▶Date of birth:  (baptised) 21 January 1828        Place of birth: Carlisle, Cumbria

▶Father:  Joseph Ferguson MP, of Morton, near Carlisle   Mother:  Maria Clarke

▶Spouse(s): Ellen, daughter of the Revd. Maurice Smelt, of Slindon, West Sussex     Date(s) of marriage:  10 October 1855     Place(s) of marriage: Slindon, West Sussex

▶Occupation: Clergyman

▶Lifestory: Richard Ferguson was a younger son of Joseph Ferguson MP and his wife Ellen. He was brought up in Carlisle, and matriculated at Queen’s College, Oxford in 1846, BA 1850.  He was ordained Deacon in 1850, and Priest (Salisbury) in 1851. Also in 1851 Richard was licensed Curate of Tintern, Monmouthshire, and two years later became Perpetual Curate of the united parishes of Llandogo with Whitebrook.

In 1854 he was appointed a Magistrate for Monmouthshire, and in 1855 married Ellen, daughter of the Revd. Maurice Smelt, Rector of Slindon, Sussex (they had no children); the Revd. Maurice Smelt retired to Cheltenham in 1878. As well as publishing several sermons, Ferguson wrote Salus mundi summa lex: and other essays (1858). He remained at Llandogo until 1875 (Rural Dean from at least 1866), when he became Vicar of Llandaff. He retired in 1878, and came to live in Cheltenham. From about 1883 he lived with his family at Balgowan House (now Fairhavens Court) Pittville Circus Road; the previous occupant was his wife’s cousin, Miss Ada Smelt. Richard died early the following year at Balgowan House, at the age of sixty-four. His wealth at death was sworn at over £22,200.

▶Moved to Pittville from: Llandaff, Glamorganshire       Moved from Pittville to: (deceased)

▶Date of death:  2 January 1892      Place of death: Cheltenham

▶Date of burial:  7 January 1892       Place of burial: Burial Ground, Cheltenham

▶Notes:  Not in clergy list 1899      ID:  4078

Contributor(s):  John Simpson/Alan Munden