Drakeford

David James Drakeford was appointed as the vicar of Chewton Mendip on 20th April 1855. This is where recent research conflicts with the list of incumbents published in the church which shows the Rev David Drakeford as his own patron.  The list of contributors to the church tower restoration in 1890 shows that William Kingsmill was still th rector at that date. The relationship between the Rev Drakeford and the Kingsmill family  is not clear but it is more complex than a rector/vicar relationship.

This is a copy of his signature taken from the deeds of what is now called The Old Vicarage which shows that a legal transaction was made between William Kingsmills an David Drakeford on 19th April 1856. The assumption is this was the date that what was then the ‘new’ vicarage was sold to David Drakeford. an earlier transaction dated 29th July 1853 appears to refer to the assignment of whatever building  was on the site to William’s sister, Charlotte. It is not clear who was living in what is now the Old Rectory at the time.

David James Drakeford is recorded as being at Trinity College, Cambridge in 6th May1852 so he must have been a wealthy young man when he was the vicar of Chewton Mendip.  Research shows David Drakeford was from London, but his wife (Julia Anna Purnell) was from Somerset (Clandown) and his eldest daughter was born in Chewton Mendip. The Purnells were a local mining family so there may have been a link through the Hodges and Mogg families.

Rev Richard Stamper Philpott was appointed a vicar of Chewton Mendip on 15th October 1858 and the old Vicarage was sold to William Blanning by the Rev Drakeford on 30th August 1859 which appears to have terminated his relationship with Chewton Mendip.

The last record fond for him so far is the census of 1871 which shows him living in Middlesex, London.