OUT AND ABOUT AROUND LECHLADE

Robert Graham Plunkett Brownrigg was born in 1859, the son of George Oliver Brownrigg, vicar of St Mary’s Low, Harrogate. Robert attended Rossall School in Lancashire and, in 1878, he went on to study at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He was ordained a Deacon in 1882 at Ripon and moved fairly frequently to other churches in the area.

In 1902 Robert married Mary McAllum. They had four sons, John George, Arthur Patrick, Robert Graham and Ronald.

John George Brownrigg entered the Royal Navy from Dartmouth in 1926 and served on several ships with distinction up to and into the Second World War.

In 1938 he joined HMS Hood. During the latter half of May 1941 HMS Hood engaged the German battleship Bismarck and, in the ensuing battle the Hood’s ammunition magazine was hit and exploded. At the age of 37, John, and all but three of her crew, were killed.

Robert was the much respected vicar at St Lawrence Church from 1902 until his retirement in 1932. From 1930 until 1937 he was Honorary Canon of Gloucester Cathedral. He died on May 16 1937 in Cheltenham, and was buried in Lechlade.