Robert Hindes Groome
Encyclopedia
Robert Hindes Groome was an English churchman, who became archdeacon of Suffolk.
on 18 January 1810, the second son of the Rev. John Hindes Groome, formerly fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge
, and rector for twenty-seven years of Earl Soham
and Monk Soham
in Suffolk.
He was educated at Norwich under Richard Valpy
and Howes, and at Caius College, Cambridge, where he graduated B. A. in 1832, and M.A. in 1836. In 1833 he was ordained to the Suffolk curacy of Tannington
-with-Brundish
; during 1835 travelled in Germany as tutor to the son of Juan Álvarez Mendizábal
, the Spanish financier; in 1839 became curate of Corfe Castle, Dorset, of which little borough he was mayor for a year; and in 1845 succeeded his father as rector of Monk Soham. Here, in the course of 44 years, he built the rectory and the village school, restored the fine old church, erected an organ, and rehung the bells. In 1858 he was appointed an honorary canon of Norwich, and from 1869 to 1887 was archdeacon of Suffolk. Failing eyesight forced him to resign that office, when 186 clergy of the diocese presented him with his portrait by William R. Symonds
. He died at Monk Soham on 19 March 1889.
Groome was a man of wide culture and of many friends. Chief among these were Edward Fitzgerald
, William Bodham Donne, Dr. William Hepworth Thompson
, the master of Trinity, and Henry Bradshaw
, the Cambridge librarian, who said of him: 'I never see Groome but what I learn something from him.' He read much, but published little: a couple of charges, one or two sermons and lectures, some hymns and hymn-tunes, and articles in the 'Christian Advocate and Review,' of which he was editor from 1861 to 1866. He is remembered by his short Suffolk stories, 'The Only Darter,' 'Master Charlie,' &c., a collection of which appeared shortly after his death. For real humour and tenderness these come near to 'Rab and his Friends.' In 1843 he married Mary, third daughter of the Rev. J. L. Jackson, rector of Swanage, and Louisa Decima Wollaston. She bore him eight children, and, with four sons and two daughters, survived him.
Life
Groome was born at FramlinghamFramlingham
Framlingham is a market town and civil parish in the Suffolk Coastal District of Suffolk, England. Commonly referred to as "Fram" by the locals, it is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. It has a population of 3,114 at the 2001 census...
on 18 January 1810, the second son of the Rev. John Hindes Groome, formerly fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
, and rector for twenty-seven years of Earl Soham
Earl Soham
Earl Soham is a small settlement in Suffolk, England. It is on the A1120 road and is west of the town of Framlingham.- History :The manor of Earl Soham once belonged to the Earls of Norfolk, the Bigod family , who also owned nearby Framlingham Castle.Edward 1st granted Roger Bigod permission to...
and Monk Soham
Monk Soham
Monk Soham is a civil parish in the English county of Suffolk, four miles north east of Debenham and six miles north west of Framlingham.In 1868, the parish was recorded as "wholly agricultural"....
in Suffolk.
He was educated at Norwich under Richard Valpy
Richard Valpy
-Biography:He was born the eldest son of Richard and Catherine Valpy in Jersey. He was sent to schools in Normandy and Southampton, and completed his education at Pembroke College, Oxford. In 1777 he took orders. After holding a mastership at Bury, in 1781 he became head master of Reading grammar...
and Howes, and at Caius College, Cambridge, where he graduated B. A. in 1832, and M.A. in 1836. In 1833 he was ordained to the Suffolk curacy of Tannington
Tannington
Tannington is a village and civil parish in the Mid Suffolk district of Suffolk in eastern England. Located around ten miles south-east of Diss, in 2005 its population was 110....
-with-Brundish
Brundish
Brundish is a village and civil parish in English county of Suffolk. The village is south-east of Stradbroke and north of Dennington in Mid Suffolk district. The B1118 runs through the village which had a population at the 2001 census of 192....
; during 1835 travelled in Germany as tutor to the son of Juan Álvarez Mendizábal
Juan Álvarez Mendizábal
Juan Álvarez Mendizábal, born Juan Álvarez Méndez , was a Spanish economist and politician....
, the Spanish financier; in 1839 became curate of Corfe Castle, Dorset, of which little borough he was mayor for a year; and in 1845 succeeded his father as rector of Monk Soham. Here, in the course of 44 years, he built the rectory and the village school, restored the fine old church, erected an organ, and rehung the bells. In 1858 he was appointed an honorary canon of Norwich, and from 1869 to 1887 was archdeacon of Suffolk. Failing eyesight forced him to resign that office, when 186 clergy of the diocese presented him with his portrait by William R. Symonds
William R. Symonds
William Robert Symonds was an English painter.Born in Yoxford, Suffolk, he studied in Antwerp and settled in London in 1881. He exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy in London from 1876....
. He died at Monk Soham on 19 March 1889.
Groome was a man of wide culture and of many friends. Chief among these were Edward Fitzgerald
Edward FitzGerald (poet)
Edward FitzGerald was an English writer, best known as the poet of the first and most famous English translation of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. The spelling of his name as both FitzGerald and Fitzgerald is seen...
, William Bodham Donne, Dr. William Hepworth Thompson
William Hepworth Thompson
William Hepworth Thompson was an English classical scholar and Master of Trinity College, Cambridge.Thompson was born at York and was privately educated in Buckinghamshire before entering Trinity College, Cambridge in 1828. Graduating BA as 4th classic in 1832, he became a fellow of Trinity in 1834...
, the master of Trinity, and Henry Bradshaw
Henry Bradshaw (scholar)
Henry Bradshaw was a British scholar and librarian.Henry Bradshaw was the son of Joseph Hoare Bradshaw, a banker. He was educated at Eton and King's College, Cambridge, where he became a fellow in 1853...
, the Cambridge librarian, who said of him: 'I never see Groome but what I learn something from him.' He read much, but published little: a couple of charges, one or two sermons and lectures, some hymns and hymn-tunes, and articles in the 'Christian Advocate and Review,' of which he was editor from 1861 to 1866. He is remembered by his short Suffolk stories, 'The Only Darter,' 'Master Charlie,' &c., a collection of which appeared shortly after his death. For real humour and tenderness these come near to 'Rab and his Friends.' In 1843 he married Mary, third daughter of the Rev. J. L. Jackson, rector of Swanage, and Louisa Decima Wollaston. She bore him eight children, and, with four sons and two daughters, survived him.