A History of St. Andrew`s Church, Charmouth

Thomas Carter Galpin, born in 1795, Sep. 27, at Bridport, Dorset, son of Richard Galpin and Mary, daughter of William Carter, of Beaminster.

After his marriage to Ann Frances, daughter of John Hounsel, Bailiff of Bridport, 10th July 1819, he took up his residence at Charmouth, where he had inherited a small pro perty from the Chilcotts. He had also inherited another estate at Beaminster from his mother.

Late in life, having disposed of his landed estate, he moved up to London, where he died 13th May 1850 and was buried in Highgate Cemetery.

He had a decided taste for art and science from his boyhood and showed considerable talent for painting and lead- pencil drawing. He invented a method of producing a rapid effect in sketching by using a broad lead-pencil cut so as to make both broad and fine strokes, for which he gained the Isis Medal of the Royal Society of Art. However, the value of the invention was undermined by the introduction of Photography, and Sketching gradually went out of fashion.

He was one of the first to take an interest in the fossils of the blue lias of Lyme Regis and prepared and presented to the British Museum a specimen of an Ichthyosaurus which was exhibited there for many years until recently it was exchanged for a foreign specimen. He introduced lithography into England, many of his sketches being reproduced by that process. He illustrated several books and at one time became notorious through his comic and political cartoons, one of which representing the King George IV being carried off by Old Nick came near getting him into trouble, in fact, he had to go into hiding for a time. His portrait by Pickersgill was exhibited in the Royal Academy.

He was a friend of Lord Lovat who, as head of the Clan Fraser, made him an honorary member of the clan and a ` daguerreotype portrait (a process then recently introduced) shows him wearing the tartan on the occasion of his initiation.

He was also a friend of Coleridge and of the poet Wordsworth, who wrote the following epigram on seeing his broad- pencil sketches when he was staying at Rydall Mount on a visit to the Poet Laureate:

" Great Artist thy genius such is I Divines will against it protest

Thou hast certainly shown by thy touches

That the Maud way may sometimes be best.” Hartley Colridge, Sep. 23, 1846.

He was tall and handsome with dark hair and dark blue eyes. i He was exceedingly well informed and intelligent and his interesting conversation and agreeable manners made him a welcome everywhere.

His wife died at Charmouth at the age of 41 years. The stables happening to catch fire the terrified horses by their excitement gave her a fright which brought on a fatal illness.

]oseph Galpin, architect, who wrote a book, long a standard work on architecture, in conjunction with his brother Charles built a large part of Bridport, Allington, the Manor House at Chideock, the Crescent at Weymouth, etc. Most of their houses can be distinguished by their iron railings of a special pattern with ivy leaves and berries. He built and owned Portville, between Bridport and West Bay, and lived there in a house now known as Belmont. He married first Sarah Green of Burton Bradstock, and had one daughter Sarah, who died at Bridport unmarried. He married as his second wife Sarah, daughter of Joseph Sprake of Allington buried at Allington), and third, Ann Swain. He died, aged 73, and was buried in the churchyard at Upwey, near Weymouth, in 1872. His third wife survived him and died in 1879, aged 76. (One daughter, Sarah Swain Galpin, born 26 March 18 3 3.)

Ann Frances Hounsell, born Dec. 1800 and died 30 May , 1842 at Charmouth, was the daughter of John Hounsell of Bridport, whose father was also ]ohn Hounsell.

Mary Hounsell, twin sister of Ann Frances, died 27 June 1 8 56, aged 55 years, buried at Highgate.

Elizabeth, another sister, married Frank Slade of Powerstock.

INSCRIPTIONS ON TOMB AT HIGHGATE CEMETERY, LONDON

Sacred to the Memory of Thomas Carter Galpin born Sep. 27th 1795 died May 13th 1850

also to Mary jane daughter of the above born july ISC 1823 died Dec. 25th 1850 also

Mary Hounsell died June 27th 1856 Aged 55 years.

N0te.—She was twin sister to Ann Frances, wife of Thomas Carter Galpin.
Henry Carter Galpin, son of Thomas Carter Galpin and his wife Ann Frances Hounsell, born at Charmouth ]une 1820. He was on a ship, belonging to his uncle, which was wrecked in the Channel, where he suffered from exposure for several days in the severest weather owing to which his health was injured and he emigrated to South Africa where he married Georgina Maria, the only daughter of George Luck of Cape Town and Stellenbosch, who owned much property there as