Rev. Benjamin Howes Rising (1827-1902) of West Somerton and Martham
Plus his wife Sarah, nee James, (1841-1903)
Benjamin Howes Rising was born in 1827 at West Somerton Hall and was baptised on 5th June 1827 at St Mary the Virgin, West Somerton as the fifth child of William Rising & Elizabeth Howes. He had five siblings, namely: Harriet, William, Robert, Thomas and Eliza.
As a boy of 14 he attended a boarding school at Pottergate, Norwich. His father, William, died in 1846 and left him lands, cottages and tenements in Repps which at a young age set him up to be almost financially independent.
By the time he was 24 he had joined the army and in 1851 he was an Ensign in Her Majesty’s 76th Regiment serving in Corfu, Ionian Islands, Greece.
In 1860 George was a Patron of the Martham Oddfellows Loyal Rising Lodge established in May 1859. See the article below from the Norwich Mercury dated 2nd February 1860.
By 1861 he had left the army and was a lodger at the home of his future wife at 8 Edgar Buildings, Bath, Somerset. He was listed as being a landed proprietor. He married Sarah James during the second quarter of 1862 at Newport, Shropshire. Sarah was 14 years his junior. Benjamin & Sarah had the following children, neither of whom ever lived in Norfolk.
- William James Sutfield Rising was born in 1863 in Lichfield, Staffordshire. He married Rachel Caroline Greenway in 1898 at Cannock, Staffordshire. He died on 4th March 1916 at The Nursing Home, Llandrindod Wells, Radnorshire, Wales.
- Ethel Maude Rising was born in 1870 in Gnosall, Staffordshire.
Benjamin entered the church and became a Deacon in 1866 at Lichfield, Staffordshire and was subsequently ordained a priest in 1868. He was employed as a Curate between 1866–1869 at Moreton, Shropshire and then served as the Vicar there between 1870–1902.
Benjamin died on 29th August 1902 at 19 West Parade, Rhyl, Flintshire, Wales where he had stayed for a short while having lived most of the time at Moreton Vicarage. His estate was probated on 21st October 1903 and was valued at £5,054 15s 2d. His wife, Sarah, died the year after.
