Biography 1670 -1728
Vicar of Deopham 1713-1728
Henry Rix was baptised in Saffron Walden on Oct 12th, 1670. He went to school in Newport, gained his B.A. in 1690 at Gonville and Caius college, Cambridge and his M.A. in 1694. He was ordained deacon in London on May 23rd 1692, and ordained priest in Norwich on May 25th 1695. He then held an appointment at Syleham before being appointed Rector of Colton in 1702; he held this post until he died. At the same time as his post at Colton, he held curacies at Horham in Suffolk and Rushall in Norfolk.
In 1713 he was appointed Vicar of Deopham, a post he held alongside his Colton responsibilities. He continued to live in the Colton vicarage.
Source: CCEd – Clergy of the Church of England Database
Colton vicarage. It was extended after Rev. Henry Rix’s death.
Photo: G Sankey, 26/2/2023
In a deposition of 1714 held by the Norwich Record Office he is described as the “Rector of Coulton”.
Jan 1718
Rev. Rix made his first benefaction to the Queen Anne’s Bounty fund – for the augmentation of Deopham.
© Lambeth Palace Library, Ref QAB/4/1/2/183
July 1718
Rev. Rix made a second benefaction to the Queen Anne’s Bounty fund – for the augmentation of Deopham. He contributed £130 which the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury topped up with a further £70.
© Lambeth Palace Library, Ref QAB/4/3/1/1, Pg 7
Legacy
Volume 2 of Francis Blomefield’s history records that on a mural monument on the north side of the chancel of Colton Church is the following inscription:
Vicino in Pulvere, felicis Spe Resurrectionis, quiescunt Reliquiæ Revdi. Viri Henrici Rix A. M. hujus Ecclesiæ Rectoris, nec non et Ecclesiæ de Deopham, in hoc Comitatu Vicarij dignissimi, in utrasque munificentissimi, Pietatis operibus, Charitatis illa adjecit: Posteritati providus, Liberorum Indigorum Educationi liberaliter admodum consuluit, Temperantiæ, Charitatis, et Virtutum aliarum plurimarum Exemplar reliquens.
obijt 24 die Julij Anno Dom: 1728: Æt: 58.
Tranquillus vixit, placidus obdormivit, Lætus resuscitabitur.
The Rix memorial in Carlton Church.
Photo: G Sankey 26/2/2023
An enhanced machine translation of this memorial reads:-
Nearby in the Dust, with the happy Hope of the Resurrection, rest the Remains of the body of Revd. Henry Rix M.A., Rector of this Church, and also of the Church of Deopham, one of the most worthy Vicars in this County, and to both the most munificent works of Piety, and Charity, he added Provision for posterity. He very liberally encouraged the Free Education of the needy. Temperance, Charity, and many other Virtues were left by him as an Example.
He died on the 24th of July in the year 1728 A.D. aged 58.
Peaceful he lived, peaceful he fell asleep; Happy he will rise again.
The chancel of Carlton Church showing the Rix memorial on the north side.
Photo: G Sankey, 26/2/2023
Henry Rix Memorial
The charity founded in his name upon his death is undoubtedly his lasting legacy to Deopham, continuing until the present time. This is memorialised at the east end of the north aisle of St Andrew’s Church in Deopham:
Text of the Henry Rix Will
Copy of a clause of the Revnd Henry Rix his will relating to this parish.
I give the sum of sixty pounds to be laid out in lands to be put into trustees hands for the teaching of four poor children in the Parish of Deopham in the county of Norfolk to read and to say the Church Catechism and for a sermon to be preached once yearly on the day of my death or on the Sunday next after it to put the people in mind of their Mortality and to advise them to prepare for Death without delay and after the said sermon this clause of my will to be read
The Minister to have £0 10s 0d
The Clarke ” ” £0 1s 0d
Leaving the remainder to be laid out in Bread to be then given to ye poor of ye said Parish and my mind is that ye Minister Church Wardens and Trustees shall have the management of this Charity the Minister to have two votes and the Trustees to be nominated by my executrix. He died Vicar of this Church July 24th 1728
It is interesting to note that Henry Rix set up an identical charity in Colton. He also left them £60 which was used to buy a house and 5½ acres of land, the net rent being used to support the school, for an annual distribution of bread, and with 10s provided for a sermon and 1s to the clerk. A substantial sum was also left for the improvement of the Colton vicarage. There is no plaque in Colton church corresponding to that in Deopham church.
Source: White’s Directory of Norfolk, 1883
Subsequently, when the Deopham Rix charity became a secular organisation, the charity became known as:-
THE ELEEMOSYNARY CHARITY OF THE REVEREND HENRY RIX, although now it is registered as:-
THE DEOPHAM CHARITY OF THE REVEREND HENRY RIX.
In 2001 a resolution was made to change the charitable objects to:-
A. THE RELIEF OF ELDERLY PERSONS RESIDENT IN THE AREA OF BENEFIT WHO ARE IN NEED, HARDSHIP OR DISTRESS: AND
B. THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION OF CHILDREN RESIDENT IN THE AREA OF BENEFIT AND:
C. THE GENERAL BENEFIT OF INHABITANTS OF THE AREA IN SUCH CHARITABLE WAYS AS THE TRUSTEES THINK FIT.
Source: Charities Commission
Published: 27/11/22
Last revision: 16/5/23
Deopham History 