How change came to Leigh

Leigh fishing village of the early 19th century was a tough place to live and work. Life was hard for the
fishermen, especially in the winter.

It was a no-go area for everybody in authority, including the vicar of St. Clement's church up on the hill. But it was in Leigh that a Polish Jew, recently converted to Christianity, ventured in 1835 to preach. His name was Ridley Haim Herschell.

Within a couple of years of his arrival, Leigh had changed character. ‘All Love' is an inspiring tale of
Herschell's journey from war-torn Poland to London's East End.

Born to orthodox Jewish parents, Herschell's earliest ambition was to be a rabbi. He was living in Paris when, feeling forsaken by God, he noticed that an item he had bought was wrapped in the pages of a book.

His attention was drawn to the words, "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted".
These words from Matthew's Gospel would mark the beginning of a new life. Herschell would go on to
serve in the nonconformist church and become a founder of the Evangelical Alliance. He added
'Ridley' to his name at his baptism in honour of one of his sponsors.

Herschell married a gentile Scottish lady and his lawyer son became Lord Chancellor of England.
Geoffrey Henderson, an Anglican writer from Harlow, spent ten years putting Herschell's story together. It was because of Ridley Herschell's influence that his own great-greatgrandfather,
a Leigh shrimp fisherman, gave his life to Jesus. He in turn preached on the beach at Southend and eventually led a Free Methodist church.

All Love is available at £6.95 direct from info@htsmedia.com

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