Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Palin, William
PALIN, WILLIAM (1803–1882), divine, youngest son of Richard Palin, who married Sarah Durden, was born at Mortlake, Surrey, on 10 Nov. 1803. While a private tutor he published in June 1829, when living at Southampton, ‘The Persians of Æschylus, translated on a new plan, with copious English Critical and Explanatory Notes.’ On 17 Dec. 1829 he matriculated from St. Alban Hall, Oxford, but he soon migrated to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. 1833, and M.A. 1851. He was admitted ad eundem at Oxford on 21 June 1861. Palin was ordained deacon by the bishop of London on Trinity Sunday, 1833, and was curate in charge of Stifford in Essex for twelve months. From July 1834 till death he was rector of Stifford. Between 1861 and 1863 the parish church was restored through his exertions. With a daughter he compiled ‘Stifford and its Neighbourhood, Past and Present,’ a description of twenty parishes in South Essex (privately printed 1871); and ‘More about Stifford and its Neighbourhood’ (1872). Both volumes contain many extracts from parish registers, and are full of information on social life. He died in the rectory-house at Stifford on 16 Oct. 1882, and was buried in Stifford churchyard.
Palin's wife was Emily Isabella Slaughter (1813–1878), daughter of Stephen Long, solicitor, of Southampton Buildings, London. She was born in London on 7 July 1813, and died at Stifford on 27 March 1878. Their children were: Emily Isabella Jane, who has contributed to Shipley's ‘Lyra Messianica’, ‘Sunday,’ the ‘Child's Pictorial,’ and other papers; William Long, an artist; Mary Eliza, who was married to Croslegh Dampier Crossley of Scaitcliffe, Lancashire; and Fanny Elizabeth, who has also written verses for children.
Palin's other works consisted of: 1. ‘Village Lectures on the Litany,’ 1837. 2. ‘Bellingham: a Narrative of a Christian in Search of the Church,’ 1839. 3. ‘History of the Church of England, 1688–1717,’ 1851; a continuation, ‘in a state of forwardness,’ was never published. The labour involved more research than was practicable for a country parson. He also wrote a paper on 4. ‘The Weekly Offertory: its Obligations, Uses, Results,’ which went through two editions. 5. ‘Squire Allworthy and Farmer Blunt on the Weekly Offertory: a Dialogue,’ 1843. 6. ‘Ten Reasons against Disestablishment,’ 1873 and 1885. 7. ‘The Christian Month: Original Hymns for each Day of the Month, set to music by Miss Mounsey.’ Two hymns by him were contributed to Orby Shipley's ‘Lyra Messianica,’ 1864. From 1853 to 1857 he edited the ‘Churchman's Magazine,’ and he contributed frequently to various church periodicals.
[Men of the Time, 1865 ed.; Hist. of Stifford, pp. 72, 179–80; Guardian, 25 Oct. 1882, p. 1485; Foster's Alumni Oxon.]