D'Ewes Coke
D'Ewes Coke | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1747 Mansfield Woodhouse, England |
| Died | 1811-04-12 Bath, England |
| Occupation(s) | Clergyman, coal mine owner, benefactor |
| Known for | Rector of Pinxton and South Normanton; coal mine ownership; educational benefactor |
D'Ewes Coke (1747 – 12 April 1811) served as the rector for the parishes of Pinxton and South Normanton in Derbyshire. He was also an owner of coal mines and a benefactor. His wife, Hannah, was the heiress of George Heywood from Brimington.
Background
Coke was born in Mansfield Woodhouse in 1747 as the sole male offspring of George Coke (1725–1759) of Kirkby Hall, Nottinghamshire, and Elizabeth, daughter of Reverend Seth Ellis. He lost his father around the age of twelve. The surname D'Ewes traces back to his great-grandmother Elizabeth d'Ewes, who was the daughter of Sir Willoughby d'Ewes, 2nd Baronet, thereby connecting the family to the Stowlangtoft Hall estate in Suffolk.
His lineage includes distinguished ancestors such as George Coke, who was Bishop of Hereford prior to the English Civil War, and Sir John Coke, who held the position of Secretary of State under King Charles I. The family had interests in coal mining at Pinxton, where Coke supported the establishment of a school and housing for its teacher. Additionally, he was related to Daniel Coke (1745–1825), a barrister and parliamentarian.
Life and family
Coke received his education at Repton School and later at St John's College, Cambridge, where he enrolled as a pensioner on 13 October 1764. His father George was Colonel of the 3rd Dragoons based at Kirkby Hall.
He entered the ministry in 1770, being ordained as a deacon on 23 September and then as a priest on 15 December 1771 within the Diocese of Coventry and Lichfield. From 1771 until his death in 1811, he served as rector for both Pinxton and South Normanton, Derbyshire.
His spouse Hannah (who passed away in 1818) was the daughter of George Heywood of Brimington Hall, Nottinghamshire, where Coke resided during his later years. The couple had three sons: their eldest, D'Ewes Coke (1774–1856), pursued a legal career and inherited his father's estate; their second son, Sir William Coke (1776–1818), held a judicial position in Ceylon; and John Coke DL (died 1841), who acted as High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire in 1830. John played a key role in founding the Pinxton China factory on land leased from his father. Together, all three sons were involved in developing the Mansfield and Pinxton Railway, which commenced operations in 1819.
A family portrait painted by Joseph Wright of Derby around 1782—after acquiring Brookhill Hall near Pinxton—features Coke alongside his wife and cousin Daniel Coke. The painting prominently displays a document held by Daniel that may pertain to their estates or commercial affairs. Moreover, Coke took part in the Derby Philosophical Society, established when Erasmus Darwin relocated to Derby.
Coke passed away in Bath on 12 April 1811 and was interred at Pinxton.
Legacy
In his Will, Coke founded an educational trust at Pinxton by designating five pounds per year from his coal mining revenues to purchase books for impoverished children. By 1846, these books were mainly distributed among pupils attending an unsupported school.