F. B. Sandbach

Charles Prest's successor (1866-1870) was the Rev. F. B. Sandbach. He was remembered by one biographer as greatly loved in Chapel and Circuit - an open, gentle, kind but firm person with whom everyone enjoyed working. Apparently he could not be called a 'profound theologian', nevertheless his sermons were interesting, pictorial and full of evangelical teaching. In 1896 he left for the Grand Canaries with his wife, who had been advised to take a sea voyage for the benefit of her health. During the return sailing on the S.S. 'Drummond Castle', the ship struck a rock off Ushant and immediately sank. The Rev. Sandbach and his wife were among the 247 (out of a total of 250 on board) who lost their lives.