Charles Thomas Ovenden (11 September 1846 – 9 July 1924) was an Irish Anglican priest, author,Amongst others he wrote "To Whom shall we go?", 1902; "The Church Navvy", 1903; "The Enthusiasm of Christianity", 1904; "Problems in Life and Religion", 1906; "Deep Questions", 1907; and "Modern Criticism of the Holy Scriptures", 1913 > British Library website accessed 19:47 GMT 28 February 2011 and Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin of the Church of Ireland.
Early life and education Born in Enniskillen, Northern IrelandWho was Who 1897-2007 London, A & C Black, 2007, he was educated at the Portora Royal School, Enniskillen and Trinity College, Dublin.
Career Ordained in 1870,Ordination Services in Holywood Parish Church. The Belfast News-Letter (Belfast, Ireland), Monday, 26 September 1870; Issue 54827 his first position was as a curate at Magdalene Church, Belfast. Later he was Rector of Dunluce, County Antrim"Clogher clergy and parishes : being an account of the clergy of the Church of Ireland in the Diocese of Clogher, from the earliest period, with historical notices of the several parishes, churches, etc" Leslie, J.B. p39: Enniskille; R. H. Ritchie; 1929 and then Succentor at St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. He was Rector of Portrush from 1884 to 1886 when he became Precentor of Clogher."The Clergy List, Clerical Guide and Ecclesiastical Directory" London, John Phillips, 1900 In 1903 he became Dean of ClogherCathedrals in the Clogher Diocese before moving to Dublin in 1911."A New History of Ireland" by Theodore William Moody, F. X. Martin, Francis John Byrne, Art Cosgrove: Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1976
During World War I he protested the German submarine actions and while the Dean of St. Patrick's Church was quoted by The Telegraph as saying that he prays with all heart "that [the German] knavish tricks might be confounded".
Personal life He married Isabella Mary Ovenden (née Robinson) in 1871. Their daughters were paediatrician Isabella (‘Ella’) Gertrude Amy Webb (16 October 1877–1946) and Florence Irene Harriet Wynne-Finch (née Ovenden). They raised Charles Ovenden's niece, confusingly also named Isabella Gertrude Webb but born 28 October 1877. The later child's parents, William Henry (Charles' brother) and Edith Ovenden née Lamb, fought contentious divorce and custody proceedings in New Zealand, as a result of which a judge placed Webb's cousin in the custody of Charles and Isabella in Ireland.
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