William Whitear 1778-1826

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Rev William Whitear (1778-1826)

Biography

William Whitear (senior) was born in February 1778 in Hastings. In April, 1806 whilst Rector of Starston, he married Rebecca Holmes of Gawdy Hall, Reddenhall (Norfolk). When at Starston, they had seven children, but only four survived childhood – William (b 1807), Ann (b 1816), Elizabeth (b 1818) and Mary (b 1821).

William (senior) died December 1826, he was buried on the 16th December at Starston (see note below). His wife lived until 1861 (aged 81) and was buried at Starston. Their eldest son William, also a clergyman, married Harriet Thomlinson in March 1834 at Cley. In 1851, he was a widower and then living in Islington – where he lived until 1891.

William Whitear, Rector of Starston meet with his death in singular circumstances, according Norfolk Annals, Vol 1.

"He had gone out with a party to apprehend poachers; the party divided themselves into two bodies and on proceeding to the place where it had been agreed to reassemble. Mr Whitear was mistaken for a poacher and shot in the right side by another of the party, a young man named Thomas Pallant. He died from the effects of the wound on December 10th (*) and Pallant was committed for trial on the charge of manslaughter.

(*)Given as the 3rd elsewhere.

In a General History of the County Of Norfolk Vol 3 - it is noted that "he was one of the first ornithologists of this part of the kingdom", and that "these studies were his chief recreation". There is also a comment that his father had imbued in him an interest in natural history.

information included from the herbariaunited database

references and external links

• Kent DH & Allen DE. 1984. British and Irish Herbaria. London.