destruction of records
In Bosham, the arson exploits of one Tom Kervell, Parish clerk, have led to a certain notoriety for the good name of the family. Evidently Tom, in a drunken rage with the vicar one christmastime, is reputed to have set light to the parish chest and destroyed the records. The deed is recounted in C J Longcroft’s book about Bosham, published in 1867, and refers to events "some years ago". A further reference is made to this deed in Macdermott’s book, ‘Bosham Church: its history and antiquities’ . But, maybe the destruction of records was not so complete as recounted, since Macdermott does say "a story which we believe to be in the main true, though the destruction of the old books etc. was certainly not so complete as Mr Longcroft makes out, for the old parish registers and churchwardens books and much else besides are still in existence".
In Bosham, the arson exploits of one Tom Kervell, Parish clerk, have led to a certain notoriety for the good name of the family. Evidently Tom, in a drunken rage with the vicar one christmastime, is reputed to have set light to the parish chest and destroyed the records. The deed is recounted in C J Longcroft’s book about Bosham, published in 1867, and refers to events "some years ago". A further reference is made to this deed in Macdermott’s book, ‘Bosham Church: its history and antiquities’ . But, maybe the destruction of records was not so complete as recounted, since Macdermott does say "a story which we believe to be in the main true, though the destruction of the old books etc. was certainly not so complete as Mr Longcroft makes out, for the old parish registers and churchwardens books and much else besides are still in existence".
Who really was responsible for burning the Parish Records in the 19th century?
Holy Trinity
Bosham
Who really was responsible for burning the Parish Records?
Parish Clerk Tom Kervell? Were his wife Martha and his daughter Jane implicated?
What about one Henry Hammond? read on…..
untheological and unliterary
The vicar at the time was said by Longcroft to have been the Reverend William Kilick, who was at
Bosham from 1800 to 1838. His reputation is described such that he, ".....neglected his church, his
parish and his vicarage and the authority of such a man in the parish was literally nothing...".
"The taste of the vicar was untheological and unliterary in the extreme. It took rather an alcoholic
turn, and looked with favour on the cargoes of very questionable quality, which were in those days
continually brought across from France and the Channel Islands, and hidden in the tower, and
especially in the crypt of Botham Church"!!
The infamous Tom therefore would have been my 4th great grandfather, who lived from 1763 -1830
and was married to Martha Hammond.
fascinating twist
There the story might have ended ………but a fascinating twist has been recounted to me by one section of our great family, that casts doubt on the identity and intentions of the perpetrator.
Tom and his wife, Martha, had six children. Amongst their four daughters were two, Charlotte and Jane, who helped the notoriety of the family by having a total of six illegitimate boys by two well known local men, Charles Cheesman and Henry Hammond.
It is Henry Hammond, cited by Jane as the father of her three boys that she christened Henry Hammond Kervill (b1829), George Hammond Kervill (b1831) and Phillip Hammond Kearvell (b1840), who is reckoned to have been the arsonist. His reason for wanting to destroy his own birth record(?) and that of his illegitimate sons was to lose his identity as a deserter from the Royal Navy, as after the burning he is said to have assumed Jane’s surname. Recapture would carry the death penalty.
The vicar at the time was said by Longcroft to have been the Reverend William Kilick, who was at
Bosham from 1800 to 1838. His reputation is described such that he, ".....neglected his church, his
parish and his vicarage and the authority of such a man in the parish was literally nothing...".
"The taste of the vicar was untheological and unliterary in the extreme. It took rather an alcoholic
turn, and looked with favour on the cargoes of very questionable quality, which were in those days
continually brought across from France and the Channel Islands, and hidden in the tower, and
especially in the crypt of Botham Church"!!
The infamous Tom therefore would have been my 4th great grandfather, who lived from 1763 -
fascinating twist
There the story might have ended ………but a fascinating twist has been recounted to me by one section of our great family, that casts doubt on the identity and intentions of the perpetrator.
Tom and his wife, Martha, had six children. Amongst their four daughters were two, Charlotte and Jane, who helped the notoriety of the family by having a total of six illegitimate boys by two well known local men, Charles Cheesman and Henry Hammond.
It is Henry Hammond, cited by Jane as the father of her three boys that she christened Henry Hammond Kervill (b1829), George Hammond Kervill (b1831) and Phillip Hammond Kearvell (b1840), who is reckoned to have been the arsonist. His reason for wanting to destroy his own birth record(?) and that of his illegitimate sons was to lose his identity as a deserter from the Royal Navy, as after the burning he is said to have assumed Jane’s surname. Recapture would carry the death penalty.