Thomas Powys, Dean of Canterbury 1736-1809

1736  Whitchurch Baptism Register:
  "1736 Oct 18   POWYS   Thomas s. Philip Esqre & Isabella"
His godfathers were his uncle Ambrose and his cousin Thomas (father of the first Lord); his aunt Ann being godmother.  [There is often such a combination of old and young godfathers.  Perhaps one was seen as a prospective guardian and bequeather, the other as a counsellor.]

1753 matriculated at St John's, Oxon. - the same year as his brother, two years older.  [In a later generation, the oldest brother was the last of three to gain his degree.  Are eldest sons always intellectually challenged?]
1757 B.A. 1760  M.A.
1761 ordained, and given living of Munslow, Salop, by Thomas Powys of Berwick.  He was also chaplain to John, Lord Montagu.
1762 rector of Fawley.  He was given the rectory by a family friend, Sambrook Freeman of Fawley Court.  From 1784 Philip and Caroline lived there.
1768 tutored the son of Lord Camden.
1769 Lord Camden, the Lord Chancellor, gave him the living of Silchester, Southampton, and procured for him a Prebendal stall at Hereford (which sounds grand but means only that he got a slice of cathedral income.)
1779 At Lord Camden's suggestion, the new Lord Chancellor, Lord Thurlow, made him a prebendary at Bristol - or dean, according to the Oxon. lists.
1781 Chaplain in Ordinary to George III.
1788 Bachelor of Divinity.  My brother went into waiting as King's Chaplain at St James.  (Diaries p.235)
1795 first chaplain to Lord Camden jnr., his former pupil, now Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and was offered by him the Bishopric of Killala, which he declined.  This year he became a Doctor of Divinity.
1796 Canon of Windsor (Diaries, pp. 290, 295)
1797 Through Mr Pitt, made Dean of Canterbury.  Preached before House of Commons.  (The speech was printed. I have not seen it, nor know where it may be seen.  His sermons were often acclaimed.  The Queen urged the printing of another one.
The Deanery was a very grand place.  Just half of it is now a school, and when I went to view Thomas's portrait in 1986, the current dean and his wife were rattling round in their cavernous portion.  Thomas never married, and Caroline used to go down to act as hostess, as when they entertained Prince William to dinner (p.319).
1809 died, and buried the same day in the Lady Chapel of the cathedral.  This was soon after PHILIP's death.

As well as giving a good sermon, he wrote well.  Examples of poems, prologues to plays and epitaphs are given in the Diaries.  In the British Museum are letters, most of them to Earl Nelson, elder brother of Horatio (Additional MSS 34,902, folios 139,143,145,180).  They show elegance, humour, compassion and piety.  Some samples:-

1. to John Almon in Nov.1781 after news of a victory in America.
I have been so frequently wished joy since the report of the arrival of Good News that I am indeed anxious to know what Degree of Joy I ought to feel.  I know that it ought to be proportional to the quantity of rebellious blood spilt - But as we poor country politicians are still in the Dark, I fly to you who are the source of Political Light.

2.  to William Earl Nelson
Wheresoever you go and whensoever you set out, I hope Lady Nelson will find room to pack up amongst the lightest and least valuable of her luggage, assurances of the affectionate remembrance and kindest wishes for the welfare of your Lordship, their Ladyships Lady Nelson and Lady Charlotte ...(and son, whose early death occasioned a later letter)

3.  to the same, successfully urging him to deny a current rumour:
...lest if you stand quiet to be pelted with handfuls of mire, they will keep on pelting, in hopes that a few spots may leave marks behind them.

4.  to the same, after advising the Earl not to avoid places and occasions which reminded him of his son, but rather to seek them out:
I fear that what I have written above may wear too much the appearance of a sermon, and not to make it less so, shall end it with a prayer, that it may please God to bless your lordship, Lady Nelson and Lady Charlotte for the remainder of your lives and to give you comfort during the most grievous of earthly calamities.

That he was generous to the point of foolishness is shown by one of the papers now held in the Oxford Archives, PL xiii 9.  He had pledged to someone an annuity of £75 p.a.  After Thomas's death, this had to be bought off.
_____________________

TFPL, Jul 1999:
In a biography of Jane Austen, Mr Nokes, Prof of English at Kings College London, writes that "Tom Lybbe Powys" proposed to Cassandra Leigh, Jane Austin's mother; Cassandra had spent some of her childhood in some rectory near Hardwick.  He was refused on the grounds of poverty (unlikely...).
Eventually he did the marriage of Cassandra and the Rev Austin, in Bristol.  And he was godfather to one of their children.  And his niece Caroline married a first cousin of Jane Austin.
_____________________

Lambeth palace has a photograph of a portrait of him, possibly the one MPL found in the Deanery.  The reference is: MS 3216.
_____________________

In her diary for 6 Oct 1802, Caroline Powys wrote: my Brother The Deans Birth day born 6 oct New Style 1736.
This has the correct eleven day difference.
_____________________

His burial (FFHS):

First name(s): Thomas
Last name: POWYS
Date of burial: 7 Oct 1809
Age at death: 73
Calculated year of birth: 1736
Place of burial: Canterbury
Dedication: Cathedral
County: Kent
_____________________