Letter from John H. G. Oglander, Nunwell, Brading, I.W., to the Bishop's Chaplain

"In reply to yours of 2nd instant, I cannot object to the Bishop stating to Mr. Richards any fact related in my letter and if necessary giving my name as his authority. I should prefer that my letter should not be forwarded, as I gave without permission the names of some residents at Seaview through whom (being parishioners) I thought the Bishop might satisfy himself as to the state of affairs there. I am not a parishioner, but only the reversioner of the leasehold building used for Church of England services. I have long given indulgences I do not extend to the lessees of dissenting chapels, yet find complaints are brought to me by members of the church congregation, which have no counterpart from the nonconformist ones and I conclude that since the church services fail to satisfy many - the building is not answering the purpose for which it was leased and that I am justified in withdrawing the indulgences. But I see the possible scandal of a building used as a church for about 40 years being closed if I insist on the covenants of the lease and before finally deciding I wished to afford the bishop an opportunity, if he thinks fit, of influencing the vicar to comply with the wishes of the Seaview residents. I was sorry to write to the Bishop about a matter which I know has troubled him before, but I was anxious not to take an apparently harsh course without giving him my reasons."

(102/613)