Rev. Hibbert Wanklyn

Vicar of Deopham from 1861 until his death in 1895.

Contents

Biography 1825 – 1895

Hibbert Wanklyn (he had no other forenames) was born on January 9^th 1825 and baptised at St John’s parish church Manchester, near Cheetham. His father, James Hibbert, is described in the baptismal register as having a profession at that time of “Merchant”. These birth details are consistent with the information he supplied on the 1871 Deopham census.
In 1851 Hibbert Wanklyn was in Durham studying theology. On March 13^th of that year he was initiated as a Freemason into Granby Lodge (with the next two levels of initiation taking place on May 6^th and October 21^st); his age in the freemason’s register was recorded as being 26, consistent with his year of birth of 1825. His status at that time was recorded as “Esquire”.
The 1853 Musson and Craven Directory recorded that the Rev. Hibbert Wanklyn B.A. was curate at St. Andrew’s Church in Clewer, Windsor.
He was married in Eton on December 13^th 1855 to Mary Redcliffe Evans from Eton (very near to Clewer).

Before Deopham

In the same year as Hibbert Wanklyn’s marriage, his father was appointed to be rector of the tiny parish of Fleet Marston in Buckinghamshire.

It would appear that at some point his son took over this role, even though he continued to live in the Windsor area, some 30 miles away.

1861 Appointment to Deopham

In 1860, there was correspondence with the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury concerning the exchange of the Rev. Hibbert Wanklyn’s role as vicar of Fleet Marston and that of the Rev. George Henry Turner based at Deopham. The address to which the Dean & Chapter sent their letters to the Rev. Hibbert Wanklyn was “Eton College, Windsor” – some 31 miles from Fleet Marston.
The reason for this exchange and the initiators behind it have not been identified. The fact that it the Fleet Marston role is based at Eton College implies that it may have had a significant academic teaching constituent, with Rev. Henry Turner’s superior academic attainment putting him in a stronger position than the Rev. Hibbert Wanklyn. The fact that Hibbert Wanklyn had been initiated as a freemason means that the exchange could have come about through that network rather than ecclesiastical contacts.

Daniel Finch on behalf of the Dean & Chapter of Canterbury wrote to the Rev. Wanklyn on February 26^th 1861 as follows:

I shall hope to receive in a day or two a Certificate from Mr. Turner of his resignation of Deopham having been accepted. No time shall be lost in preparing your Presentation.

There is a note dated March 19^th 1861 recording that the Presentation to Deopham had been sent to the Rev. H. Wanklyn at Deopham Vicarage, stating that the fees of £8 12s 8d should be “paid to C.A. at convenience”.

The above announcement refers to his qualification of “Licentiate of Theology” which Kelly’s 1888 directory states had been awarded by University College, Durham. This qualification required both the passing of an academic examination and a testimonial to the candidate’s moral character. The course initially had a standard length of two years; there was an option to extend studies to attain a B.A.

The Rev. H. Wanklyn first appears in the Register of Burials with a service he conducted on May 2nd, 1861.

1863 Daughter’s Death

In 1863 the Wanklyn’s daughter Mary Grace died of diphtheria and was buried on December 28^th in Deopham churchyard. The Rev. F.B. de Chair, Rector of Morley, was the officiating minister for this sad burial.
Her grave is at location B13 in the churchyard.

1869 Salary Review

On June 3^rd 1869 the Ecclesiastical Commissioners announced that they would pay the vicar of Deopham an annual stipend of £35 to be paid in two equal half yearly potions (May and November). The value of any tithes or other local income would be deducted from this sum.

WE, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England, acting in pursuance of the Act of the twenty-ninth and thirtieth years of Her Majesty, chapter one hundred and eleven, section five, do hereby grant to the Incumbent of the vicarage of Deopham, in the county of Norfolk, and in the diocese of Norwich, and to his successors Incumbents of the same vicarage, one yearly sum or stipend of thirty-five pounds, such yearly sum or stipend to be payable out of the common fund under our control, and to be calculated as from the first day of May, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, and to be receivable in equal half-yearly portions on the first day of May and on the first day of November in each and every year:

Provided always, that if at any time lands, tithes, or other hereditaments sufficient to produce the said yearly sum or stipend, or any part thereof, shall be annexed by us to the said vicarage, in substitution for such yearly sum or stipend, or for such part thereof, our liability for the payment of such yearly sum or stipend, or of such part thereof, as the case may be, shall thereupon and thereafter cease and determine.¹

1870 Birth of a son

On December 28^th 1870, a son Vernon William was born to Hibbert and his wife Mary. This son was baptised on February 2^nd 1871 by his father, as recorded in the register of baptisms:

1872-1873 Absence from Deopham

From April 27^th 1872 until May 28^th 1873 the Rev. Francis Charles Hingeston-Randolph from Ringmore in Devon was acting as curate, although the burial register for 1870-1871 indicates that the Rev. Hibbert Wanklyn had been out of circulation for a year prior to the Rev. F.C. Hingeston-Randolph’s arrival. Notes in the parish of Ringmore’s list of curates indicate that he had “taken sole charge of the Parish of Deopham, Norfolk”.
A newspaper article published during this time gives Hingeston-Randolph’s address as “Deopham Vicarage” so Hibbert Wanklyn must have been elsewhere.

Writing to the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury on June 14^th 1873, the Rev. Hibbert Wanklyn explained:

Two years ago last Easter I had a very severe attack of bronchitis which totally incapacitated me from duty for four months. The following October 1871 I was again taken ill with bronchitis, congestion of the lungs and profuse blood spitting. I was confined to bed in one room till April when I was ordered away for a year to Guernsey.²
I have now returned but am advised that it is not probable that I shall be able to bide the winter season in this county & I am not able to encounter the expense of a winter away. My request to the Chapter is that they will be good enough to allow us to attempt an exchange into a milder climate. It will be a great grief to us to leave this place where I have spent 12 happy years, but regard for my family compels me to make the request.
Hoping for an early reply,
I remain
Yours faithfully,
Hibbert Wanklyn

From a document held by the Chapter of Canterbury; their ref BB 50/112.
Transcription © G. Sankey

Since he continued to live in Deopham for the rest of his life, this appeal must have fallen on deaf ears.
In 1874, writing to the Dean & Chapter about the vicarage dilapidations³, he stated that “From long illness my expenses have been so heavy that I have had the greatest difficulty in meeting them”

1884 Help needed

This vacancy was filled by Rev. J. Porter who appears in the Deopham burials’ register from September 1884 until February 1892 and the baptisms’ register from August 1884 to January 1892. Since the 1891 census records the Rev. Porter living at The Green, it would appear that Rev. Wanklyn continued to live at the vicarage. This is confirmed by a letter he sent on November 11^th 1887 which shows the vicarage as being its origin.

1891 Son’s Death

On August 25^th 1891 the Rev. George William Hibbert Wanklyn died aged 33. He was buried in Inverbervie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

The text on his memorial reads
Erected to the memory of
Rev. G. W. H. Wanklyn
Sometime Curate in charge
of Checkley, Staffordshire.
Eldest son of the
Rev. Hibbert Wanklyn
Vicar of Deopham, Norfolk
Born May 20th 1857,
Died at Bervie Aug 25th 1891
Until the day break

This cross has been in regular use in Deopham church ever since and carries the inscription:-

To the Glory of God
and in loving memory of
George William Hibbert Wanklyn
Died August 25th

[the year of death is no longer legible]

1894 Daughter’s Marriage

The marriage of his daughter took place on August 7^th 1894; The Rev. F.B. de Chair, rector of Morley, was the officiant (as he had been 31 years earlier for the burial of the Wanklyn’s daughter Mary):-

1895 Death and Memorials

The entry in the Burial Register shows that Hibbert Wanklyn was buried in Deopham on January 15^th 1895 by the Rector of Hingham:

The following shows his memorial in the churchyard:

Photo: Phil Long, 2005

The photograph below shows a plaque in St Andrew’s church, Deopham, located on the south wall of the chancel:

Photo: P Long

Unfortunately, his memorial in the churchyard has fared less well than the plaque inside the church:-

Photo: G Sankey, 3/2023

Legacy

Substantial restorations of Deopham church took place during Rev. Hibbert Wanklyn’s tenure which are listed in the schedule found here. These are marked by a plaque on the north wall:-

Photo: G. Sankey, 9/2022

Footnotes

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/23506/page/3327 ↩︎
The following is believed to read Guernsey:
↩︎
Archive of the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury, ref BB 50/114. ↩︎

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Date	Change
4/7/25	1869 salary review
24/5/25	Background to move to Deopham.
5/4/24	Location of Ethel Mary grave
13/2/24	1874 note on health
1/11/23	Birth of Vernon Wanklyn
18/10/23	J. Porter
16/10/23	Burial register extract
13/10/23	Explanation for illness
6/10/23	Son’s death; photo of churchyard memorial whilst upright
25/9/23	Note on his health 1871-1873
12/9/23	Note on burial register
29/11/22	Published