26.06.1830 – 19.02.1891

Thomas was born in Leominster, Herefordshire. He undertook his higher education at St John’s College, Oxford, graduating with a second class BA in 1853. Taking holy orders in 1854,  there followed a succession of curacies at Ross (1854-56); Bishopstone, Herefordshire (1859-62); Millbrook, Southampton (1862-65); and Cusop, Herefordshire (1865-67). He then served as rector of Otterhampton in Somerset until 1871.

In 1868 on the 13th February he married Elizabeth (nee Thomas). From 1871 until his death in 1891, he was vicar of Ropley. Appropriately he is buried in Ropley churchyard.

Sources

• Hampshire Advertiser, 25 February 1891, p.4

Portrait

Thomas Woodhouse’s Gravestone (Source: Ropley History)

Contribution to county’s history

His main contribution was as one of the  ‘chief promoters’ of the Hampshire Field Club at the time of its formation in 1885. From then until 1891 he served as one of its Vice Presidents and as recorded in a newspaper obituary ‘on several occasions …[he] acted as director of the day in the club’s excursions and … contributed valuable information to the society in papers and otherwise’ (Southern Daily Echo, 23 February 1891, p.4). It has to be said, however, that notwithstanding the comment in this obituary about papers only one, on an aspect of natural history, has been found.

Relevant published works

• ‘Some Notes on the Plants of Ropley and its Neighbourhood’, Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society, Vol.1 No. 1, 1887, pp.36-9

Critical Comments

Other Comments

Given Woodhouse’s involvement with the establishment of the Field Club, it is surprising that there is not an obituary for him in the Proceedings.

Contributor

Roger Ottewill (16 February 2024)

Key Words

Ropley, Hampshire Field Club

If you are able to add anything to this entry, please send your ideas to celebrating@hantsfieldclub.org.uk.

 

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