British church at Dinard, France

[Paul Barton, Special Agent]

The chaplain of the British church at Dinard, near St-Malo, from 1873 until his death in 1884 was Rev Anthony Francis Thomson. In 1888, Rev Thomson's oldest son, Anthony Standidge Thomson married Alethea Isabella Evans Davis.

Now it's Alethea's father that interests me, because in 1878 the Reverend Frederick Davis fled the UK after being charged with molesting a girl in a train compartment. I had thought that he fled to his continental home in Bruges, but it turns out he was buried at the British Church at Dinard on May 6th 1883.

So what was the relationship between Rev Thomson and Rev Davis? Had Thompson sheltered him there in the final years of his life? How do I find out?

[Little Nell]

Maybe they had both trained as priests together?

[Christine in Herts]

Can you get to see an old copy of Crockford's Directory? That would give you anoutline of both men's careers.

Hasn't FMP got something like that?

Christine

[Christine in Herts]

Just had a look: 1896 - just too late for you.

Christine

[Christine in Herts]

Sometimes ordinations or church appointments get names in the papers - might be worth a look in TDA, or the Gale trial, if it's still going.

Christine

[Mary from Italy]

You could try e-mailing the church to see if they have any historical records, or know where they could be found:

fathergareth@stbarts-dinard.org.uk

St. Bartholomew's Church - Dinard France.

They're selling a book about the history of the church called "Anglicans in Brittany" which might be useful.

[Mary from Italy]

Do you read French? Apparently the local English consul in the 1840s was Alpyn Thomson - I wonder if he was a relation?

Dinard de siècle en siècle

[Mary from Italy]

Anthony Francis Thomson went to Lincoln College, Oxford; you can find his biography in the Ancestry database of Oxford alumni:

Oxford University Alumni, 1500-1886 - Ancestry.co.uk

Can't find Frederick Davis in the database.

[Paul Barton, Special Agent]

Wow, thanks everybody - that's a great start!

[Little Nell]

Hope you find the answers, Paul.

[Christine in Herts]

Just had a thought...

Crockford - Historical data

1835 to 1967
Lambeth Palace Library

Lambeth Palace Library is the historic library of the archbishops of Canterbury and the principal library and record office for the history of the Church of England. The Library focuses on ecclesiastical history, but its rich collections are important for an immense variety of topics from the history of art and architecture to colonial and Commonwealth history, and for innumerable aspects of English social, political and economic history. It is also a significant resource for local history and genealogy.

The library can be contacted and they are happy to check their printed sequence of Crockford's Clerical Directory and other printed sources to answer specific enquiries. They will take enquiries for any period, since they do have some relevant sources (e.g. published alumni lists for universities) in addition to Crockford's Clerical Directory.

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