manded.' Finally action was postponed for a week, and Plimsoll apologised to the house. There is no doubt that this exciting incident had the effect of attracting public attention, so that the government was obliged to hurry through a measure which now stands in the statute book as the Merchant Shipping Act, 1876.
In 1880 Plimsoll gave up his seat at Derby to Sir William Harcourt, and never again entered the house, although he unsuccessfully contested a few elections. His interest in the British sailor remained as keen as before, and he expended large sums of money and a good deal of his time in promoting further reforms and in insisting upon the efficient administration of the existing laws. For the latter purpose he visited the ports of foreign countries to inquire into the condition of our merchant ships and their crews. In 1890 he published a pamphlet on cattle ships, and in the same year became president of the Sailors' and Firemen's Union. He held this post for several years under the distinct understanding that his duty should be limited to presiding at the annual congress and advising as to parliamentary action. From the financial affairs of the union and their policy in trade disputes he expressly dissociated himself. He contributed many articles to the 'Nineteenth Century' and other periodicals, and published several pamphlets, chiefly on mercantile shipping.
After a long illness Plimsoll died on 3 June 1898 at Folkestone, where he had resided for some years. His writings and speeches were severely criticised for their violence of language, their exaggeration of fact, and the want of technical knowledge displayed in them. On the other hand he possessed an unusual amount of enthusiasm, which he was able to impart to others.
Plimsoll was brought up a congregationalist, and never left that body, but he was equally attached to all denominations of evangelical Christianity.
Plimsoll married his first wife, Eliza Ann, daughter of Hugh Railton of Chapeltown, near Sheffield, in 1858. She died in Australia in 1882. There were no children by this marriage. He married his second wife, Harriet Frankish, daughter of Mr. Joseph Armitage Wade, J.P., of Hull and Hornsea, in 1885. By this marriage there were six children, of whom a son, Samuel Richard Cobden Plimsoll, and two daughters survive him.
[Hansard's Parl. Debates; H. W. Lucy's Diary of Two Parliaments; private information.]
PLUME, THOMAS (1630–1704), archdeacon of Rochester, and founder of the Plumean professorship of astronomy, was the second son of Thomas Plume, alderman, of Maldon, Essex, by his third wife, Helen. He was baptised at All Saints', Maldon, 18 Aug. 1630, according to the entry in the register, but in his will Plume bequeaths communion plate to the church 'in thankfullness for my Baptism there Aug. the 7th, 1630.' Plume was doubtless using the new style, which was eleven days behind the new. He was educated at Chelmsford grammar school, and on 29 Feb. 1645 was admitted a pensioner at Christ's College, Cambridge, where he matriculated 11 July 1646, and graduated B.A. and M.A. in 1649. He was admitted B.D. per litcras regis 1661, and D.D. 27 June 1673 (Grad. Cant. 1823, p. 373). He was instituted vicar of Greenwich on 22 Sept. 1658, Richard Cromwell, Lord Protector, being patron. Not far off, at Cheam, Surrey, was John Hacket [q. v.], whose friendship Plume had already for some time enjoyed. After Hacket was appointed (1661) bishop of Lichfield, he made use of Plume's services to buy books for him, and to transact other business in London. He records, 16 March 1667, his 'promise of the next prebend that shall be void if I live so long, to Mr. Plume of Greenwich, who is of great merit' (Tanner MS., Bodleian Lib. xliv. f. 108). The promised prebend did not come from Hacket, but when he died the bishop left Plume 10l. and two volumes of manuscript sermons. These Plume edited under the title of 'A Century of Sermons,' prefixing a life and death of the author in 54 folio pages (London, 1675; new ed. 1865, 12mo).
Plume's father had been a prominent presbyterian at Maldon, but he himself subscribed the declaration under the Act of Uniformity on 28 July 1662. Between 1665 and 1669 both Pepys and Evelyn visited Greenwich church on Sundays, and they have recorded their commendations of Plume's 'excellent preaching' and 'very good' sermons. He held also the sinecure of Merston, Kent, where was no church, parsonage, manor house, or inhabitants. On 10 June 1679 he was installed archdeacon of Rochester.
He remained vicar of Greenwich until his death at Longfield Court, the archdeacon's residence, on 20 Nov. 1704. On 24 Nov. he was buried in the churchyard of Longfield. Plume's portrait, which he 'forbad to be ever brought into' his library, now hangs in the council chamber at Maldon.
Plume was unmarried, and left the considerable wealth he had acquired mainly for charitable objects. The sums of 1,000l.,
