Gentleman’s Magazine we read, “Died, 22nd February 1782, Dr. Demainbray, principal surveyor of the customs, and inspector of the East India Company’s warehouses.” Afterwards, in recording the worthies of Middlesex, the same magazine notes Dr. Stephen Charles Triboudet Demainbray, astronomer and electrician, buried at Northall in 1782. It does not appear that he ever made his post of Astronomer a sinecure, although he may have left his son-in-law in residence at Richmond, and taken up his abode in the neighbouring parish of Northall, now called Northolt. Dr. Demainbray had married, secondly, Miss Sarah Home, sister of the celebrated John Home Tooke, and left by her one son and three daughters. There is a large square tomb in Northolt Churchyard with this inscription:—
To the Memory of
Stephen Charles Triboudet Demainbray, LL.D.,
who departed this life 20th Feb. 1782,
on which day he entered into his 73rd year;
also of Sarah his wife,
who died Sept. 18th, 1823, aged 89;
also their daughter,
Elizabeth Sarah Triboudet Demainbray,
who died Sept 5th, 18 18, aged 61;
also, Louisa Mary Triboudet Demainbray,
who died Oct. 13th, 1836, aged 80;
also, Sarah Lydia,
who died March 5th, 1844, aged 82.
They lived beloved
and died regretted.
Dr. Demainbray’s only son, Stephen George Richard Triboudet Demainbray, was born on 7th August 1759, and educated at Harrow and at Oxford. He became a Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, at the age of nineteen in 1778, and succeeded his father as Astronomer of Richmond Observatory in 1782, which honorary post he held until the closing of the Observatory in 1840. He was B.A., M.A., and LL.D. of Oxford. He was ordained a clergyman of the Church of England. His first appointment was that of Whitehall Preacher. Next, he was presented by Exeter College to the Vicarage of Long Whittenham in Berkshire. In 1799 his College presented him to the Rectory of Broad Somerford in Wiltshire, and he was rector of that parish for fifty-five years. In 1802 he became Chaplain to his Majesty. In 1807 his benevolence led him to found a scheme of allotments of land to be let to poor parishioners and to be cultivated by them. The scheme has proved a permanent one; about 80 acres are still let out in small allotments, and are highly valued by the occupiers. The system having interested other philanthropic persons in England, Mr. Demainbray published a narrative of it in 1831, with the title, “The Poor Man’s Best Friend; or, Land to cultivate for his own benefit, being the result of twenty-four years’ experience;” it was addressed to James, second Marquis of Salisbury. Some insight may be obtained from one of Mrs. Southey’s tales, entitled, “Broad Somerford.” Mr. Demainbray had two sons and a daughter. The second son, Rev. Francis Demainbray, was of Pembroke College, Oxford, and became Rector of Barcheston in Warwickshire in 1839, but died on 2nd April 1846, aged fifty-two. The father survived till 1854, when he died in his ninety-fifth year. His monument is on the north wall of the chancel in his church, with this inscription:—
In Memory of
Stephen George Francis Triboudet Demainbray, B.D.,
55 years Rector of this parish,
Chaplain in Ordinary to their Majesties
George III. and his three successors
and for many years
Superintendent of the Royal Observatory at Richmond;
but in this place best remembered as
The Poor Man’s Friend,
for whom at the enclosure of this parish he secured certain
portions of land, and to whom he let a portion of his glebe
in small allotments.
He died on the 6th of July 1854, aged 94 years and 11 months.
Also of
Mary Demainbray, his widow,
who died on the 7th of October 1S54, aged 84 years.
