Henry Downton

Downton, Henry, M.A, son of Mr. John Downton, Sub-Librarian of Trinity College, Cambridge, was born at Pulverbatch, Shropshire, Feb. 12, 1818, and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. 1840, and M.A. 1843. Taking Holy Orders in 1843, he became Curate of Bembridge, Isle of Wight, 1843, and of Holy Trinity, Cambridge, 1847. In 1849 he was preferred to the Incumbency of St. John's, Chatham. He went to Geneva as English Chaplain in 1857; and was appointed Rector of Hopton in 1873. He was also for some time Domestic Chaplain to the late Lord Monson. He died at Hopton, June 8, 1885. Mr. Downton published a translation of Professor Ernest Naville's Lectures on Modern Atheism, 1865; and Holy Scripture and the Temperance Question, 1878. His hymns were chiefly contributed to the Church of England Magazine; A. T. Russell's Psalms & Hymns, 1851; Barry's Psalms & Hymns, 1862; and the Sunday Magazine. In 1873 he collected these and published them as Hymns and Verses. His translations from the French of Alexandre Vinet are also in the volume. His best known hymns are "Another year, another year" (given anonymously in the Harrow School Hymns, 1855); "For Thy mercy, and Thy grace"; and " Harp awake, tell out the story." These have attained to great popularity, and are in extensive use.

- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)