Transcript

of

Rev. Wickham Montgomery Birch [Obituary]

Trans. Devon. Assoc., vol. 44, (1913). p. 41.

by

Maxwell Adams (Ed.)

Prepared by Michael Steer

The obituary was presented at the Association’s July 1913 Buckfastleigh meeting. Mr Birch, an M.A. of Trinity College, is mentioned as succeeding Mr Gibbons in 1866 as incumbent of Launceston on Alfred Robbin’s webpage; Launceston Past and Present, available via eBooks. He was also a pre-publication subscriber to Rev. Hingeston-Randolph’s (1892) “The Register of Walter de Stapledon, Bishop of Exeter (1307-1326)”- the index to which is available via Genuki Devon. The obituary may be found in a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal that can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Mr. Birch, an M.A. of Trinity College, Oxford, was curate of Abingall, Gloucester, 1854-7, and left to become a master at Radley College. After a year he gave up his scholastic appointment and accepted the curacy of Long Ashton, Somerset, where he remained until 1862, when he became the incumbent of Boyton, Cornwall. Four years afterwards he was preferred to the vicarage of Launceston, where during a period of thirteen years he gained the esteem of the townspeople. From Launceston he moved, in 1879, to Ashburton, as Vicar of Ashburton with Buckland-in-the- Moor, Devon, and while there acted as the chaplain to the Bishop of Exeter for twelve years,  and subsequently was appointed Rural Dean of Moreton. He removed to Bampton Aston with Shifford, Oxford, in 1900, to the great regret of the inhabitants of Ashburton, where he was exceedingly popular. He was Chairman of the Parish and Urban District Councils during his residence at Ashburton. He joined the Association in 1880. He died on 29 July, 1912, and was buried at Ashburton.