# Charles James Blomfield > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Charles_James_Blomfield > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Charles_James_Blomfield.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_James_Blomfield > Source revision: 1345011774 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) British divine and classicist For other people named Charles Blomfield, see [Charles Blomfield](/source/Charles_Blomfield_(disambiguation)). Charles James Blomfield Bishop of London Church Church of England Diocese London Elected 1828 Predecessor William Howley Successor Archibald Campbell Tait Other posts Bishop of Chester 1824–1828 Orders Ordination 1810 Consecration c. 1824 Personal details Born (1786-05-29)29 May 1786 Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, Great Britain Died 5 August 1857(1857-08-05) (aged 71) Buried All Saints Church, Fulham Residence Fulham Palace, London Children 17 (& 1 stepson), including: Arthur Blomfield Lucy Elizabeth Bather Alfred Blomfield Education King Edward VI School, Bury St Edmunds Alma mater Trinity College, Cambridge Arms: Quarterly per fess indented Or and Azure a bend Gules[1] **Charles James Blomfield** (29 May 1786 – 5 August 1857) was a [British](/source/British_people) [divine](/source/Anglicanism#Anglican_divines) and [classicist](/source/Classicist), and a [Church of England](/source/Church_of_England) bishop for 32 years. ## Early life and education Charles James Blomfield was born in [Bury St Edmunds](/source/Bury_St_Edmunds), [Suffolk](/source/Suffolk), the eldest son (and one of ten children) of Charles Blomfield (1763–1831), a schoolmaster (as was Charles James's grandfather, James Blomfield), JP and chief [alderman](/source/Alderman) of Bury St Edmunds, and his wife, Hester (1765–1844), daughter of Edward Pawsey, a Bury grocer. He was therefore unusual in becoming a Bishop of London not from an ecclesiastical, aristocratic or landowning background. His brother was [Edward Valentine Blomfield](/source/Edward_Valentine_Blomfield), a [classical scholar](/source/Classical_scholar). He was educated at the [grammar school at Bury St Edmunds](/source/King_Edward_VI_School%2C_Bury_St_Edmunds), declining a scholarship to [Eton College](/source/Eton_College) after a brief stay there.[2] Blomfield matriculated at [Trinity College, Cambridge](/source/Trinity_College%2C_Cambridge) in 1804. At Cambridge, he was tutored by [John Hudson](/source/John_Hudson_(mathematician)), mathematician and clergyman. Blomfield won the [Browne medals](/source/Browne_Medal) for Latin and Greek odes, and the Craven scholarship.[3][4] He graduated [B.A.](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) ([3rd wrangler](/source/Wrangler_(University_of_Cambridge)) and 1st Chancellor's medal in classics) in 1808, [M.A.](/source/Master_of_Arts_(Oxford%2C_Cambridge%2C_and_Dublin)) in 1811, [B.D.](/source/Bachelor_of_Divinity) in 1818, [D.D.](/source/Doctor_of_Divinity) (*[per lit. reg.](/source/Per_literas_regias)*) in 1820.[4] ## Career Blomfield was elected to a fellowship at Trinity College in 1809.[3][5] The first-fruits of his scholarship was an edition of the *[Prometheus](/source/Prometheia)* of [Aeschylus](/source/Aeschylus) in 1810; this was followed by editions of the *[Septem contra Thebas](/source/Septem_contra_Thebas)*, *[Persae](/source/Persae)*, *[Choephori](/source/Choephori)*, and *[Agamemnon](/source/Agamemnon_(play))*, of [Callimachus](/source/Callimachus), and of the fragments of [Sappho](/source/Sappho), [Sophron](/source/Sophron) and [Alcaeus](/source/Alcaeus_of_Mytilene).[6][3] Blomfield, however, soon ceased to devote himself entirely to scholarship. Ordained deacon in March 1810 and priest in June 1810,[4] he held a curacy at [Chesterford](/source/Great_Chesterford), then the following livings:[4][7] - Rector of [Quarrington, Lincolnshire](/source/Quarrington%2C_Lincolnshire) (1810–20) - Rector of [Dunton, Buckinghamshire](/source/Dunton%2C_Buckinghamshire) (1811–17) - Rector of [Tuddenham](/source/Tuddenham), Suffolk (1817–20) - Vicar and Rector of [Little Chesterford](/source/Little_Chesterford), Essex (1817–24) - Rector of [St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate](/source/St_Botolph-without-Bishopsgate), London (1820–28) Whilst at Dunton he educated George Spencer (later [Ignatius Spencer](/source/Ignatius_Spencer)), and they corresponded for several years after. In 1817 he was appointed private chaplain to [William Howley](/source/William_Howley), [Bishop of London](/source/Bishop_of_London). In 1819 he was nominated to the rich living of [St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate](/source/St_Botolph-without-Bishopsgate), and in 1822 he became [Archdeacon of Colchester](/source/Archdeacon_of_Colchester). Two years later he was raised to the bishopric as [Bishop of Chester](/source/Bishop_of_Chester) where he carried through many much-needed reforms.[5][6][3] In 1828, he was appointed a [Privy Counsellor](/source/Privy_Council_of_the_United_Kingdom)[4] and translated becoming [Bishop of London](/source/Bishop_of_London), a post which he held for twenty-eight years making him the third longest-serving post reformation incumbent. He was also the youngest known Bishop of London – his five youngest children were born in Fulham Palace – and his energy and zeal did much to extend the influence of the church. Blomfield worked with social reformer [Lord Shaftesbury](/source/Anthony_Ashley-Cooper%2C_7th_Earl_of_Shaftesbury) to secure more, and better quality housing for the poor. This included the introduction of laws to secure the building of new lodging houses, with regular inspections and measure to include better maintenance of other rented property. He also campaigned against the forced eviction of tens of thousand of working-class people, moved out of their slum homes without compensation to make way for new railway lines, and in particular their termininus stations.[8] He was one of the best debaters in the [House of Lords](/source/House_of_Lords) (members of the Upper House of the Canterbury Convocation confessed to trimming their quill pens before his arrival!), took a leading position in the action for church reform which culminated in the ecclesiastical commission, and did much for the extension of the colonial episcopate; and his genial and kindly nature made him an invaluable mediator in the controversies arising out of the [tractarian](/source/Tractarian) movement.[6] In 1840 he officiated at the marriage of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Between 1833 and 1841 he consecrated four of the [Magnificent Seven cemeteries](/source/Magnificent_Seven_cemeteries) of London. He also made a number of changes at [Fulham Palace](/source/Fulham_Palace), including planting a great number of trees which remain today.[5] Funerary monument, All Saints, Fulham, London ## Later life Blomfield's memorial in St Paul's Cathedral In 1856 he was permitted to resign his bishopric due to ill health, retaining [Fulham Palace](/source/Fulham_Palace) as his residence, with a pension of £6,000 per annum.[6] Blomfield is buried in the churchyard of [All Saints Church, Fulham](/source/All_Saints_Church%2C_Fulham), London and a memorial to him, by [George Richmond](/source/George_Richmond_(painter)), can be seen at [Saint Paul's Cathedral](/source/Saint_Paul's_Cathedral) along the south wall of the [ambulatory](/source/Ambulatory).[9] His grave has long-since had the surrounding railings removed. [Blomfield Road](/source/Blomfield_Road) in [Maida Vale](/source/Maida_Vale) is named after him.[10] ## Published works His published works, beside those above mentioned, consist of charges, sermons, lectures and pamphlets, and a *Manual of Private and Family Prayers*. He was a frequent contributor to the quarterly reviews, chiefly on classical subjects.[6] ## Personal life Blomfield married Anna Maria Heath on 6 November 1810 at [Hemblington](/source/Hemblington), Norfolk and they had six children: - Anna Maria Blomfield (1811–1812) - Charles James Blomfield (1813–1813) - Maria Blomfield (1814–1884) - Charles William Blomfield (1815–1815) - Edward Thomas Blomfield (1816–1822) - Charles James Blomfield (1818–1818) Anna Maria died on 16 February 1818 aged 33 at [Hildersham](/source/Hildersham), Cambridgeshire. Blomfield then married Dorothy (née Cox, widow of Thomas Kent of Hildersham, Cambridgeshire) on 17 December 1819 at [St George, Hanover Square](/source/St_George's%2C_Hanover_Square), London, and they had eleven children: - Charles James Blomfield (1820–1822) - Mary Frances Blomfield (1821–1869) - Frederick George "Fred" Blomfield (1823–1879), rector - Isabella "Isy" Blomfield (1824–1879), who married her cousin [George John Blomfield](/source/George_John_Blomfield), vicar of [Holy Trinity Church, Dartford](/source/Holy_Trinity_Church%2C_Dartford), and rector of [Aldington, Kent](/source/Aldington%2C_Kent) - Henry John Blomfield (1825–1900), Royal Navy - Francis "Frank" Blomfield (1827–1860), drowned in the [SS *Northerner*](/source/SS_Northerner) steamer disaster off the California coast - [Arthur William Blomfield](/source/Arthur_William_Blomfield) (1829–1899), architect - [Lucy Elizabeth Blomfield](/source/Lucy_Elizabeth_Bather) (1830–1864),[11] children's author "Aunt Lucy" - Charles James Blomfield (1831–1915), emigrated to Canada in 1858 - [Alfred Blomfield](/source/Alfred_Blomfield) (1833–1894), bishop of Colchester - Dorothy Hester "Dora" Blomfield (1836–1886) Dorothy also had one son from her first marriage, Thomas Fassett Kent (1817–1871), barrister (he was father of the poet Armine Thomas Kent). The Blomfield household was larger than any other family of a Bishop of London, with eleven surviving children living in the palace. His grandchildren include the army officer [Major-General Charles James Blomfield](/source/Charles_James_Blomfield_(Indian_Army_officer)) (1855–1928), the architect Sir [Reginald Blomfield](/source/Reginald_Blomfield) (1856–1942), the poet and hymn writer [Dorothy Gurney](/source/Dorothy_Gurney) (née Blomfield) (1858–1932), the caricaturist [Frederick Thomas Dalton](/source/Frederick_Thomas_Dalton) (1855–1927) and the palaeontologist, geologist and malacologist [Francis Arthur Bather](/source/Francis_Arthur_Bather) (1863–1934). His great-grandchildren include the civil servant Sir [Thomas Wolseley Haig](/source/Wolseley_Haig). ## Commemoration [Blomfield Street](/source/Blomfield_Street), near [Liverpool Street railway station](/source/Liverpool_Street_railway_station) on the eastern edge of the [City of London](/source/City_of_London), is named after Charles Blomfield. It was renamed from Broker Row in 1860.[12] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["The Armorial Bearings of the Bishops of Chester"](http://cheshire-heraldry.org.uk/bishops/). Cheshire Heraldry Society. Retrieved 10 February 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Johnson, Malcolm (2001). [*Bustling Intermeddler? The Life and Work of Charles James Blomfield*](https://books.google.com/books?id=xLAX1Pb1bhwC&pg=PA16). Gracewing Publishing. p. 16. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0852445466](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0852445466). 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AB_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AB_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-AB_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-AB_3-3) Blomfield, Alfred (1863). [*Memoirs of Charles James Blomfield, D. D., Bishop of London, with Selections from his Correspondence*](http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009668696). John Murray. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-venn_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-venn_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-venn_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-venn_4-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-venn_4-4) ["Blomfield, Charles James (BLMT803CJ)"](https://venn.lib.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/search-2018.pl?sur=&suro=w&fir=&firo=c&cit=&cito=c&c=all&z=all&tex=BLMT803CJ&sye=&eye=&col=all&maxcount=50). *A Cambridge Alumni Database*. University of Cambridge. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEWroth1886_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEWroth1886_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEWroth1886_5-2) [Wroth 1886](#CITEREFWroth1886). 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911_6-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911_6-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEChisholm1911_6-4) [Chisholm 1911](#CITEREFChisholm1911). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Blomfield, Charles James"](https://theclergydatabase.org.uk/jsp/persons/CreatePersonFrames.jsp?PersonID=8145). *[The Clergy of the Church of England Database 1540–1835](/source/Clergy_of_the_Church_of_England_database)*. CCEd Person ID 8145. Retrieved 5 June 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-God_is_and_Englishman_8-0)** Omrani, Bijan (1975). *God is an Englishman*. Mayflower Books Limited. pp. 273–274. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** "Memorials of St Paul's Cathedral" [Sinclair, W.](/source/William_Sinclair_(Archdeacon_of_London)) p. 464: London; Chapman & Hall, Ltd; 1909. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Bolitho, Hector and Peel, Derek. *Without the City Wall: An Adventure in London Street-names, North of the River*. Murray, 1952. p.150 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** [*Dictionary of National Biography*](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Bather,_Lucy_Elizabeth_(DNB00)) has 1836 for Lucy's date of birth 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** The London Encyclopaedia, Weinreb and Hibbert, 1983 ## Further reading - Alfred Blomfield (editor), *Memoirs of Charles James Blomfield, D. D., Bishop of London, with Selections from his Correspondence*, (1863) - [George Edward Biber](/source/George_Edward_Biber), *Bishop Blomfield and his Times* (1857). ## External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Charles James Blomfield](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Charles_James_Blomfield). - [Bibliographic directory](http://anglicanhistory.org/england/cjblomfield) from [Project Canterbury](/source/Project_Canterbury) - [Bishop Blomfield's papers are deposited at Lambeth Palace Library](http://archives.lambethpalacelibrary.org.uk/calmview/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=fp/blomfield) ### Attribution - This article incorporates text from a publication now in the [public domain](/source/Public_domain): Wroth, Warwick William (1886). "[Blomfield, Charles James](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/Blomfield,_Charles_James)". In [Stephen, Leslie](/source/Leslie_Stephen) (ed.). *[Dictionary of National Biography](/source/Dictionary_of_National_Biography)*. Vol. 5. London: [Smith, Elder & Co](/source/Smith%2C_Elder_%26_Co). pp. 229–230. - This article incorporates text from a publication now in the [public domain](/source/Public_domain): [Chisholm, Hugh](/source/Hugh_Chisholm), ed. (1911). "[Blomfield, Charles James](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Blomfield,_Charles_James)". *[Encyclopædia Britannica](/source/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica_Eleventh_Edition)*. Vol. 4 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 76. Church of England titles Preceded by Joseph Jefferson Archdeacon of Colchester 1822–1824 Succeeded by William Lyall Preceded by George Henry Law Bishop of Chester 1824–1828 Succeeded by John Bird Sumner Preceded by William Howley Bishop of London 1828–1856 Succeeded by Archibald Campbell Tait v t e Archdeacons of Colchester High Medieval Quintilian Cyprian son of Quintilian Geoffrey Ailward Henry of London William Richard Foliot I Ralph de Alta Ripa Richard of Ely Roger Niger Hugh of London Robert de Insula Hugh de Sancto Edmundo Fulke Lovell Giles Filliol Late Medieval Richard Newport John de Chishull William de Meleford William de Stowe Richard de Plessis Michael Northburgh (son) Richard de Piriton John de Carleton Thomas More Richard de Kingston William Spigurnell Henry Wodechurche Peter Hynewyk William Duffield John Stopyngton Robert Aiscough Nicholas Close John Thurston Robert Stillington Benedict Burgh Thomas Barow Early modern John Maynwaring John Perott Richard Pace John Clerk Edward Lee Robert Aldrich Richard Curwen Anthony Belasyse John Standish Hugh Weston John Standish (again) John Pullain James Calfhill George Withers Thomas Withers Henry King Josias Shute John Hansley William Wells Charles Smith William Sill William Beveridge Jonas Warley John King Thomas Cartwright Charles Moss William Powell Anthony Hamilton Joseph Jefferson Charles James Blomfield William Lyall Herbert Oakeley Charles Burney Late modern William Ady Alfred Blomfield, Bishop of Colchester Henry Johnson, Bishop of Colchester Robert Whitcombe, Bishop of Colchester Thomas Chapman, Bishop of Colchester Charles Ridsdale, Bishop of Colchester Dudley Narborough, Bishop of Colchester Aubrey Cleall Roderic Coote, Bishop of Colchester Derek Bond James Roxburgh Ernest Stroud Martin Wallace Annette Cooper Ruth Patten v t e Bishops of Chester John Bird George Cotes Cuthbert Scott William Downham William Chaderton Hugh Bellot Richard Vaughan George Lloyd Thomas Morton John Bridgeman Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) Brian Walton Henry Ferne George Hall John Wilkins John Pearson Thomas Cartwright Nicholas Stratford Sir William Dawes Francis Gastrell Samuel Peploe Edmund Keene William Markham Beilby Porteus William Cleaver Henry Majendie Bowyer Sparke George Henry Law Charles James Blomfield John Bird Sumner John Graham William Jacobson William Stubbs Francis Jayne Luke Paget Geoffrey Fisher Douglas Crick Gerald Ellison Victor Whitsey Michael Baughen Peter Forster Keith Sinclair (Acting) Mark Tanner v t e Bishops of London Post-Augustine Mellitus Cedd Wine Earconwald Waldhere Ingwald Ecgwulf Wigheah Eadberht Eadgar Coenwalh Eadbald Heathoberht Osmund Æthelnoth Ceolberht Deorwulf Swithwulf Heahstan Wulfsige Æthelweard Leofstan Theodred Brihthelm Dunstan Ælfstan Wulfstan Ælfhun Ælfwig Ælfweard Robert of Jumièges Spearhafoc Post-Conquest William the Norman Hugh d'Orevalle Maurice Richard de Belmeis I Gilbert Universalis Anselm (quashed) Robert de Sigello Richard de Belmeis II Gilbert Foliot Richard FitzNeal William of Sainte-Mère-Église Eustace of Fauconberg Roger Niger Fulk Basset Henry Wingham Richard Talbot Henry of Sandwich John Chishull Fulke Lovell Richard Gravesend Ralph Baldock Gilbert Segrave Richard Newport Stephen Gravesend Richard de Wentworth Ralph Stratford Michael Northburgh Simon Sudbury William Courtenay Robert Braybrooke Roger Walden Nicholas Bubwith Richard Clifford John Kemp William Grey Robert FitzHugh Robert Gilbert Thomas Kempe Richard Hill Thomas Savage William Warham William Barons Richard FitzJames Cuthbert Tunstall During the Reformation John Stokesley Edmund Bonner (1st) Nicholas Ridley Edmund Bonner (2nd) Post-Reformation Edmund Grindal Edwin Sandys John Aylmer Richard Fletcher Richard Bancroft Richard Vaughan Thomas Ravis George Abbot John King George Montaigne William Laud William Juxon Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) William Juxon Gilbert Sheldon Humphrey Henchman Henry Compton John Robinson Edmund Gibson Thomas Sherlock Thomas Hayter Richard Osbaldeston Richard Terrick Robert Lowth Beilby Porteus John Randolph William Howley Charles James Blomfield Archibald Campbell Tait John Jackson Frederick Temple Mandell Creighton Arthur Winnington-Ingram Geoffrey Fisher William Wand Henry Montgomery Campbell Robert Stopford Gerald Ellison Graham Leonard David Hope Richard Chartres Pete Broadbent (Acting) Sarah Mullally Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND FAST WorldCat National United States France BnF data Italy Czech Republic Netherlands Norway Greece Poland Vatican Israel Belgium Academics CiNii People Trove Deutsche Biographie DDB Other IdRef Open Library SNAC Yale LUX --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Charles James Blomfield](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_James_Blomfield) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_James_Blomfield?action=history)). 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