Died
1 October 1965
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Reverend Canon J. Stuart Rimmer
Rector of Ulverston
DAVID, THE RECTORY, ULVERSTON, AGED 21
KILLED ON ACTIVE SERVICE, DECEMBER 9TH, 1941
THE REV. CANON J. STUART RIMMER, M.A. F.R. HIST.S.
HON. CANON OF CARLISLE, RECTOR OF ULVERSTON FROM 1917-1965
DIED OCTOBER 1ST 1965
ALSO OF HILDA MAY RIMMER, BELOVED WIFE OF THE ABOVE
DIED MARCH 24TH, 1974
David Rimmer is remembered on a separate page on this website.
The Barrow News 8 October 1965 had the following (lengthy) obituary, which I have edited for reasons of space:
RECTOR DIED ON DAY OF HIS RETIREMENT
The Rev. Canon J. Stuart Rimmer, who on Friday began his retirement after 48 years as Rector of Ulverston, died the same evening in Ulverston Cottage Hospital.
Canon Rimmer, who had been in hospital for seven weeks, was 81.
He spent 49 years in Ulverston and was associated with many organisations in the district.
Canon Rimmer came to Ulverston in 1916 as curate at the Parish Church. A year later he was asked to become rector.Earlier this year he resigned as chairman of Ulverston Divisional Education Committee which he had served on for a number of years. He had also been chairman of Ulverston Urban Council and had Ulverston Rotary Club associations. While serving on the UDC he was instrumental in bringing Glaxo Laboratories to Ulverston.
Canon Rimmer spent the early part of his life in Wigan and was ordained at Liverpool Cathedral in 1909.
Before moving to Ulverston he was secretary of the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Canon Rimmer informed the Bishop of the Carlisle Diocese of his resignation at the end of August. He resigned the living officially on Thursday last but was to remain at the rectory until next year.
A congregation of a thousand people overflowed from Ulverston Parish Church on Tuesday afternoon as tribute was paid to Canon J. Stuart Rimmer, Rector of Ulverston.
The funeral and burial services were conducted by Canon M. D. Grieve of Urswick, and the Bishop of Carlisle, Dr. Thomas Bloomer.
The Archdeacon of Carlisle, the Ven. C. E. Nurse, and the Bishop of Penrith, the Rev. S. C. Bulley, were present also.
The Bishop said the “vast congregation” was in itself a great tribute for Stuart Rimmer, who gave the great part of his life to the work of the Church in his Ulverston parish.
“He took a full part in all that concerned the life of the area. What ever his vocation in life might have been, Stuart Rimmer would have been a notable figure.
“He thought of Ulverston as the centre of the universe because he loved Ulverston, and he thought of himself at the centre of Ulverston because he cared for his people.”
The service included the 23rd Psalm, and the hymns “Breathe on Me, Breath of God”, and “The Day Thou Gavest”.
As the cortege left the church, the “Nunc Dimittis” was sung by the Parish Church Choir, augmented by members of St. Jude’s and Holy Trinity Church Choirs, and members of the Victoria School Choir. The organist was Mr. B. Cope.
Chief mourners were: Mrs. Rimmer, widow; Mr. and Mrs. G. Rimmer, Mr. N. Rimmer, the Rev. P. Rimmer, Edward and Stephen Rimmer, grandsons; Miss M. Rimmer, Miss A. Rimmer, Miss J. Rimmer, and Miss M. Rimmer, sisters, Mr. and Mrs. D. Rimmer, nephew and niece; Mrs. B. A. Atkinson.
There follows a long list of other mourners taking a column and a half, including clergy; authorities and organisations; Masonic Brethren; hundreds of local residents and members of the congregation of the Parish Church; a list of bell ringers; a list of bearers. It ends:
The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr. E. Sawrey, Ulverston.
Biography
Joseph Stuart Rimmer, son of William Rimmer (Grocer) and Elizabeth, was born 2 April 1884, and baptised on 25 May 1884 at All Saints Church, Wigan.
1891 Census
The 1891 Census has the Rimmer family at 72 Greenhough Street, Wigan. Father William Rimmer (43) Accountant, born Coppull, Lancs, shares the house with wife Elizabeth Rimmer (40), born Wigan; and children Annie Rimmer (18) Tailoress, born Upholland; Elizabeth E. Rimmer (17) Tailoress, born Upholland; Minnie Rimmer (14) Tailoress, born Upholland; Ada Rimmer (11) Scholar, born Upholland; Effie Rimmer (9) Scholar, born Upholland; Joseph S. Rimmer (7) Scholar, born Pemberton, Lancs; Jane Rimmer (4) born Wigan; and Margaretta Rimmer (1) born Wigan.
1901 Census
The 1901 Census for Wigan has living at 93 Warrington Lane, William Rimmer (53) Married, Auctioneer (Own account), born Coppull, Lancs; Elizabeth Rimmer (50) Wife, born Wigan, Lancs; Annie Rimmer (28) Single, Tailoress, born Upholland; Elizabeth E. Rimmer (27) Single, Upholsterer’s Assistant, born Upholland; Minnie Rimmer (24) Single, Pupil Teacher, School, born Upholland; Ada Rimmer (21) Single, School Teacher, born Upholland; Joseph Rimmer (17) School Teacher? born Pemberton, Lancs; James Rimmer (14) born Wigan; Margaretta Rimmer (11) born Wigan; Harold S. Rimmer (6) born Wigan.
1911 Census
The 1911 Census has Joseph Stuart Rimmer (30) Single, Lodger, Clergyman (Church of England), born Newtown, nr Wigan, Lancs, living at 31 Richfield Road, Anfield (Walton), Liverpool.
On 19 June 1912, Joseph Stuart Rimmer (28) Bachelor, Clerk in Holy Orders, of 6 Sheen Park, Richmond, Surrey, son of William Rimmer, Auctioneer and Valuer, married Hilda May Davenport (27) Spinster, of 29 Park Road Wigan, daughter of John Davenport, Tobacconist and Shipping Agent, at St. Thomas, Wigan.
The 1913 Kelly’s Directory for Surrey
In the 1913 Kelly’s Directory for Surrey, Rev. Joseph Stuart Rimmer was living at 167 Sheen Road, Richmond.
On 12 January 1916 Norman Christopher Rimmer, son of Joseph Stuart & Hilda May Rimmer, born 8 December 1915, was baptised at Holy Trinity Church, Richmond, Surrey.
Rev. Joseph Stuart Rimmer was initiated into the Furness Lodge of the United Grand Lodge of England Freemasons on 3 December 1918.
1921 Census
In the 1921 Census Rev. J.S. Rimmer is a Visitor staying at 18 Upper Dicconson Street, Wigan, the home of his wider family. The Household is Elizabeth Rimmer (70) Widow, At Home, born Wigan, Lancs; Elizabeth Ellen Rimmer (47) Single, Upholstress (sic), employed by Pendlebury & Co., House Furnishers, Crawford House, Wigan, born Upholland, Lancs; Minnie Rimmer (44) Single, Elementary School Teacher, employed by Hindley Urban District Council at Platt Bridge, born Upholland; Ada Rimmer (42) Single, Music Teacher, At Home, born Upholland; Margaretta Rimmer (32) Single, General Clerk, employed by Eckersley Ltd, Cotton Spinners, Wigan, born Wigan; Harold Stuart Rimmer (26) Single, Elementary Schoolmaster, employed by Hindley Urban District Council at Platt Bridge, born Wigan; and Joseph Stuart Rimmer (37) Married, Clerk in Holy Orders, Rector of Ulverston, Lancs, born Newtown, Wigan.
Meanwhile, his wife was at The Rectory, Ulverston. The 1921 Census shows her as Head of the Household. She is 36 years old, engaged in Home Duties, and born in Wigan, Lancs. Other household members are Gordon Stuart Rimmer (7) Whole time school, born Richmond, Surrey; Norman Christopher Rimmer (5) Whole time school, born Richmond, Surrey; Theodore David Rimmer (1) born Ulverston, Lancs; Beatrice Alice Atkinson (31) Widowed, Nurse (Domestic) born Natland, Westmorland; Elizabeth Ann Wedgwood (21) Single, General Domestic Servant, born Ulverston; and Annie White (14) General Domestic Servant, born Ulverston, Lancs.
In 1925 Rev. Rimmer published “The Story of Ulverston”, still available on the second-hand market.
Crockford’s Clerical Directory 1932
Crockford’s Clerical Directory 1932 tells something of Rev. Rimmer’s career: Univ. of Oxford B. A. 1909 (3rd cl. Mod. Hist.) M.A. 1913. F.R. Hist. S. 1910. Plus various clerical abbreviations before coming to Ulverston as curate in 1916-17, Rector from 1917.
The 1939 Register
In the 1939 Register, the Rectory, Old Hall Road, Ulverston, is a large household, containing Joseph S. Rimmer (DoB 2 April 1884) Clerk in Holy Orders, Rector of Ulverston (and also something else, cut off in the reproduction, which says “…Commander Special..”; Hilda M. Rimmer (DoB 14 December 1884) Unpaid Household Duties; Ecriew? (Her name was actually Eireen – sic) M. Rimmer (DoB 26 September 1917) Domestic Science Teacher; (redacted record); James (crossed out) Paul Rimmer (DoB 12 April 1925?) At School; Beatrice A. Atkinson (DoB 9 July 1889) Widow, Unpaid Household Duties; Doris R. Simpson (crossed out Robinson; crossed out Newby) (DoB 24 October 1919), Domestic Servant; Robert E. Hopkinson (DoB 10? October 1927) At school; (redacted record); Alan Smith (DoB 9 March 1926), At school; Theodore D. Rimmer (DoB 1 March 1920) University Student at Oxford.
Picture from Barrow News 24 April 1945 on the occasion of Rev Rimmer becoming Chair of Ulverston Urban District Council.
The National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1965 has:
RIMMER the reverend canon Joseph Stuart of The Rectory Ulverston Lancashire clerk in Holy Orders died 1 October 1965 at The Cottage Hospital Ulverston Probate London 26 October to Hilda May Rimmer widow. £8724.
Rev. Stuart Rimmer has innumerable entries in local papers, mainly due to the fact that he conducted hundreds of local weddings and funerals, and his position as Rural Dean. He was also involved in the Rotary Club, and several other local organisations.
His son Paul was also a vicar. His obituary from the Oxford Mail 26 July 2018 can be read here.
A recent publication “Ulverstone People and Places from the Past” by a local history group in Ulverston (2025) has a biography of Rev. J. S. Rimmer which differs in significant respects from the above., in particular by suggesting that Rev. Rimmer claimed to have been born in Southport. He also said that he was a contemporary and great friend of Lawrence of Arabia at Jesus College, Oxford. This may be true, but I have confidence in my own researches on Ancestry.
