Thomas Staniforth (1807–1887) was an English

clergyman Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

who resided at

Storrs Hall Storrs Hall is a hotel on the banks of Windermere in Storrs in the Lake District, Cumbria, England. The hotel, a Grade II* listed Georgian mansion, is also home to the National Trust-owned folly the "Temple" on the end of a stone jetty on Win ...

Windermere Windermere (sometimes tautology (language), tautologically called Windermere Lake to distinguish it from the nearby town of Windermere, Cumbria (town), Windermere) is the largest natural lake in England. More than 11 miles (18 km) in leng ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. He is notable as the first crew captain for

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

The Boat Race 1829 The 1st Boat Race took place at Henley-on-Thames on 10 June 1829. The race came about following a challenge laid down to the University of Oxford by University of Cambridge "to row a match at or near London, each in an eight-oared boat during ...

Early life

Storrs Hall Hotel Windermere (geograph 3788372)

Thomas Staniforth was the son of Samuel Staniforth and Mary Littledale, and the grandson of

Thomas Staniforth Thomas Staniforth (1735–1803) was an English slave-trader, merchant and politician. He was originally from Sheffield, but spent most of his life in Liverpool. Staniforth was the son of Samuel Staniforth Esq. and Alethea Macro of Darnall Hall ...

, another former Lord Mayor of Liverpool, descended from the Staniforths of

Darnall Hall Darnall Hall was a large hall that was constructed in 1723 in Darnall, Sheffield, England. The house was constructed by Samuel Staniforth (1698-1748) as a residence for himself and his wife Alethea Macro, daughter of Thomas Macro of Bury St Edmun ...

. He was educated at

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...

, matriculating in 1826 and graduating B.A. in 1830. He captained the first Oxford crew at The Boat Race 1829, a team that included

Charles Wordsworth Charles Wordsworth (22 August 1806 – 5 December 1892) was Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane in Scotland. He was a classical scholar, and taught at public schools in England and Scotland. He was a rower, cricketer and athlete and he ...

Thomas Garnier Thomas Garnier (1776–1873) was an English churchman and botanist, Dean of Winchester from 1840 to 1872. Life He was the son of George Garnier of Wickham, Hampshire, educated at Hyde Abbey School. He matriculated at Worcester College, Oxford i ...

amongst others.

Career

During his working life, Staniforth was a rector at

Bolton-by-Bowland Bolton-by-Bowland is a village and civil parish in the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England. Before 1974, the village was part of Bowland Rural District in the West Riding of Yorkshire. According to the census of 2001, the parish ha ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

between the years 1831–1859. Staniforth retired and moved into

in 1859, after it was passed down to him by his godfather John Bolton. He remained there until his death in 1887. He never had any children and the property was sold. In his will he left a large sum of money to his grand-nephew Edwin Wilfred Greenwood, the son of politician

John Greenwood John Greenwood may refer to: Sportspeople * John Greenwood (cricketer, born 1851) (1851–1935), English cricketer * John Eric Greenwood (1891–1975), rugby union international who represented England * John Greenwood (footballer) (1921–1994) ...

. Thomas named Edwin as Edwin Stanyforth and so Edwin changed his name. Edwin would go on to father English

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

captain

R. T. Stanyforth Lieutenant Colonel (United Kingdom), Lieutenant-Colonel Ronald Thomas "Rony" Stanyforth, (30 May 1892 – 20 February 1964) was an British Army, Army officer and English Amateur status in first-class cricket, amateur first-class cricketer, who ...

.The Gentleman's Magazine, Volume 161 (1837) (Edward Cave)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Staniforth, Thomas Clergy from Liverpool 19th-century English Anglican priests 1807 births 1887 deaths