3. Town Life

This chapter explores Hunt’s ordination in the Church of England and first curacy (1) in working-class Bishopwearmouth (1855–59). It then examines his first metropolitan curacy (2) in Islington (1859), which proved to be unsatisfactory, and from which he was dismissed, owing to disagreements with his incumbent. Problematic interactions with the Bishop of London are documented as well as the funding of curacies by the Pastoral Aid Society. Applications for new curacies, following an advertisement in the Evangelical Record, and Hunt’s experiences obtaining references and going for trial engagements, some extraordinary, culminating in a successful, but unlicensed, engagement at Walham Green (3) are examined, which he has to leave after three months, owing to difficulties with the funding.