| Tribute must be paid to the valuable contribution made by Revd Charles Kerry to his native village. |
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A farmer's son, the only child of his father, but with many half sisters and brothers through his mother's
first marriage, Charles Kerry was the child of middle-aged parents. He was educated at the village school where he became a pupil teacher. Sponsored by Revd Samuel Fox, vicar of Morley, he entered Culham College, where he qualified as a teacher with the report ... 'Remarkable for his drawing, mapping and writing. A capital teacher... Kerry is rather an original character, very reliable and conscientious ...' Kerry's first and only position was at Bray and Holyport Free school in Berkshire, where he stayed for seven years. During that time he researched the history of the locality and produced his first book. In 1862, Kerry entered St Bee's Theological College where he took Holy Orders. There followed a succession of posts. Kerry's town posts were short-lived, but his positions in the country lasted several years and in each one he satisfied his appetite for researching local history, recording and publishing his findings. At the age of fifty, Kerry moved back to Derbyshire, where he was made an honorary member of the Derbyshire Archaeological Society and was responsible for editing volumes 14 to 22 of the Derbyshire Archaeological Journal. Seven years later he moved to the living of Upper Stondon in Bedfordshire, his two half-sisters, Sarah and Mary Turton, keeping house for him. There he developed an interest in the design and manufacture of stained glass windows. Having found the cost of erecting such a window in Smalley Church, in memory of his parents, far too expensive for his means, he made use of a friend's workshop to design and make the window which is now installed in the south aisle. Kerry also produced two further windows, one at South Wingfield in memory of Thomas Fielding and the other at Shillington, Bedfordshire. By the age of 67, Kerry was troubled by ill-health. He suffered from angina and was hindered by a leg injury. His half-sisters had died some years earlier leaving him alone in the somewhat isolated vicarage. Kerry resigned his Bedfordshire living and returned to Derbyshire, lodging first at West Hallam and later Belper. A beautiful chalice and paten were presented by him to the church at Smalley. These are depicted on his pink granite gravestone which lies, as he decreed, under the old yew tree. But it is not only for his gifts to the church - the communion vessels, the fine peal of bells and the stained glass window, that we have reason to be grateful to Revd Charles Kerry. During his retirement, although dogged by infirmity, he industriously researched the history of Smalley which he presented in two volumes. Manuscripts and account books, some of which are no longer available, were borrowed and quoted from in his books, leaving a valuable record for posterity which would otherwise have been lost. Reading the 'asides' and comments in Kerry's books and correspondence, and the inscriptions which he had engraved on the bells, gives one the impression of a rather arrogant, opinionated man, but the comments of his contemporaries contradict this impression:- ..."Mr Kerry ... has left behind him many pleasant memories, his genial and kindly manners have endeared him to all classes ..." That he had a sense of humour is reflected in the following letter sent to Mr Swingler in reply, it seems, to a request for information about the visit of the Scottish Highlanders and Prince Charles Edward Stuart to Derby in 1745. After a description of various relics of that visit found in Smalley, Kerry appends a further letter as follows: Dear Mr Swingler, What I now tell you privately or aside about the Highlanders on their arrival in Derby is not generally known and is not in print but is nevertheless true, for my greatgrandfather was present in the marketplace when they drew up. The Scotch were so crowded and pressed together by the townspeople (mostly women) that they had no room for their evolution when on a command in Gaelic, the kilted regiment stooped, and throwing their kilts over their backs revealed to the astonished ladies and all what modesty is careful to conceal. Father who told me said that they were not any more troubled with crowds of women. It seems a pity the story should die with me so I venture to relate it to you. I am sure you will excuse me. Yours faithfully, Chas. Kerry July 30, 1903 Charles Kerry was a master of planning and meticulous precision, even his own funeral was planned to the last detail. The funeral cards were printed while he lived and he even addressed the envelopes himself! All the arrangements for the founding and installation of the church bells, which were to be his memorial, had been executed before his death. An interesting codicil from Kerry's Will reads: ...if the Vicar and Churchwardens of the said parish of Smalley do not accept the said bequest of tower and bells ... then the whole of the estate so bequeathed shall be devoted to the Almsmen of the Parish of Smalley residing within the three Alms Houses founded by Jacinth Sacheverell Esq. on Moorley Moor for ever. And that the Trustees of the said Almshouses shall invest the said bequest and apply the proceeds thereof to the use and benefit of the residentiary Almsmen belonging to the said parish of Smalley provided always that they be members of the Church of England. Charles Kerry Richard Thornton wrote a biographical booklet on Charles Kerry. His final paragraph reads: "So ended the many-sided earthly life of this talented man - teacher, priest, antiquarian, author, archaeologist, genealogist and stained-glass manufacturer." It is truly fortunate for the village that Charles Kerry's footsteps passed this way. |
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Smalley people
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Sources: This extract is taken from the publication 'Footsteps through Smalley'
(1994) Thanks and acknowledgements go to the authors, Joyce Crofts and Joseph Read, for the use of this material. Photographs of Charles Kerry are courtesy of Robert Turton. |
Rev Charles Kerry after graduation
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The Kerry window in Smalley parish church
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Charles Kerry in later life
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