Thomas Bartlett:
1857–1872
 

Headstone of Thomas Bartlett, Rector 1857-1872
Thomas Bartlett's headstone, to be
found in the south churchyard

 Son of Thomas, of Henley, Oxford, gent. St Edmund Hall, Oxford. Matriculated 2 Nov 1809, aged 20. BA 1813. MA 1816. Deacon. 1812 (Sal.) Presented 1814 (G.and B.) Rector of Kingston, Kent. 1816 – 32. Preacher of Canterbury Cathedral 1832. Vicar of Luton, Beds. 1834 – 37. Rector of Burton Latimer 10 Aug 1837. Died 28 May 1872, aged 83.       

(Reference “Northamptonshire and Rutland Clergy from 1500” (1938-43) by Henry Isham Longden)

Away from Burton Latimer, Thomas Bartlett was chiefly known for his work on the “Memoir of the Life, Character and Writings of Bishop Butler” published in 1839 before he came here. In 1862 the church was in a very bad state and the tower was literally split in two according to the Rev. F. B. Newman who was curate at the time. The solution was to take down the spire and then to rebuild the tower from its foundations, this was done. The tower was levelled to the ground with every stone being numbered so that it could be rebuilt in exactly the same way; this done the spire was replaced. Work then began on the church which included re-leading and restoring the roof, clearing out the gallery and old pews, new, comfortable, rush-bottom chairs provided, new floors laid, windows fresh glassed and a heating apparatus provided and the chancel was refurbished by the rector. Thomas Bartlett died in 1872 aged 83 and is buried in the south churchyard