Reverend George D'Oyly Rector of Sundridge

George D'Oyly was born 31 October 1776 at Buxted the son of the Rector of Buxted Matthias D'Oyly who was also Archdeacon of Lewes, George was privately educated and then admitted to Corpus Christi Cambridge  where he graduated in 1803 after distinction earning both a B.A. and in 1803 an M.A. later a B.Divinity and 1821 Doctor of Divinity. As reflected in his Wikipedia page he became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1815. He was a distinguished academic theologian and biographer and in 1820 he became rector of both Lambeth and Sundridge. He published with Reverend Mant a version of the English Bible which is still valued by Antiquarians and Church of England scholars to this day. Many of his sermons are also available in print. His distinction in society and withing the Church of England echoes the achievements of members of the D'Oyly family in others walks of life.
He had been chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury and traditonally the Rectory at Lambeth was subsequently given but the Archbishops triangle of Rectors at Chevening,Brasted and Sundridge  were also in his gift and D'Oyly became Rector of Sundridge until his death.
I first encountered his work in Lambeth and his infuence in the foundation and development of King's College London. I was researching on behalf of a client in the parish records of Lambeth and discovered that many of Lambeth's churches were brought about through his efforts. It is appropriate therefore that he is buried there with a suitable memorial.
In transcribing Sundridge records I became aware that his wife resided at Sundridge and his children are baptised there by him. His celebration of baptisms marriages and burials are regular although his curates carry out more of this work as he fulfils the duties of Rector in both parishes.Sundridge also had a chapel at Ide Hill licensed for baptisms so he effectively led a clergy team to meet the needs of a large rural parish.
He died on 8 January 1846 and was buried at Lambeth Church.
Wikipedia has this image of an 1846 engraving signed by D'Oyly whose influence on recordkeeping in the Sundridge register meant that his curates strove hard to keep up. It has been a joy to transcribe the baptismal register and to see surviving Bishop's Transcripts so clearly recorded.

 My transcript of the Sundridge registers is being prepared for publication in due course at Kent Online Parish Clerks Sundridge Parish Page.

© Henry Mantell Downe and Farnborough Online Parish Clerk 2013-2020