BINYON, Frederick

Frederick Binyon (1838-1900) was born on 11th May 1838 in Manchester, the fourth of seven children of Alfred Binyon and his wife, Lucy (née Hoyle).  His father, Alfred, was a master in a firm of calico printers and came from a prominent Quaker family.

Frederick was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating in BA Mathematical Honours in 1860 and MA in 1863. He was ordained deacon in 1861 and priest the following year by the Bishop of Manchester, and from 1861 held the curacy of St Peter's Blackburn, under Canon Woodhouse. During the cotton famine of 1862 his health broke down which necessitated his going to Italy for some months. From 1864 66 he was curate of Halton, Lancaster.

Frederick married Mary Dockray at St Mary, Lancaster, on 21st June 1866.  They had eight sons and one daughter, four of whom died in infancy:  John Frederick known as Jack (1868-1936), Robert Laurence known as Laurence (1869-1943), Alfred George (1870-1871), Francis Dockray known as Frank (1871), Lucy Caroline (1873-1879), Charles Arthur (1874-1963), Edward Reginald (1875-1876), Herbert (1877-1877) and Gilbert Clive (1880-1952).  Their two eldest sons were born at Lancaster; Frank and Charles were born at Burton-in-Lonsdale, where Frederick was Vicar from 1867 1874.  The 1871 census shows the family living at The Vicarage Burton-in-Lonsdale, with three servants (a cook, housemaid and nurse) and they had two visitors staying.  During Frederick’s time there, a new church and vicarage were built. He afterwards held other preferments in the south of England.  Between 1875-1877 (when two sons were born and died) they were living in the Chelmsford district of Essex; by 1879, when Lucy died, they were living in the Hastings district of Sussex; by 1880, they were living in London where their youngest son was born.  By 1881, the family was living at 54 Brook Green, Hammersmith, where Frederick was Assistant Curate at St Paul’s, Hammersmith.  The family had three servants:  a cook, parlourmaid and nurse.  For some reason, seven-year-old Charles was the only member of the family not at home.  From 1888 92, Frederick was vicar of Winchcombe, but during the last few years had only taken occasional duty.

After leaving Winchcombe, Frederick and family moved to Newton Abbot in South Devon.

Frederick died after a prolonged illness on 27th August 1900 at the home of his eldest son in Grange over Sands.