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Author: Birch, William

Biography:

BIRCH, William (1767-1848: ancestry.co.uk)

One of at least five sons of the Rev. Thomas Birch (1731-1806) of Alford, Lincolnshire, and his wife Mary Wright (1742-1807), he was born at Alford on 23 Aug. 1767 and baptised on 24 Aug. His father was the rector of South Thoresby, near Alford. His brothers attended Rugby School and William may also have been a pupil at the school. Although records for 1773, the likely year of his entrance, are missing from The Rugby Register, his The School-Boy implies that he was a Rugbeian.  He matriculated at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, on 23 Oct. 1783 (BA 1787 and MA 1792) and was ordained a deacon in 1790 and a priest in 1792. In 1788 he was appointed assistant master to Thomas James; The School Master is a tribute to James who was headmaster of Rugby (1778-94). In 1790 he became curate at Churchover, Rugby, and on 14 Aug. he married Sarah Bucknill by licence in Rugby. William and Sarah had at least two sons (both were pupils at Rugby and both predeceased their father) and a daughter, Mary. His wife had died by the time of the 1841 Census when he was recorded as a widower living in Rugby with his daughter—herself a widow whose married surname was Winstanley— and her five children. He died at Rugby and was buried there on 12 Sept. 1848. His will was proved on 16 Nov. 1848. (ancestry.co.uk 19 Apr. 2023; findmypast.co.uk 19 Apr. 2023; CCEd 19 Apr. 2023; Alumni Oxonienses; The Rugby Register [1867])

 

Books written (2):

London: C. J. G. and F. Rivington, 1829