Hide
hide
Hide

Transcript

of

Thomas Creaser Kellock [Obituary]

Trans. Devon. Assoc., vol.  XLII, (1910), pp. 46-47.

by

Maxwell Adams (Ed.)

Prepared by Michael Steer

The obituary was read at the Association’s July 1910 Cullompton meeting. Detailed genealogical information on Mr Kellock and Marianne (née Tucker) his wife and their family is available on the Rootsweb tucker2cole website. The obituary, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal 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. Kellock was the son of a Totnes medical man, and lived in that borough practically all his life and rendered it service in many capacities. He was well known as an able solicitor, being admitted to the profession in 1845. He was also the "Father" of the Corporation, first entering the Town Council in 1860, and being first elected Mayor in 1865. He was raised to the aldermanic bench in 1877. In 1884 and 1885 he again filled the civic chair, and accepted the Mayoralty again in 1896, in the following year entering with zest into the Diamond Jubilee celebration of Queen Victoria's reign, and attending the reception at Buckingham Palace. The same year he had the freedom of the borough conferred on him in recognition of his many years' service. Mr. Kellock took an active interest in the work of the Council, and advocated the incorporation of part of Dartington with the borough eleven years ago. He was Chairman of the Water Committee, and, in that capacity, in May, 1908, inaugurated the Follaton Water Scheme.
He held the position of Registrar of the Archdeaconry for over fifty years, of late years his son (Mr. G. F. Kellock) assisting him in that capacity. He had been a member of the Board of Guardians for over forty years, there being only one member with a longer record of service. He was also the oldest of the Municipal Charity Trustees and the Dart Navigation Commissioners. He was a staunch supporter of the Church, and from the formation of the Cottage Hospital he took a great interest in it, and, as Vice-President, presided over its last annual meeting.
When the Bribery Commission took place in the "sixties,'' and Totnes was disfranchised, he was one of the chief witnesses.
He became a life member of the Association in 1877. His wife predeceased him, but he leaves three sons and four daughters. He died in February, 1910, in his eighty-seventh year, and was buried at Totnes.