The Incumbents of Hexham

By J W Fawcett

  1. John Meke — occurs Curate of Hexham on 10th May 1567, and again 6th December 1567. Depositions of the Ecclesiastical Court of York, December 6th, 1567.
  2. John Dobson occurs Curate of Hexham, 18th November 1587.
  3. Anthonie Thompson, admitted Curate of Hexham, 12th October 1603.
  4. Benoni Steer [or Benony Steere], admitted 10th July 1635; was also Lecturer of Hexham, 1628–1651.
  5. George Ritschell, appointed 1655; died 1683; was a native of Bohemia; born at Deutschkana, 13th February 1616; educated at Strasburg and Oxford Universities; travelled in Holland, Denmark, and Poland, 1642–1644; returned to England and settled at Kettle Hall, Oxford, 1644; was Master of Newcastle Grammar School, 164?–16??; Perpetual Curate of Hexham, 1655–1683; Lecturer of Hexham 1656–1683; Vicar of Bywell, St Andrew 1668–1683; died at Hexham, 28th November 1683; buried in the Chancel of Hexham Church, 30th November 1683; memorial inscription [HEXAB1095] formerly in floor of Chancel, now in floor of east aisle of north Transept; was author of two learned works — Metaphysical Contemplations, 1648, and Dissertation on the ceremonies of the Church of England, 1611.
  6. George Ritschell BA, appointed [December] 1683; died 1717; was son of Revd George Ritschell, above named; born in Newcastle in 1657; was baptized at St John's, Newcastle; educated at Oxford University; Matriculated at St Edmund Hall, 29th May 1674; graduated BA 17th January 1677/8; was perpetual Curate of Hexham, 1683–1717; Lecturer of Hexham, 1684–1717; died at Hexham, 1717, aged 60 years; buried in Hexham Church, no memorial. Will dated 14th June 1717.

Query who was Perpetual Curate of Hexham 1717–1724? [See: ]

  1. William Graham, appointed 13th September 1724; was ordained Deacon, 15th June 1712, and Priest, 21st December 1713, by the Archbishop of York [York Diocesan Registers] was perpetual Curate of Slaley, 1724–1740; Perpetual Curate of Hexham, 1724–1765 (?)

During Mr Graham's time, the first Augmentation of the Living of Hexham was made in 1728, and he alone licensed an Assistant Curate.

  1. Peter Rumney MA, appointed 1765; died 1771; was of Kirby Hill, Yorkshire; born in 1715; graduated MA at Cambridge (?) (certainly not at Oxford); was Headmaster of Hexham Grammar School, 1765–1771; Perpetual Curate of Hexham, 1765–1771; died at Hexham, 16th February 1771, aged 56 years, and was buried in the Chancel of Hexham Church; his wife Elizabeth died 7th November 1795, aged 56 years; a monument [HEXAB1040] was erected to their memory by the pious gratitude of their children in 1796, and is now laid to the south wall of the Chancel. A sermon preached after the Hexham Riot in 1761, and published anonymously, is supposed to be by Revd P Rumney.
  2. George Busby, appointed 1771; died 1798; was of Gateshead; was Headmaster of Hexham Grammar School, 1771–1798; Perpetual Curate of Hexham, 1771–1798; died suddenly at Hexham, 27th January 1798; buried at Hexham; no memorial. There is a biographical notice of him in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1799, p.168, and also with Monthly Magazine.
  3. William Fleming MA, licensed 20th April 1799; was Master of Kepyer Hospital, 1784–17??; Perpetual Curate of Hexham, 1799–1809; Master of Haydon Bridge Grammar School, 1803–1810. During his time one of the bells of Hexham Church was re-cast.

To be continued. However, November 1903 is missing from the bound volume [HEXAB5134.4]. The following information was provided by Colin Dallison.

  1. Anthony Hedley, appointed curate 1809. Resigned in 1813.
  2. John Gibson, appointed curate 21st March 1814. He resigned 25th September 1826.
  3. William Airey MA, appointed curate 13th December 1826. He had been assistant under Gibson for 2 years. He left for Bramley, Hants in 1845. He died in 1869.
  4. Joseph Hudson, licensed as curate 22nd February 1845. Left in 1866 for Chillingham.
  5. Henry Barker MA, the lecturer since 1862, appointed curate on 18th August 1866 on cession of Hudson. He availed himself of the 1865 Act of Parliament which provided that incumbents receiving corn tithes might assume the title of Rector. On 14th December the living was declared a rectory. He retired in 1898.
  6. Edwin Sidney Savage MA, appointed rector in August 1898 by the lay rector, Mr Beaumont; he was appointed lecturer in 1902. He resigned 31st December 1919; died 1947.
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