Thomas Pittman Haffner

Thomas Pittman Haffner was one of the younger members of the Plymouth assembly at Ebrington Street who, like J.E Batten, W B Dyer, George J Walker and H W Soltau, supported B.W. Newton until late in December 1847 when they confessed to having been in error. (See T.P. Haffner, 'To my beloved Brethren and Sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ, at EAST COKER and YEOVIL who meet for worship simply in His most precious Name', London, 20th December 1847, (Bateman [1847]). The publishers responsible for TPH’s pamphlet 'Christian Forgiveness', suggest a later association with Open Brethren.

The somewhat elusive TPH (1818–1901) was born in Gravesend, Kent; his parents were Thomas and Mary Haffner. TPH was admitted to Lincoln’s Inn, Nov 1838. He was married, at Heavitree, Devon, 10 Dec 1839, to Charlotte Rachal Whittle (born in Calcutta; daughter of Lieutenant Whittle). He was living with his wife and four servants in Honiton, Devon in 1841; his daughter, Harriet was born in Plymouth 1849 but in 1852 TPH was living at Spring Gardens, Sidmouth. The family later moved to Moretonhampstead [25m NE of Plymouth], where his wife died in 1893 and he died in 1901. (IGI and census records, mostly cited in Stunt, 'Elusive Quest', 54n.106). Timothy Stunt.

Considering his last name (German for 'potter' or 'stove builder'), I wonder if he was of German descent?

Or even, — huge flight of fancy — perhaps related to the distinguished Austrian family in Salzburg who as patrons of Mozart get a mention in the title of some of his compositions! As one who has lived for a year in Gravesend, I feel that the gulf between Salzburg and Gravesend (where TPH was born) would have been a bit of a come-down. . .

Once upon a time I had a copy of the pamphlet but I cannot lay my hands on it. There is a xerox copy in the CBA in Manchester. Both Tregelles and Neatby quote from it. Timothy Stunt.