The Comings and Goings of the Reverend Bertram Moorehouse

THE COMINGS and GOINGS of the REVEREND BERTRAM MOOREHOUSE by JOHN UMFREVILLE is a fictional tale which is based on stories about the inhabitants of Henley-on-Thames in the early 1900's. It is a well written book and I really enjoyed it. It deals with so many Victorian era sentiments, some good, such as the strong family bonds in the Moorehouse family, and some bad, such as the Church's judgmental attitude towards unmarried mothers and towards Reverend Moorehouse for his slip up at the cricket dinner.
Bertram, Emma and their two daughters come from India to Henley-on-Thames where Bertram is accepted as the Methodist minister. The family settle in well and are pleased that the community seems to have accepted them, and, to start with, things go well for them.
I like the fortitude shown by each member of the family as they make the best of very difficult circumstances.
I am not going to tell you any more as I don't want to spoil the read for you.
I was given a free copy of the book  by NetGalley from BooksGoSocial. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

The Comings and Goings of the Reverend Bertram Moorehouse by John Umfreville is Historical Fiction in Victorian England about 1900.  I liked the authors writing style, it seemed to fit that era well. The characters, situations and behaviors were pleasantly Victorian.  I believe the author had a an important message about how our actions affect us and others.  Interesting story but I wanted more details of Mr. Moorehouse‘s travels.  I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.  I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book.

The Comings And Goings Of Reverend Bertram Moorehouse by John Umfreville is a historical novel about a family in a small town in the late nineteenth century.
The style is reminiscent of other books I have read about the English countryside written in the 1930’s. The book has an olde worlde charm to it and as you read, you are never quite sure if this is fact or fiction. There was something very soothing about the narrative as the reader ‘experienced’ life in a small town in Victorian Britain.
The temperance movement was large at the time. Any alcohol imbibed was seen as scandalous, especially if it was by a man of the cloth, whether it was intentional or not.
The small town was a hotbed for gossip. Appearances were important. Tragedy strikes rather than have scandal erupt.
The reader is treated to geographical and historical facts as the novel moves from India to England to Australia and returns to England via the Boer War. It was all rather exciting and fascinating.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a complete departure from my usual genre but it had an ethereal charm to it. It is the perfect way to pass an afternoon.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

This quick, short read offers insight into how towns develop, and it discusses temperance, current events and the challenges of pastors and their families during the 19th century. 
Unfortunately, there are quite a few grammar and punctuation mistakes. Also, every time one of the family members faces a challenge, things turn out great. The tidiness of the story bothers me. 
Overall, I do recommend "The Comings and Goings of the Reverend Bertram Moorehouse." It's a quick and easy read that's entertaining and feel-good, and it may prompt further research about the characters, setting and story's events.

The Reverend is returning to England from India.  He wants his daughters to learn English ways so they will find suitable husbands when they are old enough for that.  He has his church and is winning over the congregation and the town.  Things are good.  He and his family are happy.

BooksGoSocial and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It has been published so you can get a copy now.

The town is divided between teetotalers and drinkers.  There are breweries recently established and they're doing a good business.  Bertram writes for the local paper and supports the teetotalers but does not speak against the businesses.  They still hold a grudge against him. 

When he goes to a male event in town he doesn't come home until late and he's drunk.  He tells his wife what he was drinking and it shouldn't have made him drunk.  But he is and the whole town saw him...

The aftermath means he get transferred to another church, in Australia.  He leaves his family in England.  When he gets settled in and has a place for them, they can join him.  But he never gets settled in.  His congregation are aborigines and he has to visit them on horseback most of the time.  He writes to his wife, not much about his life there but about how much he loves her and misses her.  He finally writes and says he's on his way home and will be catching the boat soon.

The years go by with no more communication but his faithful wife still holds out hope.  One day he arrives on the doorstep and she doesn't recognize him.  He's a changed man and he has a lot to tell her. She tells him his drinks were spiked to make his humiliation complete.  An old enemy of his tried to kill him over there.  The man who returned knew how to deal with that...