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| Wright Griggs was born in
1862, at 36 Stade Street, Hythe, into a family that had lived in Hythe
for at least four generations. The family owned a fleet of fishing
boats. At the age of eleven, Wright joined the Merchant Navy and served on the "Vivid" one of a fleet of colliers, and became "mate" of this vessel at the age of eighteen. It was while in dock at Hartlepool, at the age of seventeen, he became converted at The Salvation Army. When at home, Wright attended the Salvation Army in Folkestone, where there was great opposition, and was a foremost figure in it's defence during the riots there. Wright had intended to marry Elizabeth Laslett, a daughter of a coastguard, in the Folkestone Salvation Army hall, but hearing that the Skeleton Army planned to bombard them with fish geads and offal, the couple secretly came to Hythe and were married in the Congregational Church in 1883. Wright continued to serve in the Merchant Navy for another three years, and was offered the Captaincy of a ship. He declined the offer in order to devote more time to the great fight for acknowledgement which the Army was making at that time. On leaving the Navy, Wright and Elizabeth became Salvation Army Officers, and commanded four Corps in the London area. On the death of his father, he resigned as a Salvation Army Officer and returned to Hythe to carry on the family fishing business. He would not allow any of his fleet to go fishing on a Sunday, having to wait until one minute past midnight before they could put to sea. He became a member of the Lifeboat crew in 1891 and later was appointed Coxswain. He continued serving with the lifeboat until his death, and was known as the "Father of the Lifeboat". Her and his family linked up with the Army in Folkestone, and it was largely due to the pressure that Wright put on the Army that they agreed to open an Outpost at Hythe in 1895, officially opened in 1896. Wright and his family became founder members of the corps. Elizabeth bore him fourteen children, five sons and nine daughters, and were very active in the corps during the first half of the century. Wright was Promoted to Glory on 18th September 1931, and there were many tributes to a "Man of God". The Lifeboat crews from Hythe and Dungeness were present at the funeral, and the hall was filled to overflowing. After the service the cortege was processed to Saltwood for the interment, headed by the combined Hythe and Folkestone Salvation Army Bands. Crowds lined the canal bank and streets to witness the funeral procession. For a full list of the Officers-in-charge since 1896 click here |