#3141, Henry John MIREHOUSE

(of St George's Hill, Easton-in-Gordano, Somerset and of Tib Havin, Media, Algeria). Henry built St. George's Church.

HJM and his brother, George Henry Mirehouse had vast sugar estates in Algiers. GHM lived in St. Helier, Jersey.  Our picture shows HJM with his daughter Margaret Millie #10601

Their father is described by Eve Wigan in The Tale of Gordano as an eccentric and wealthy vicar, the Reverend Henry Mirehouse who reigned from 1817 to 1867 in Easton.  This gentleman, she continues, was largely responsible for the destruction of the old church of St. George's, except the tower, in 1822 and its rebuilding, by the parishioners, by 1827.  This new church was a tragedy or a farce; the most that can be said for it is that it was short-lived.  On the vicar's death in 1867, it was taken down and the present more comely building replaced it in 1871-72.  The 1827 erection was an octangular building, according to Joseph Leech (Editor of the Bristol Times) who following a visit in 1847 wrote "In the great gallery at the east end there was one bassoon player and four singers, and none else; free seats for nearly 400 in the nave were occupied by some half-dozen adults and a handful of children; even the pews boasted but a poor sprinkling."  Large letters on the front of the gallery proclaimed that the Reverend Henry Mirehouse and his churchwardens had enlarged the church with free seats for 480 persons.

The large house on St George's Hill was built by Parson Mirehouse, whose crest adorns the lower gateway.  Since there was now no resident squire, he became a squarson, like his contemporary Dr. Shipton at nearby Portishead who reigned there from 1791 to 1838 with his son as curate.  Both these latter gentlemen held several livings, and seemed to enjoy nearly as considerable an income as Parson Mirehouse.

In 1867 following Parson Mirehouse's death, the Reverend Arthur Walker was presented to the living of Easton by its new patron the Bishop of London.  The new vicar was a man of energy.  He promptly  pulled down the octagonal church and raised £2,300 by voluntary subscription to build the present church, designed by a Mr. Christian.  One of the chief subscribers was the late parson's son, Mr. H J Mirehouse, who succeeded his father at St. George's Hill.

Accurate records don't exist but evidently some tragedy befell the family for its wealth seems to have largely disappeared and HJM died in an institution in Plympton, Devon.