William Baldwin Jacques: 1895–1911

William Baldwin Jacques, Rector 1895-1911

 Eldest son of Kinton of Leyland, Lancs., Vicar of West Houghton etc. Brasenose College, Oxford Matriculated 2 June 1882 aged 18. BA 1885. MA 1889. Deacon 1887. Presented 1888 (Man) curate of St. Mary, Hulme, Manchester, 1887-90. Vicar of Whittle le Woods, Chorley, Lancs. 1890. Rector of Burton Latimer, (and patron) , 28 Feb 1895. Rector of Orlingbury 6 Dec 1911. Died at Orlingbury Hall 16 April 1913, aged 49.      

(Reference “Northamptonshire and Rutland Clergy from 1500” (1938-43) by Henry Isham Longden)

 William Baldwin Jacques and his family were wealthy and employed many servants at the Rectory. The 1901 census shows the family with a governess, cook, housemaid, butler, footman, nurse, under-nurse, kitchen maid, under-housemaid, laundry maid and coachman all living at the Rectory, there would also have been gardeners etc. coming in daily. Mrs Jacques owned land and property in the parish, and provided some furnishings in the church. She also took over the ownership of St. Crispin’s which in 1913 she sold to Mrs Preston, who bought it as a tribute to her husband and changed the name to the Preston Memorial Hall. It continued to be used as a parish church hall until 1982, when it was demolished. Ill health forced Mr Jacques to leave Burton Latimer in 1911 and they moved to the smaller parish of Orlingbury where he died, aged 49, after only two years as Rector there.

Extract from the Stamford Mercury newspaper Friday 25 April 1913:-

ORLINGBURY - RECTOR'S DEATH With deep regret we record the death of the Rev Wm Baldwin Jacques M A of Orlingbury Hall, Rector of Orlingbury, and formerly Rector of Burton Latimer, which occurred on the 16th inst, after a long and very painful illness. The rev. gentleman came to this district in 1895, and during his incumbency at Burton Latimer he took a very active part in the life of the village. He represened Burton Latimer on the Kettering Board of Guardians from 1896 to March 1904. The funeral took place on Saturday afternoon, the body being conveyed by road from Orlingbury to Burton Latimer. Striking tributes were paid to the memory of the deceased at both villages.

Mrs Jacques continued to live at Orlingbury Hall, she donated two stained glass windows for the chancel of Burton Latimer Church in 1913 to the memory of her husband, and in 1920, two bells to hang in the tower to the memory of her husband and their son Edward, who died in action in 1916, and a bronze cross as memorial to another son John who died in 1928. Both William Baldwin Jacques and his wife Gertrude Mary are buried in the lower churchyard at Burton Latimer. 

Click here to read about a motoring accident involving William B. Jacques