WILLIAM THOMAS BLENKINSOP

WILLIAM THOMAS BLENKINSOP

Born: 1802

Died: 1871

Source: Chaplains in the HEIC 1805 to 1835 (Rev Frank Perry, The Church In Madras 1904)

Biography: WILLIAM THOMAS BLENKINSOP was born in 1802 at Windsor, being the second son of the Rev. Henry Blenkinsop, minor canon of St. George's Chapel. He was educated at Eton College; matriculated at Lincoln College, Oxford, 1820; graduated B.A. from St. Alban's Hall 1824; appointed Chaplain 1827. He served at St. Thomas Mount from 1827 to 1844; was Junior Presidency Chaplain at St. George's Cathedral 1844-45; Chaplain of Ootacamund 1845-47; then he became Chaplain of Cuddalore and remained there till his retirement in 1861. The appointment to Cuddalore was probably made at his own request. Cuddalore was a station with four out-stations which had to be visited by the Chaplain periodically. The Directors approved of this system of visitation in 1832, and sanctioned an extra allowance to each Chaplain for the period of such visits to cover the cost of travelling and maintenance. The limit of this allowance was Rs.200 a month. The allowance was a matter of importance to Blenkinsop, for he had married twice and had nineteen children. His second wife was Louisa, third daughter of the Rev. William Chester, Chaplain of Vizagapatam. Two of his sons were afterwards well-known officers in the Madras Service. On his retirement Blenkinsop became Vicar of Little Maplestead, Essex, and afterwards Rector of Wambrook in Somerset. When he retired from active work he settled at Bath, and died there in 1871, aged sixty-nine.