Thomas Alcock (priest)

He was born at Aston, near Runcorn, Cheshire[1] the third son of David Alcock and his wife Mary née Breck.

[2] Thomas was educated at Boteler Grammar School Warrington,[3] then matriculated from Brasenose College, Oxford in 1728, proceeded B.A.

In November 1732 he began acting as the minister of the nearby parish of St Budeaux to which he was officially licensed the following year.

[6] In 1771 he helped to purchase land at Weston Peverel to provide a master for the St Budeaux charity school and to clothe the poor.

It had been suggested that a severe colic peculiar to Devon was the result of lead poisoning from the presses, pipework, and storage vessels of cider.