Rev Richard Whincup
Rev Richard Whincup, vicar of Windhill, left his comfortable life and his wife and young family to
become a chaplain to the 1/6 West Yorkshire Regiment in the First World War.
Thanks to extensive coverage in the Shipley Times & Express we have a good record of his experiences and
what the men thought of him.
The links below will take you to some of those stories.
Richard Whincup was born in
Knaresborough in 1875 the
son of William and
Elizabeth. In the 1881
census they were living
in Stockwell House,
Back Lane,
Knaresborough. William
was 74 and described as
‘living on income’ while
Elizabeth was 39 and they
had four children William (8),
Richard (6), Charles (4) and Edith
(3). Also present on census day
was a visitor and three servants, a
cook, a nurse and a housemaid.
Richard was educated at St
Peter’s School, York and
Queen’s College, Oxford
and was ordained in 1900,
becoming curate at
Skipton Parish Church.
On 5 June 1902 he
married Catherine Russell
Johnstone (left), the
daughter of Spofforth
surgeon Alfred Johnstone.
In 1906 he was took over as vicar
of Windhill from Rev Charles
Strong.
The 1911 census records that
Richard and Catherine had been
married nine years, had four
children, one of whom had died.
The three surviving children were
Elizabeth Audrey (7), Mary Daisy
Elaine (5) and Barbara Clare (2).
The two older girls were born in
Skipton, Barbara in Windhill.
Also sharing the ten-roomed
vicarage on census day were Lyan
Guest, a governess; Mary
Armstrong, a cook; and Annie
Maxsell, a domestic servant.
Rev Whincup was already
involved with the military before
war broke out. On 21 October 1912,
the Yorkshire Post reported that he
had preached the sermon at a
service for more than 280 members
of the Bradford National Reservists
at Bradford Parish Church,
attended by the Lord Mayor.
In September 1914, he visited
Strensall to speak to the men who
had volunteered to fight in the
recently declared war.
The story before 1914
OFF TO WAR
Rev Whincup announces to his
congregation that he is leaving
them to work at the Front and sets
off with no fuss
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Soon after arriving at the Front Rev
Whincup reflects on being under
fire and the pleasure of meeting up
with some lads from home
SHADOW OF THE CROSS
Rev Whincup reflects on spiritual
lessons from a soldier’s story of
what happened to him at Neuve
Chapelle
FROM THE FRONT 1915
Rev Whincup reflects on his
experiences of war at the sharp end
where the bombs are falling
THE VICAR’S WIFE
The spotlight turns briefly on the
role of Catherine Whincup and the
work she did in the parish while
her husband was in France
IT IS MY SAD DUTY
Some of Rev Whincup’s letters
written from the Front to the
families of men who had been
killed in action
THE SOLDERS’ FRIEND
A glimpse of how Rev Whincup
was seen by the officers and men
he served as chaplain
DEATH OF A FRIEND
Returning to the trenches following
a short leave, Rev Whincup hears
of the death of two men he knew
well
SOMME: TRENCH FEVER
Rev Whincup battles against
sickness to keep doing his duty
THE FRENCH EXPERIENCE
Rev Whincup on life in French
villages and the mixed feeling felt
by the local population towards the
army
SOMME: BRUSH WITH DEATH
Report of how a soldier’s instincts
managed to protect Rev Whincup
from a trench mortar
SOMME: TRENCH LIFE
A vivid description of preparing
for another cold, wet winter in the
trenches
GAS ATTACK
In his monthly newsletter, Rev
Whincup relates the events of
December 19th and a massive gas
attack by the Germans
SOMME: CHRISTMAS
After the bloodiest battle in British
history, Rev Whincup’s Christmas
message reflects on warfare
MAKESHIFT SERVICE
L Cpl Conder writes home
describing on of Rev Whincup’s
early services at the Front
MILITARY CROSS
In January 1917, Rev Whincup’s
service in some of the most
dangerous parts of the Front was
recognised with the Military Cross