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Rev. Nicholas Kendall, 1781 - 1844

Nicolas Kendall was born 30th September 1781 at Pelyn House, Lanlivery, 7th and final child of Nicolas and Elizabeth Kendall (nee Cotes). His father was a Clerk/Vicar. He was privately baptized at Pelyn on 19th October 1781, and received in to Lanlivery Church on 3rd October 1782.
He followed his father into the clergy, with his first entries in the Lanlivery parish registers being in 1804 where he signs his name as Nic. Kendall Jun’r, Curate.
An entry in the parish register dated September 25th 1807 reads as follows -
"Nic. Kendall Jun’r Clerk. Curate of this parish and Susan Goodwin of Guernsey were married at Guernsey by Licence"
The couple had 6 children, Nicolas, Bernard, Susan, Walter, Elizabeth & Amey, all of whom were baptized at Lanlivery by their father. (Details of their baptisms are recorded in the Cornwall OPC database)
He officially became the Vicar of Lanlivery on August 10th 1815, after the death of his father, the previous Vicar of the Parish, who was buried 4th May 1815. There is a note in the baptismal registers as follows –
“Nic. Kendall A.M. was inducted into the Vicarage of Lanlivery August 10 1815” although the first entry where he signs the register as Vicar is dated 30th July 1815, being the baptism of Digory Cheley, son of William & Ann of Lower Demeans, Lanlivery.

The entry in the 1841 Census records Nicolas, Susan and family as living at Church Town, Lanlivery, and reads as follows:

From the West Briton newspaper dated Friday 26th April 1844, there is the following report

"SERIOUS ACCIDENT. On Saturday last, the Rev. N. KENDALL, of Lanlivery, on his return from Bodmin, where he had been attending the board of guardians, was thrown out of his gig, about a quarter of a mile from his house, and received a violent concussion of the brain. For several days, Mr. Kendall lay in a very precarious state, but we are now happy to learn that he is considerably better. It is supposed his horse shied at a dog which jumped over the hedge."

Sadly his condition worsened, and he died of his injuries on April 29th 1844. His death was recorded in the West Briton dated Friday 3rd May as follows -

"At Lanlivery, on Monday last, occasioned by a fall from his gig as mentioned in last week's paper, the REV. NICHOLAS KENDALL, 39 years vicar of Talland, and 29 vicar of Lanlivery, aged 62 years. He was much beloved by his parishioners, and his decease is universally lamented."

Nicolas was buried at Lanlivery on 4th May 1844. Wife Susan died on 17th April 1850 in Bodmin, and is buried alongside her husband at Lanlivery Graveyard, just outside the church door.

From the West Briton newspaper dated Friday 5th December 1845.
 
"TRIBUTE OF RESPECT TO A DECEASED CLERGYMAN - A handsome monument has been recently erected in Lanlivery Church, in this county, to the memory of a faithful and valued minister, by a grateful and attached flock, bearing the following inscription -.
 
"Sacred to the memory of NICOLAS KENDALL, M.A., Clerk, (youngest son of Nicolas Kendall, M.A., of Pelyn), Vicar of Lanlivery, and Talland, and for many years Perpetual Curate of Lanhydrock; born September 30th, 1782; departed April 29th, 1844. During a ministry of forty years he endeared himself to his parishioners by his piety, Christian benevolence, and zealous discharge of the duties of his sacred calling; and while he faithfully proclaimed the gospel as the power of God, unto salvation, to every one that believeth, his own undivided trust, both in life and death, was reposed in the merits of the Redeemer. The inhabitants of this parish and neighbourhood, deploring their loss, have caused this monument to be erected to the memory of their late Pastor and Friend, as a grateful tribute of respect and affection."
The monument, which is of Caen stone, perpendicular Gothic, and inclosing a marble slab, is the work of Mr. PEARCE, Sen. statuary, of Truro.”

Contributed by Pauline Pickup

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