Robert Hindes Groome

Robert Hindes Groome (18 January 1810 – 19 March 1889) was an English Anglican churchman, who became Archdeacon of Suffolk. He wrote several short stories that were set in Suffolk.

Life Groome was born at Framlingham in 1810, the second son of the Rev. John Hindes Groome, formerly fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge, and rector for 27 years of Earl Soham and Monk Soham in Suffolk. In 1833 he was ordained to the Suffolk curacy of Tannington-with-Brundish. During 1835 he travelled in Germany as tutor to the son of Juan Álvarez Mendizábal, the Spanish financier. In 1839 he became curate of Corfe Castle, Dorset, of which little borough he was mayor for a year. In 1845 he succeeded his father as Rector of Monk Soham, where in the course of 44 years, he built the rectory and the village school, restored the old church, erected an organ, and rehung the bells. In 1858 he was appointed an honorary canon of Norwich, and from 1869 to 1887 served as Archdeacon of Suffolk. Failing eyesight forced him to resign, at which point 186 clergy of the diocese presented him with his portrait by William R. Symonds. He died at Monk Soham on 19 March 1889.

Personal matters In 1843 he married Mary, the third daughter of Rev. J. L. Jackson, Rector of St Mary's Church, Swanage, and Louisa Decima Wollaston. They had eight children, of whom four sons and two daughters survived him.

Attribution