Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 2.djvu/291

 

 HIPKINS, ALFRED JAMES (1826–1903), musical antiquary, born at 22 Medway Street, Westminster, on 17 June 1826, was only son of James Hipkins (1800-1882), a cabinet and pianoforte maker, who also wrote verse, by his wife Jane Mary Grant (1802-1865). He had an only sister, Ellen (1838-1911). As a boy he desired to become a painter, but in 1840 he was placed by his father in Messrs. Broadwood's piano-forte factory, where he remained all his life. A music-seller in the Strand, named Fenton, gave him a few pianoforte lessons in 1841, and Marcellus Higgs taught him the organ in 1844; in spite of such limited tuition he became a charming performer on the piano, having the unique reputation of rendering the music of Chopin according to the composer's intention. His chief energies were devoted to a study of the science of music and of the history and quality of keyboard instruments. On the latter subject he became an unrivalled authority. He reintroduced equal temperament in tuning into this country in 1846, and wrote profusely on musical history, contributing largely to 'Grove's Dictionary,' as well as to the ninth edition of the 'Encyclopædia Britannica.' In 1881 he made a journey through Germany to examine historic pianofortes in the royal palaces. His chief publication was 'Musical Instruments, Historic, Rare, and Unique' (1881), a standard work illustrated in colour by William Gibbs. Between 1885 and 1896 he lectured on his special theme at the principal musical institutions as well as at the Royal Institution, and superintended the arrangement of many exhibitions of musical instruments. He was elected F.S.A. on 14 Jan. 1886, and was a member of the council and honorary curator of the Royal College of Music. A familiar and genial figure in musical circles, he died at Kensington on 3 June 1903, and was buried at Kensington cemetery, Hanwell. A memorial brass, designed by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema (see Musical Times, Oct. 1908), was placed in St. Margaret's church, Westminster, where he was christened and where his kinsfolk lie. He left an interesting collection of tuning-forks to the Royal Institution and a fine collection of musical instruments to the Royal College of Music.

Hipkins married on 2 Oct. 1850 Jane Souter Black, of Scotch family, at Orange Street chapel, Leicester Square. Of their two children a son, who was deaf and dumb, was a distinguished wood engraver (b. 1851), while the daughter, Edith (b. 1864), a portrait painter, has frequently exhibited at the Royal Academy.

 HOARE, JOSEPH CHARLES (1851–1906), bishop of Victoria, Hong-kong, born at Ramsgate on 15 Nov. 1851, was fourth son of Edward Hoare, vicar of Holy Trinity, Tunbridge Wells, and hon. canon of Canterbury. His mother was Maria Eliza (d. 1863), daughter cf Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie [q. v.], surgeon. Educated first at Brighton, then (1863-1870) at Tonbridge school, he passed with a scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating B.A. in 1874 with a second class in the classical tripos, and proceeding M.A. in 1878 and D.D. in 1898. In December 1874 he was ordained deacon by the Bishop of London for missionary work, and, after acting for some months as his father's curate, sailed in October 1875 to join the Church Missionary Society's Mid-China mission at Ningpo. He was ordained priest by the Bishop of North China in 1876. His chief work at Ningpo was the founding and successful conduct of a training college for Chinese evangelists. Hoare rapidly acquired a knowledge of the Ningpo colloquial language, and in it produced versions of 'Pearson on the] Creed,' 'Trench on the Parables,' and 'Ryle on St. Matthew.' By 1891 he had sent out 164 students, of whom 61 were then either evangelists or school teachers.

In 1898 Frederick Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury, invited Hoare to succeed John Shaw Burdon [q. v. Suppl. II] as Bishop of Victoria, Hong-kong, and he was consecrated at St. Paul's cathedral on 11 June 1898. The change from mid-China to south China entailed the learning of two new dialects, and, as a bishop, Hoare had the oversight of a colony, as well as of missionary work in several provinces. He won the respect of all classes in the colony, worked amongst the sailors of the port, and continued his policy of fostering a spirit of self-reliance amongst the Chinese Christians. Unswervingly loyal to the Church Missionary Society, he was not always at one with the home authorities. On 14 Sept, 1906 he set out from Hong-kong in his house-boat on a preaching tour along the coast. Caught 