Author: Munnings, Thomas Crowe
Biography:
MUNNINGS, Thomas Crowe (1756-1833: findmypast.com)
An elder brother of John Spelman Munnings, q.v., he was born on 16 Nov. 1756 and baptised on 18 Nov. at East Bilney, Norfolk, where his father Christopher Munnings (1725-1805) was rector from 1756 to 1782. His father and his mother Mary Jempson (1734-74) had married at her parish of Great Fransham, Norfolk, on 2 Nov. 1755. Educated at schools at Scarning and King’s Lynn, he was admitted to Caius College, Cambridge, on 1 June 1775 (matric 1776), then migrated to Sidney Sussex College in 1778 (BA 1779, MA 1782, Fellow 1779). He followed his father into the church (deacon 1779, priest 1782) and served first as curate and then rector at two Norfolk parishes, East Bilney and Beetley. He married Margaret Glenton (1764-1825) on 28 Nov. 1782 at St. Margaret with St. Nicholas, King’s Lynn; they had at least two children. She died at Gorgate Hall, near East Dereham, on 15 July 1825 and was buried at Beetley; her husband died at Gorgate on 30 Sept. 1833 and was also buried at Beetley, where there is a memorial inscription. Munnings was a landowner interested in agricultural improvements. His only publications appear to have been a paper about turnip tops as cattle food in the Transactions of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce; a short book about his experiments with turnips; occasional verses for elections; and the work listed here, which was a response to a pamphlet ridiculing his ideas. A newspaper obituary, however, praised his “bright and polished wit.” (findmypast.com 22 July 2023; ACAD; SJC 19 July 1825, 3 Oct. 1833; Norfolk Chronicle 5 Oct. 1833; Essex Standard 12 Oct. 1833)
Other Names:
- Thomas C. Munnings