Transcript

Of

Arthur Burch [Obituary]

Trans. Devon. Assoc. vol. XXXVI, (1904), pp. 34-35.

by

J. Brooking-Rowe (Ed.)

Prepared by Micha el Steer

The obituary was read at the Association’s July 1904 Teignmouth meeting. The excellent “Exeter Memories” websiteprovides a list of Mayors and Lord Mayors of the City of Exeter from the reign of King John (A.D. 1200) and expanded to the present century. Mr Burch is listed as Mayor for 1886. There is a link from his name to his portrait. He appears in the portrait dressed in his mayoral robes of office. The obituary, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Arthur Burch. Arthur Burch became a member of our Association in 1871, and was always ready and willing to help it in any way. For more than half a century he had practised in Exeter as a solicitor. He was the son of Thomas Burch, Sheriff's Officer for the County of Devon, and the last Governor of the Debtors' Prison in St. Thomas, and was born in 1832. He was admitted a solicitor in 1852, and soon joined in partnership Mr. Sanders, to whom he had been articled. He filled many important offices; Bishop Phillpotts appointed him his secretary, and successive bishops retained him in the office. He was Registrar of the Consistory Court, and also of the diocese, and upon the separation of Truro from Exeter he became the Registrar in both dioceses. He served as Mayor of the city, and was an alderman for many years until 1898, when he left the Council. He was also an honorary freeman of the city and a Justice of the Peace. The loss of his wife and eldest son affected Arthur Burch very greatly; for some time his health had been failing, and early in last summer he had a stroke of paralysis from which he never rallied, and passed away on the 16th June, 1904. He was respected by all who knew him, and those whose acquaintance was more intimate had towards him feelings of much regard and affection.