The Trust was recently able to acquire this fine silhouette of Reverend Thomas Cobbold who is #51 on the family tree. It was probably made around the time of his death and despite a look of Churchillian splendour it is in need of some cleaning.
Thomas was born in Harwich, the older brother of John Cobbold, 3rd generation brewer, who we now call ‘Big John’. He was educated in Bury St Edmunds and at Trinity College, Cambridge (1761) and was ordained Deacon in 1765. This was two years before his father’s death so it is reasonable to assume that he knew that in giving his life to the Church he was foregoing his chance to inherit the brewery. Indeed he was ordained Priest four months after his father died. He had become curate at Bramford, Ipswich in 1765 and moved on to Wilby where he became Rector in 1767.
This was the age of pluralism. Whilst retaining the living at Wilby he added a Perpetual Curacy at St Mary-le-Tower, Ipswich in 1778 and became Rector of Woolpit in 1781, retaining all until his death in 1831. Perhaps this explains why our silhouette undoubtedly shows a man of well-being and substance!
