Woolmore Wigram (29 October 1831 – 19 January 1907) was a Church of England clergyman, a
campanologist and a mountain-climber.
Life
Wigram was born in 1831 at
Devonshire Place, London the fifth son of ten children of
Money Wigram (1790–1873) and Mary, daughter of
Charles Hampden Turner. His father was elder brother of Sir
James Wigram,
Joseph Wigram and
George Wigram. Of his brothers, Charles Hampden (1826–1903) was knighted in 1902, and Clifford (1828–1898) was director of the Bank of England. Wigram entered
Rugby School
Rugby School is a Public school (United Kingdom), private boarding school for pupils aged 13–18, located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire in England.
Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independ ...
in August 1844, and matriculated at
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...
, in 1850, graduating B.A. in 1854 and proceeding M.A. in 1858. Among his friends at Cambridge was
John Gott, afterwards Bishop of Truro.
Taking holy orders in 1855, he was curate of
Hampstead
Hampstead () is an area in London, England, which lies northwest of Charing Cross, located mainly in the London Borough of Camden, with a small part in the London Borough of Barnet. It borders Highgate and Golders Green to the north, Belsiz ...
(1855–1864), vicar of
Brent Pelham with
Furneaux Pelham, Hertfordshire (1864–1876), and rector of St. Andrew's with St. Nicholas and St. Mary's,
Hertford
Hertford ( ) is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. The parish had a population of 26,783 at the 2011 census.
The town grew around a Ford (crossing), ford on ...
(1876–1897). From 1877 to 1897 he was rural dean of Hertford, and in 1886 was made honorary canon of
St Albans
St Albans () is a cathedral city in Hertfordshire, England, east of Hemel Hempstead and west of Hatfield, Hertfordshire, Hatfield, north-west of London, south-west of Welwyn Garden City and south-east of Luton. St Albans was the first major ...
, where he lived from 1898 till his death, and was an active member of the chapter. A high churchman, Wigram was for many years a member of
the English Church Union.
[
Wigram was an enthusiastic campanologist, and became an authority on the subject. A series of articles in ''Church Bells'' was published collectively in 1871 under the title ''Change-ringing Disentangled and Management of Towers'' (2nd edition 1880).][
In his earlier days Wigram was an enthusiastic Alpine climber. He was a member of the ]Alpine Club
Alpine clubs are typically large social clubs that revolve around climbing, hiking, and other outdoor activities. Many alpine clubs also take on aspects typically reserved for local sport associations, providing education and training courses, se ...
from 1858 to 1868. His most memorable feat was the first successful ascent of La Dent Blanche on 18 July 1862, in the company of Thomas Stewart Kennedy, with and Josef Marie Krönig as guides (see his own account in ''Memoirs'', 1908, pp. 81–95; T. S. Kennedy in '' Alpine Journal'', 1864, i. 33–39: cf. Whymper's ''Scrambles amongst the Alps'', chapter xiv.).[
Wigram died from the effects of influenza at his home in Watling Street, St Albans, on 19 January 1907, and was buried in St Stephen's churchyard there. His wife survived him.][
]
See also
* Wigram baronets
References
Attribution
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wigram, Woolmore
1831 births
1907 deaths
People educated at Rugby School
Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge
19th-century English Anglican priests
Campanologists
19th-century musicologists
English mountain climbers
19th-century British musicologists