Biography of Charles Blundell RIMMER
[Ref. O.78]
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Biography of Charles Blundell RIMMER
[Ref. O.78]
| Ancestors | |
Profile | |
Index for RIMMER |
Charles Blundell Rimmer was born in Lydiate, Lancashire in 1796, the youngest of the three sons of Charles and Elizabeth Rimmer. Nothing more is known of him until his marriage by licence to Elizabeth Wilkinson at Halsall on 10 May 1836. She was ten years younger than Charles. The marriage register records that Charles was of this parish so he was living there prior to his marriage.
The census of 1841 shows Charles, a farmer, and his wife living in Lydiate Hall. According to the book Lydiate Hall written by Rev T E Gibson, "That portion of the hall occupied as a farmhouse had been the residence of the tenant farming the demesne lands since the time of the Irelands." Also in the house were seven agricultural labourers who presumably worked on the farm. One of these was Charles' cousin Joseph. There were also two female servants. It is assumed that Charles was farming at Lydiate Hall Farm.
Son Charles Blundell was born on 5 June 1842 then daughter Mary in 1850. The 1851 census recorded Charles as a farmer 200 acres employing 13 labourers. He and Elizabeth were still living in Lydiate Hall but now with their son Charles. Living with them were Charles senior's brothers Joseph and George who were probably also working on the farm. Also living there were two servants and six agricultural labourers who must have been working on the farm. Daughter Anne was born in 1855.
According to Rev T E Gibson, on the expiration of his lease in 1859, Charles retired with his wife and son Charles to a smaller farm in the vicinity.. The census of 1861 confirms that as his residence is listed as being at Eager Gate and that he was a farmer of 14 acres employing two men. Son Charles is still living with his parents and there was also a servant in the house.
Charles died in 1862. According to the book Lydiate Hall Rev T E Gibson writes, "Charles was a fine specimen of a burley English tenant-farmer of the old school, and was held in much estimation. Of good natural talents, which he had little opportunity of improving by education, he was for many years the foremost man in the township, for which he acted as Poor-Law Guardian, &c. His great knowledge of local matters, and the interest he took in its affairs, made his word for many years the law which governed it; indeed, there was a spice of native obstinacy in his composition, which few had the hardihood to encounter. In his dealings with others he was thoroughly upright and conscientious, and was full of charity to the poor, whom he befriended in many ways. Not content with being himself an exact observer of all religious duties, he took care that those under his charge did not neglect them. If he found anyone absent from Mass or Catechism, he would severely reprove them, and he gave an example to the other farmers of the district, which is too rarely followed, in requiring all his family and servants to be in the house at nine o'clock, the time fixed for evening prayers. If anyone neglected this, the penalty was - no supper, and this penalty he did not fail to enforce. No doubt the steady religious principles which characterised this worthy man were nurtured in a good school; he has told the writer that both his father and grandfather were very precise in seeing that their children were well instructed in their religion. Whenever it happened that there was no Mass at Lydiate, all the family went to the neighbouring chapel of Aughton, where in his grandfather's time the Rev G Bordley was priest, a sturdy, indefatigable missioner, gifted with some eccentricities."