Revd. Thomas Davis Lamb
- Born: 12 Nov 1815, Cavendish Square, London 2
- Baptised: 22 Dec 1815, St Mary's, Marylebone,
London 2
- Marriage: Isabella Hudleston on 16 Apr 1846
in Windlesham, Surrey 1
- Died: 17 Oct 1895, Headington, Nr Oxford aged
79 3
- Buried: St. Sepulchres Cemetery, Oxford
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Thomas is always referred to as Thomas Davis
Lamb or T. Davis Lamb in contemporary newspaper reports and it is not
clear whether he used the name Davis as a first name — it was his
paternal grandmother's surname — or was known as Thomas; for what
follows, it is assumed it was the latter.
Thomas was sent to Charterhouse School at the age of 9 in 1824 and, in
keeping with family tradition, moved on from there to Westminster
School in the Lent term of 1829, aged 13. From there he was admitted to
St John's College, Oxford, in the Michaelmas term of 1834 and at some
stage migrated to St Mary Hall, Oxford.4
There is no record of Thomas having taken a degree at Oxford, certainly
he did not use the degree titles of BA or MA but mostly SCL whose
expanded form eludes this writer. Though St Mary Hall was loosely
connected with Oriel College, it is unclear whether its undergraduates
were examined by Oxford University, which may explain Thomas's lack of
a BA or MA. Nevertheless, after five years at Oxford, he was ordained a
deacon in May 1839 and took up an appointment as curate at Playden,5 one of the parishes in Sussex of which his
father was the Rector.
In December 1842 he was made a priest6 and shortly afterwards was offered the
living of Windlesham with Bagshot, in March 1843.7 George stayed there for three years and
shortly before he moved on, he married Isabella. In April 1846, he was
installed at West Hackney, Middlesex, where he was an active and the
much respected Rector for 22 years.8 It is unclear why Thomas gave up that
living, perhaps he wanted to wind down a little. Whatever the case may
be, he went on to be incumbent of the Perpetual Curacy of All Saints',
Bishopsgate, London, for three years or so and then Priest at St.
George's Albemarle Street Piccadilly from 1872 to 1873.9
Thomas had inherited Ockham House at Bodiam in Surrey, following his
father's death and by 1871, he and Isabella had installed themselves
and their unmarried daughters there.10 Thomas, as well as his duties in London, was
then also acting as curate of his local parish of Ewhurst. It has not
been discovered how long Thomas filled in as curate there (at the time
of the 1881 Census he is recorded as "Clergyman of C. of England
without cure of souls") but he and the family stayed at Bodiam until
about 1889/90 when they moved to Oxford. By the time of the 1891
Census, Thomas admitted he was finally retired. He died there in
October 1895.
The West Sussex Journal published this obituary for George11:-
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RYE.
DEATH OF THE REV. THOMAS DAVIS LAMB.
We regret to announce the death of the above-named gentlemen, which
occurred at his residence, at Oxford, on Thursday se'nnight. To the
past rather than the present generation the name of Lamb was more
familiar — indeed for upwards of century the family wielded a
commanding influence in the borough. Between the years 1723 and 1832,
the mayoral chair was filled by various members of the family for no
less than 78 times. One of their number, the late Mr. James Lamb, had
the honour of twice entertaining Royalty, viz, George I in 1725 and
George II in 1736, at the residence recently purchased and now in the
occupation of the Mayor (Alderman Bellingham).
The Rev. Thomas Davis
Lamb, whose decease is now so widely mourned was the third son of
George Augustus Lamb, D. D., of Iden Parsonage. He was born on November
13th, 1815, and was educated at St John's College, Oxford. He
matriculated in October 1834, but went to St Mary's Hall, Oxford. After
being ordained in 1839, he served some time as curate of Playden. In
1843, he was appointed to the living Windlesham and Bagshot, Surrey;
and three years later, he became vicar of West Hackney, where he
remained until 1868, when he took charge of the parish of All Saints'
Bishopsgate-within, London. Four years afterwards he was priest at St
George's, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly, where he remained until 1873,
after which time he only did occasional duty.
During the whole of his
career the rev. gentlemen took a lively interest in the affairs of the
"ancient town," which he visited as often as circumstances would allow.
The announcement that he would preach at the parish church always
sufficed to draw a good congregation, his powerful extemporaneous
addresses commanding earnest attention. He was a staunch conservative,
his presence at any political meeting invariably proving a tower of
strength. Attaining a ripe old age, he retained his faculties to the
last.
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Having been
predeceased by his three sons, Thomas's death brought to an end the
male line of the Lamb family descended from his great-grandfather,
Thomas Lamb (c. 1719-1804) of Rye. By that time, the fortunes of the
family must have been slightly restored as Thomas was able to leave his
wife an estate worth slightly over £6000.12
Thomas married Isabella Hudleston, daughter
of William Hudleston and Annette Clara Wallace, on 16 Apr 1846 in
Windlesham, Surrey.1 (Isabella Hudleston was born on 18 Jun 1823
in Madras, India, died on 23 Nov 1917 in Oxford, Oxfordshire and was
buried in St. Sepulchres Cemetery, Oxford.)
Marriage Notes:
Thomas and Isabella had issue: three sons
& six daughters. Tragically, Thomas and Isabella were predeceased
by all of their three sons; George Augustus dying on his return from
Demerara in October 1883 aged 31;13 Charles Mackenzie dying in Western Australia
in July 1884 aged 26 14 and William Pix Davis in December 1891 aged
35. 15
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Sources
1 Cambridge
Chronicle and Journal, Saturday
25 April 1846, Page 2 — Married. ...
On the 16th inst., at Windlesham, the Rev. T. Davis Lamb, to Isabella,
eldest
daughter of William Hudleston, Esq., late of the Madras Civil
Service...
2 Parish
Registers of England and Wales, St
Mary's Marylebone — Baptisms. 1815...
22nd December, Thomas Davis, George Augustus & Julia Louisa, Lamb,
St
Marylebone, Revd. Clerk... born: 12 Nov.
3 Probate
Court (England and Wales), "Calendar of
Grants of Probate and Administration", Wills and Admons — 1896 (see
below).
4 Westminster
School Alumni (Online Catalogue
for Westminster School's Archive & Collections — People &
Organisations
—
Link: http://collections.westminster.org.uk/index.php/actor/browse),
Lamb,
Thomas Davis, 1815-1895 — GB-2014-WSA-10674. …
LAMB, THOMAS DAVIS, third son of George Augustus Lamb (qv); b. 13 Nov
1815; at
Charterhouse Sch. 1824-8; adm. 21 Jan 1829; St. John's Coll. Oxford,
matr. 11
Oct 1834; migrated to St. Mary Hall, Oxford; ordained deacon 18 May
1839,
priest 18 Dec 1842 (both Chichester); Curate, Playden, Sussex 19 May
1839;
Rector of Windlesham and Bagshot, Surrey 1843-6; Rector of West
Hackney,
Middlesex 2 Apr 1846-68; Vicar of All Saints, Bishopsgate Within,
London
1868-72; Priest at St. George's, Albemarle Street, Piccadilly 1872-3;
m. 17 Apr
1846 Isabella, eldest dau. of William Hudleston, and EICS Madras; d. 17
Oct
1895.
5 Parish
Registers of England and Wales,
Playden — Baptisms, Burials and Marriages 1839-43.
6 New
Court Gazette (Published at London),
Saturday 24 December 1842, Page 14 — ORDINATIONS. …
… Rev. T. Davis Lamb, S.C.L. St. Mary Hall; … .
7 Reading
Mercury, Saturday 18 March 1843,
Page 3. …
OXFORD, SATURDAY, March 18. Preferments. — The Rev. Thomas Davis Lamb
to the
Rectory of Windlesham, with Bagshot, Surrey, vacant by the death of the
Rev. T.
Snell; patron, the Lord Chancellor.
8 Crockford's
Clerical Directory, 1868
edition - Page 895. …
LAMB, Thomas Davis, West Hackney Rectory, London, N. - St. Mary Hall,
Ox;
S.C.L. 1839; Denc. 1839 and Pr. 1840 by Bp of Chich. R. of West
Hackney, Di.
Lon. 1846. (Patron, W. A. Tyssen Amhurst, Esq; Tithe 257l; Glebe, 1
acre; R.'s
Inc. 776l and Ho; Pop. 8000.) Dom. Chap. in the Earl of Mexborough
1855;
Preacher at St George's Albemarle-street, Lond. Formerly C. of Playden,
Essex*;
R. of Windlesham and Bagshot, Surrey. Author, Analysis of Pearson
on the
creed; Sermons on the Eucharist; various Pamphlets and single
Sermons. *
Playden is in the county of Sussex. </i>crockford's>
9 London
Standard (Published at London
1827-1859 and as the London Evening Standard from 1859 to present
day.),
Wednesday 29 July 1868, Page 6. …
The Bishop of London has instituted the Rev. Thomas M.A., to the
rectory of
West Hackney; and has licensed the Rev. Thomas Davis Lamb, S.C.L., to
the
perpetual curacy of All Saints, Bishopsgate;….
10 National
Census, 1871 — Parish: Ewhurst;
ED: 3; Piece: 1035; Folio: 36; Page: 21 — Curate of Ewhurst.
11 The
West Sussex Journal (The West Sussex
Journal - Tuesday 29 October 1895 Page 2 Col F), The West Sussex
Journal -
Tuesday 29 October 1895 Page 2 Col F.
12
Probate Court (England and Wales), "Calendar
of Grants of Probate and Administration", Wills and Admons — 1896. …
LAMB the reverend Thomas Davis of 8 Bevington-road Oxford clerk died 17
October
1895 Probate London 3 February to Isabella Lamb widow Effects £6150 3s.
1d.
13 Hastings
and St Leonards Observer, Hastings
and St Leonards Observer, Page 8 - Deaths. ...
LAMB.— On Sunday morning, October 14, on board the s.s. Nile, as she
was
entering Southampton Docks, George Augustus Lamb, aged 31 years of the
Demerara
Police, eldest son of Thomas Davis Lamb, of Ockham, Sussex.
14 The
Inquirer and Commercial News (Perth, WA
: 1855 - 1901), Wednesday 29 October 1884, Page 5 Col D — Notes from
Derby. ...
A sad accident occurred on the 24th July, when a young man Charles
Mackenzie
Lamb lost his life through a revolver going off whilst he was cleaning
it;
deceased was overseer in the King Sound Pastoral Company's service, and
was
much respected.
15 Reading
Mercury, Saturday 9 January 1892
Page 5 — Died. '''
On the 22nd ult., William Pix Davis Lamb, late of the Government
Secretary's
Office, British Guiana, eldest surviving son of Thomas Davis Lamb,
clerk, of
Bevington-road, Oxford.
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