Rector - Richard Loxham (1761-1843)
Richard Loxham (MH1Y-1G6) was baptised in Stickney, Lincolnshire on 3rd December 1761. He attended Cambridge University (Jesus College) from 1780 and gained a BA in 1783. The Church of England database then shows that he moved back to Stickney to become a curate in 1784 before moving to Liverpool St Peter & St Nicolas in 1786.
Richard married Ann Preston at St. Peter’s church, Liverpool on 2nd April 1793, by which time he was already the minister of St. John’s church, Haymarket in Liverpool. St. John’s was demolished in 1898 and replaced with St. John’s Gardens, which is what we still know it as today. Lancashire OnLine Parish Clerk Project – District of Liverpool
Richard and Ann went on to have eight known children: Robert born in 1794, Mary, Jane, Alice, Frances, Lydia, Barbara and the youngest, Harriet born in 1814.
It seems that in 1815 Reverend Richard was awarded an extra £50 on top of his salary (his salary could have been anywhere between £100-£200 per annum, as stipends varied greatly at that time).
In addition, Reverend Richard was appointed as the rector of St. Cuthbert’s church, Halsall from 26th November 1816. He succeeded his friend, Reverend Thomas Blundell who had died on 31st July in the same year. Thomas’ sisters, Bridget and Alice Blundell presented Richard to the living as they had inherited the advowson (patronage) from their brother Thomas. A ‘living’ means a position held by a vicar or rector which involves being responsible for leading a parish and includes accommodation and associated income.
Richard still remained the minister of St.John’s church in Liverpool city centre and lived in Springfield Street, Liverpool with his wife and children, as well as Halsall rectory because of his position as rector. We can verify this information by looking in Gore’s Directory for 1821 and a Church Directory for that time.
Life continued in this way for many years, however, on 29th January 1840, Ann Loxham died, leaving Richard with their six surviving children, all daughters. Ann was buried at St. John’s church; at the funeral service the officiating minister was Reverend Richard Leigh (9NJ5-K9Q) who became the rector of Halsall after the death of Reverend Richard Loxham in 1843. Richard Leigh being the brother-in-law of Richard Benson Blundell Hollinshead Blundell, patron of St Cuthberts.
That same year, in August 1840, an announcement was published in the Liverpool Mail stating that a new church was to be built in the parish of Halsall. Money would need to be raised but Richard Blundell, patron of the Halsall parish by now, had pledged £1000 to the construction of the new church.
Charles Scarisbrick of Scarisbrick Hall had also promised to donate funds to the project. Reverend Richard Loxham offered to annex £30 per year on the condition that a sufficient sum be realised to complete the building and that the chosen site of the new place of worship be convenient for the residents of Downholland. Halsall’s curate, Reverend G. Holden was to be on the design committee.
The result was the construction of St. Thomas’ Church, Lydiate. St Thomas’ Church, Lydiate – Wikipedia
We next see Reverend Richard Loxham listed in the Halsall census for 1841 ( the ‘township of Halsall’ – no further details); he probably lived in the rectory that was demolished circa mid 1800s. He was the only male living with 10 women – five daughters and five servants.
The new church at Lydiate for the Downholland community was finished by 1841 and Reverend Richard would have been involved in overseeing its construction, therefore living in Halsall at that time would have been easier and more convenient for him and his family.
That being said, he continued to serve the people of Liverpool and Halsall, being both minister at St. John’s and rector of St. Cuthbert’s for a further two years.
Sadly, however, The Liverpool Mercury newspaper, on 12th May 1843, announced Reverend Loxham’s death:
‘May 10, at his house, Springfield, in the 82nd year of his age, the Rev. Richard Loxham, rector of Halsall and for fifty one years minister of St. John’s Church in this town’.
On 17th May 1843 he was buried at St. John’s church, Liverpool where he had loyally served for 51 years, and for 27 of those years he had been Halsall’s rector.
