Our common ancestors - Herbert - Contents

Rev. George Augustus Montgomery

• References:
  • Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541-1857 (index of bishops and higher clergy of Anglican church, also here)
    • Volume 6 - Salisbury diocese, Joyce M. Horn (1986).
      • Prebendaries: Ruscombe Southbury

• Sources yet to be consulted:
  • Wiltshire Record Office, Registers of the bishops of Salisbury
    • D1/2/32 pt. ii f. 6v (appointment of Rev. George Augustus Montgomery as Prebendary).
    • D1/2/33 f. IIIV (death of Rev. George Augustus Montgomery).

  • The Gentleman's Magazine 1843, new ser. xxvii 433 (death of Rev. George Augustus Montgomery).

Rev. George Montgomery.
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Rev. George Augustus Montgomery (see here),
born 7th Nov 1793, father died when he was 3,
educ Oriel College, Oxford, MA,
described as "George Augustus Montgomery of Oriel College in the University of Oxford" in sister's marriage contract 1815,
there is a book, The Life of Porteus, Bishop of London, pub 1810, with the label "Revd. G. Augustus Montgomery",
qualified to baptise his niece Elizabeth Gibbon at Aberdeen 1819,

Rector of Bishopstone, Wiltshire (near Salisbury and Wilton) from 1821 [plaque at church] until his death 1842,
listed at Bishopstone as at June 1822 [gift of Sir Alured Clarke],
known as "George", e.g. see letter from his uncle the 11th Earl of Pembroke, Aug 1822: "I must say that George has a great deal of merit and promises to make a very good parish priest. He has an unhappy flock to deal with, an ill-built house, and like everybody else a diminishing income, but I perceive in him qualities which I think will enable him to cope with all difficulties and to enjoy all advantages.",
he built new rectory at Bishopstone, and also built the church porch,

mar 26th June 1827 [her age 34, him age 33], Ightham, Kent [see entry in LDS IGI], to Cecilia Markham [born 27th Oct 1792, descendant of Edward I],
no issue,
he writes to his sister Elizabeth from Pembroke House, 7th Nov 1827 (after 11th Earl's death), he is going to Wilton: "before I leave this place for Wilton", "The Dowager is beginning to recover from her severe shock. Cecilia and myself go there next week for some time.",

from 3rd Feb 1828 [Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae] until his death 1842 he held the ancient title of "Prebendary of Ruscombe Southbury" at nearby Salisbury Cathedral (sometimes referred to as "the Cathedral Church of Sarum"),
for definition of "Prebendary" see here and here,
gravestone at Bishopstone church also lists him as "Rural Dean of Wilton" [this means he was a supervisor of the clergy in Wilton parish],

will dated 13th June 1835, two codicils 4th Apr 1837, left money to build a school in Bishopstone, and money to repair the church,
the school was actually built during his life, i.e. 1837-42,
Rector of Bishopstone, living Bishopstone at death 1842,

died when hit by (an estimated 3 tons of) falling masonry when inspecting the construction of a new church at East Grafton, Wiltshire (confusingly next to another place called Wilton, some distance to the N of Salisbury, see map), 1.30 pm, Thur 1st Dec 1842, age 49 yrs,
"The loss of so good, so truly pious, so exemplary a man, even under the ordinary circumstances incidental to our common nature must have been deeply and severely felt by all around him; but there is something inscrutable to mortal comprehension in that awful - nay, appalling - dispensation of Providence, by which a life so thoroughly devoted to the service of God, and to the good of his fellow-creatures, was in an instant terminated, - even whilst he was engaged in the pious duty of inspecting the progress made in the erection of a new Church" [Salisbury and Wiltshire Herald, 2nd Dec],
letter of 10th Dec 1842 refers to "his late unfortunate decease",
in his will he had asked to be bur in tomb inside Bishopstone church,
will pr 25th Feb 1843, Prerogative Court of Canterbury,
legacy implemented by deeds, all dated 12th July 1843.

Cecilia's will dated 14th Apr 1866, codicil 20th Nov 1868,
she died 9th Dec 1879, age 87 yrs. Arthur Augustus Gibbon travelled to Bishopstone 15th Dec.

   
Unknown, possibly Rev. George Montgomery as a young man.
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• Interesting that Cecilia's 1st cousin John Markham, Lieut., Royal Navy, named his son Arthur Augustus Markham in 1840. Rev. George's sister had named her son Arthur Augustus Gibbon in 1829.