Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Higgins, Charles Longuet
HIGGINS, CHARLES LONGUET (1806–1885), benefactor of Turvey, eldest son of John Higgins of the Abbey-house, Turvey, Bedfordshire, and Theresa, eldest daughter of Benjamin Longuet of Louth and Bath, a gentleman of Huguenot descent, was born in his father's house on 30 Nov. 1806. He received his early education at home, and matriculated at Cambridge as a pensioner of Trinity College on 14 Nov. 1825. At Cambridge he was under the influence of the Rev. Charles Simeon. He was not a scholar, but had a taste for natural history and music. He graduated B.A. in 1830, and M.A. in 1834. Although he desired to take orders, he relinquished the idea in deference to his father's wish, and was admitted a student of Lincoln's Inn on 16 Nov. 1830, but was not called to the bar, and from 1836 to 1838 studied medicine at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Having qualified he carried on a general medical practice at Turvey. On the death of his father in 1846 he succeeded to the family property; restored the church; built schools, a village museum, and comfortable cottages; and delivered lectures on natural history and other subjects. On 26 June 1853 he married Helen Eliza, daughter of Thomas Burgon of the British Museum. He projected the compilation of a hymn-book which should be used universally in the church of England, and read a paper on hymnology before the Church Congress at Nottingham in 1871, which was published. He was a J.P. and D.L. of Bedfordshire. He died without issue on 23 Jan. 1885.
[Burgon's Lives of Twelve Good Men, ii. 343–422; Luard's Graduati Cantabr.]