was skilled at intricate wood carving, and her work can be seen in the Lucas Hospital Chapel. She died on 14 February 1950, aged 96.

Published

  • A Defence Of The Broad Churchman’s Position In The Establishment, 1902
  • Blood-Sports, By Rev. J. Stratton, The Animals’ Cause, 1909, pp.261-266
  • Cruel Sport at Eton College, by Rev. J. Stratton, 1899, 2 pages.
  • Ethelfleda and other poems, by Joseph Stratton, Dryden Publishing Company, 1915, 70 pages.
  • Fireside Poems, by Rev. Joseph Stratton, M.A. (Oxen), Stock, 1901, 118 pages.
  • Hunting the carted stag: some descriptions of a spurious sport. With a notice of the Ribblesdale buckhounds, by Rev. Joseph Stratton, Humanitarian League, 1907, 19 pages.
  • Letter To A Friend On Theology, by Joseph Stratton, privately printed, 1902, 22 pages.
  • Royal Sport, Some Facts Concerning the Queen’s Buckhounds, by J. Stratton, London: William Reeves, 1891, 13 pages.
  • So-Called Sport: A Plea for Stengthening the Law for the Protection of Animals, by The Rev. J. Stratton, Colonel W. Lisle B. Coulson and Dr R. H. Jude, London: William Reeves, 1896, 44 pages.
  • Sports Legitimate And Illegitimate, by Joseph Stratton, Humanitarian League, 1904, 11 pages.
  • Tame Stag Hunting, by Rev. J. Stratton, Humanitarian League, 1899, 4 pages.
  • The attitude, past and present, of the R.S.P.C.A. towards such spurious sports as tame deer hunting, pigeon shooting, and coursing rabbits, by Joseph Stratton, privately printed, 1906, 8 pages.
  • The Decline and Fall Of The Royal Buckhounds, by Joseph Stratton, Humanitarian League, 1901, 23 pages.
  • Vivisection and Anti-Vivisection: Which Side Must I Take? by Joseph Stratton, Manchester Society for the Protection of Animals from Vivisection, 1898, 36 pages.

Further reading:

Henry Salt’s tribute

  1. Citation required ↩︎
  2. Evening Mail, London, 23 September 1892, p. 8:
    On the 20th inst. of S. Mary’s, The Boltons, S.W. by the Reverend J. T. T. Robinson, the REVEREND JOSEPH STRATTON, M.A., Oxon, of the Lucus Hospital, Wokingham, to LOUISE CECILIA BAZALGETTE LUCAS, youngest daughter of the late St. John Welles Lucas, Esq., and granddaughter of the late Captain J. W. Bazalgette, R.N. ↩︎
  3. 1939 England and Wales Register: Louis C B L Stratton, 67 Fairview Road, Wokingham, Wokingham M.B., Berkshire, England, birth 26 April 1853. Marital status: Widowed. ↩︎
  4. Lancashire OnLine Parish Clerks: Baptism: 1 Jul 1853 St James, Birch in Rusholme, Lancashire
    Louise Cecilia Bazalgette Lucas Lucas – [Child] of St John Lucas & Louisa. Abode: Rusholme. Occupation: Surgeon. Baptised By: F. H. Cope ↩︎