Tuesday, 14 October 2025

Bishop Charles Perry and Frances Cooper

St .Andrew's Church, Kirk Ella, Sunday, 4 December, 2005
Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence.

Charles Perry (b. 17 Feb 1807 and bap. at St Mary & St Hugh, Old Harlow, Essex), son of John Perry and his 2nd wife Mary, married Frances Cooper (b. 16 Jun 1814, bap. 21 Jul 1814 at the Fish Street Chapel (Independent), Kingston-upon-Hull The Congregational Chapel, Hull, listed as from the parish of Kirk Ella), daughter of Samuel Cooper and Dorothy Priestley, at St Andrew's Church, Kirk Ella, on 14 Oct 1841. The couple met through Frances' brother, Rev. John Cooper, who was at Cambridge with Charles Perry and who conducted their marriage service. Witnesses were Edward Priestley Cooper, another of Frances' brothers and Charlotte Scott. The Cambridge Chronicle and Journal published the following announcement, "On the 14th inst., at Kirk Ella, (by the Rev. J. Cooper, Fellow of Trinity college, in this university), the Rev. Charles Perry, Fellow and late Tutor of the same college to Fanny, youngest daughter of Samuel Cooper, Esq., of Tranby, near Hull."

The biography of Frances' brother, Sir Henry Cooper, Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (who was elected Mayor of Hull in 1854 and Knighted that year by Queen Victoria [Source]), tells us "Henry Cooper was born at Hull, the son of Samuel Cooper, a merchant engaged in the whaling industry. Through his mother, he was related to Joseph Priestley, the famous chemist." Their grandfather, William Priestley, and Joseph Priestley were 1st cousins.

Bishopscourt, East Melbourne
Bishopscourt, one of the oldest properties in
East Melbourne, has been the official residence
of the Anglican Bishop, later Archbishop of
Melbourne since 1853.
Charles Perry was appointed the first Bishop of Melbourne and he and Fanny sailed on the Stag (the 678-ton barque Stag, built in 1841 at Durham, was a notable 19th-century vessel that transported immigrants and cargo to Australian colonies), commanded by Captain Noakes, R.N., on 6 Oct 1847 and arrived in Hobson's Bay, Port Phillip on 23 Jan 1848.

The Melbourne Argus of Tue 25 Jan 1848, under Shipping Intelligence. ARRIVED, reported, "January 23-Stag, ship, Noakes, commander, from London. Passengers -Bishop of Melbourne, Mrs. Perry, Miss Cooper, Rev. Dr. Macartney, Mrs Macartney and eight children, Miss Hussey Burgh, Rev. John Hailes, Mrs. Hailes, Rev. John Newham, Mrs. Newham and one child ..."

A separate article in the same newspaper reported on the ARRIVAL OF THE BISHOP OF MELBOURNE. "The fine ship Stag, Captain Noakes, R N, having on board the Right Rev Dr Perry, the Bishop of Melbourne, and three other clergymen of the Church of England, arrived in Hobson's Bay on Sunday afternoon, and yesterday morning the Diamond, steamer, was chartered to convey the Bishop from the ship to town, His Honor the Superintendent, His Worship the Mayor, and a great many other gentlemen, including clergymen, magistrates, &c, going down the river to receive him. The steamer arrived at the wharf at about half-past one o'clock, when an assemblage of not less than three hundred persons had gathered to witness his landing. The Bishop, on stepping ashore from the vessel, was received with three hearty cheers, which he gratefully acknowledged in a brief address, expressive of his delight at the appearance of the country, and his satisfaction at the kind reception he had met with, his remarks were, however, rendered inaudible from the vessel letting off her steam. The Rev. Mr Thomson's phaeton being in at tendance, the Bishop drove off to St James's Parsonage, where arrangements have been made for his temporary accommodation, until the house on the Yarra. Yarra, belonging to the Speaker of the Legislative Council, which is at present occupied by Mr Fennell, can be got ready for his reception. The installation of the Bishop is appointed to take place in St James Church on Friday next, at 11 o clock, and it will be seen by our advertising columns that a meeting of the members of the Church of England has been called for the purpose of framing an address, to be presented on the occasion. The Bishop is apparently about forty-five years of age, of the middle size, and of rather a spare appearance. He brings with him the highest character as a sincere and evangelical Christian, (the very antipodes of Puseyism), he is said to be very exceedingly liberal in his sentiments, and to be given to the dreadfully anti High Church crime of fraternizing with other denominations of evangelical christians. His fellow passengers speak of him in the highest terms."

A Short History of the Church of England in Victoria 1847-1947 tells us that, throughout his episcopate Perry travelled the length and breadth of his huge diocese. Mrs. Perry, in her Diary, has left us graphic descriptions of the journeys of the Bishop in his pastoral visitations. "Charles amused me greatly," writes Mrs. Perry, "by saluting every individual with a touch of his hat and 'Good morning.' From some he got a civil return ..." 

"On one occasion," writes Mrs. Perry, "C. having determined to ride part of the way, was on horseback when he saw a company at some distance before him, and began to look out some tracts for them. While he was thus engaged, trotting along at the same time, his horse stumbled and fell with him, throwing him forwards on his face, and actually rolling over his back as he lay along. Most fortunately the dust was very deep, and furnished a soft bed for him to fall upon; and providentially the saddle of the horse appears to have rested exactly upon his back, so that, although the weight made him breathless for some moments, it inflicted no other injury than a bruise on the loin, and another, a slight one, on the chest. C. says it was the most remarkable escape which he remembers to have ever experienced. You may imagine what a figure he was when he rose from his sprawl in a bed of dust two or three inches deep. His appearance, as I had previously heard he was unhurt, called forth a hearty laugh from me."

The Perrys left Melbourne on 26 Apr 1874 and retired to Regents Park, London. In 1878 Perry was made a canon of Llandaff Cathedral. In the same year, Queen Victoria recognized his work in Melbourne and in Victoria by making him Prelate of the Order of St Michael and St George.

In 1881, Charles Perry (77) 'Bishop without' (i.e. jobless) and Fanny Perry (66) were resident at 32, Avenue Villa, St Marylebone, Marylebone. (In 1871, this had been the address of Charles' younger sister, Amelia Perry, who had died in 1874). Living in were a Butler, Cook and two Upper Housemaids.

In 1891, Charles Perry (84) Bishop late of Melbourne and Frances Perry (76) were visitors in the household of Edward H Nelson (73) Rector of Necton, at the Rectory, Back Lane, Necton, Swaffham, Norfolk. The Perrys had brought with them Kezia Denton (66) Lady's Maid (who was one of the Upper Housemaids in their household in 1871.) And there among the Rector's own household servants, was an Ellen Hurry (27) Housemaid from Dickleburgh.

That surname and location were already familiar to me because my 2x great-grandfather, James Hockley's brother, Daniel Hockley, married (for his 2nd wife), Mary Ann Hurry from Depwade, Norfolk. And James and Daniel's sister, Tamar Hockley's son, Arthur Edward Copeland, had married Mary Ann Hurry's younger sister, Alice Jane Hurry, who, after Arthur Edward Copeland died in 1901, aged just 30, in 1903, had remarried to her 1st cousin, Thomas Hurry. Ellen Hurry, the housemaid in the Rector's household, was also related to me by marriage, because she was Thomas Hurry's sister. (Mind you, you can bet that Ellen won't have reminisced with the Bishop about life in the Antipodes, even though the Hurry cousins' grandmother, Susan Hurry, also went to Australia. She was sentenced to 14 years transportation in 1836.)

Charles and Fanny Perry celebrated their Golden Wedding on 14 Oct 1891.

Charles Perry
by Samuel Alexander Walker
carbon print, published
Sep 1890 NPG Ax38402
© National Portrait Gallery, London
Bishop Charles Perry died, aged 84, on 2 Dec 1891 (1891 D Quarter in MARYLEBONE Volume 01A Page 444), and was buried, on 5 Dec 1891, at St Mary & St Hugh, Old Harlow. Probate was granted in London, on 2 Feb 1892, on the estate of the Right Reverend Bishop Charles Perry of 32 Avenue Road, St. John's Wood, Middlesex, D.D., who died on 2 Dec 1891 to the Venerable Henry Frank Johnson clerk archdeacon of Essex (Henry Frank Johnson was married to Emily Ann Perry, daughter of Charles' half-brother, Thomas Perry), Sydney Gedge esquire and Frederick Scott solicitor. Effects £33,717 10s 4d resworn Jan 1893 £46,627 10s 4d. (worth around ~£7.7M today). In one biography, it was said that Charles Perry had been a 'poor man'. All relative, I guess!

Frances Perry c. 1863

After Charles died, Fanny moved near her brother John, vicar of Kendal (Reverend John Cooper, MA, of Trinity College, Cambridge, Vicar of Kendal (1858–1896), Canon of Carlisle (1861–1896) and Archdeacon of Westmorland (1865–1896). Fanny Perry died exactly one year after her husband, on 2 Dec 1892 ( 1892 D Quarter in KENDAL Volume 10B Page 399), at Mrs Clay's house, Miller Bridge, Loughrigg, Westmorland (Miller Bridge is a key access point for walking to Loughrigg Fell from Ambleside, crossing the River Rothay near Rothay Park to reach Miller Brow and the southern ascent paths.) Frances Perry was burried on 7 Dec 1892, at St Mary & St Hugh, Old Harlow, Essex, in the family vault along with her late husband.

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