Timeline: Rev John WIlliam Bourke of Oswestry, Shropshire

Jan 1, 1773

Born at Carshalton, Surrey, Son of John Bourke

The Registrar of St. Martins

Period: Jan 1, 1773 to Jan 1, 1830

Life of Rev. John William Bourke

Jan 26, 1797

Proceeded M.A. at Corpus Christi College, Oxford

The Gentleman's Magazine, Volume 93, Part 2 1823 The Gentleman's Magazine, Volume 93, Part 2 1823

Period: Jan 1, 1798 to Jan 1, 1808

Marries Kerr of Jamiaca and has 8 children

Apr 24, 1798

Ordination at Oxford Uni

CCED Search ID 1586

Apr 18, 1803

Appointed vicar/rector of St. Martins by the Bs of St. Asaph, chiefly resided at St. Martins

The Gentleman's Magazine, Volume 93, Part 2 1823
http://www.melocki.org.uk/salop/StMartins.html
CCED Search ID 1586

Jan 1, 1804

1804 sketch of the Oswestry Church

Sketch http://www.stoswaldsoswestry.org.uk/church-history/

Jan 1, 1808

Writes thankyou letter to Lord Mayor William Lloyd for his request to do his inauguration speech.

More info on document here

Letter and Sketches to William Lloyd Letter thanking Lord Mayor for his request to do the inauguration speech and comical pictures making fun of the departing Lord Mayor, Thomas Longueville Jones. Also requests the Lord Mayor for 'advancement to the bench'. The request does not look to have been fullfilled according to Obitu.
Document found at yard sale in Portland, OR in June 2013 for $20

Period: Jan 1, 1808 to Dec 31, 1808

Writes thankyou letter to Lord Mayor William Lloyd for his request to do his inauguration speech.

More info on document here

Letter and Sketches to William Lloyd Letter thanking Lord Mayor for his request to do the inauguration speech and comical pictures making fun of the departing Lord Mayor, Thomas Longueville Jones. Also requests the Lord Mayor for 'advancement to the bench'. The request does not look to have been fullfilled according to Obitu.
Document found at yard sale in Portland, OR in June 2013 for $20

Apr 16, 1808

Appointed vicar of Oswesty by the Earl of Powis

The Gentleman's Magazine, Volume 93, Part 2 1823 CCED Searh ID 1586

Apr 16, 1808

"took possesion of his Oswestry living", according to an old diary.

Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History

Jun 1, 1810

Participates in an Agricultural contest as Secretary

The Salopian Journal

May 23, 1816

embroiled in a long-running legal dispute

Cheltenham Chronicle, 23 May 1816
He seems to have been embroiled in a long-running legal dispute with seven of his parishioners over the tithe (a form of tax) they owned to his church. It looks like he introduced a new tithe system when he became vicar in 1808, but his parishioners continued to abide by an older custom that meant they didn't have to pay as much. I suspect his actions might not have endeared him to Community.

Mar 25, 1817

Exchanges land with Lord Viscount Clive, Earl of Powice to improve church.

Welsh Archeological Records Deed of Exchange between Lord Viscount Clive and the Rev. John William Bourke, under which the New Churchyard was acquired, in exchange for for triangular piece of land at junction of Salop Road and Lower Brook Street, near the Cemetery gates, March 25 1817.

Jan 1, 1819

Renovates the vicarage house of St. Martins

Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History "improved" the vicarage house of St. Martins that had been built in 1730 by the vicar of the period Stephan Parry.

Jan 1, 1820

Published 24 pg book: "A Sermon preached in the Parish Church of Oswestry"

Librarys with this book A Sermon preached in the Parish Church of Oswestry... before the District Society for promoting Christian Knowledge.

Apr 29, 1820

His only child John Kerr Bourke, was drowned in tragic boating accident.

John Kerr Bourke Obituary
Only Child Dies In 1820 his only child, John Kerr Bourke, was tragically drowned in a boating accident in Oxford. He'd just arrived at the university earlier that term.

Jan 1, 1822