Reverend John Hodgson Iles
(1827-1888)
13 August 1862

Volume 9, page 69, sitting number 11,274.

Revered John Hodgson Iles, MA, was the Rector of St Peter's in Wolverhampton.

The Venerable John Hodgson Iles died on 13 November 1888 at Bournemouth. At the time of his death he was Archdeacon of Stafford and Canon Residentiary of Lichfield Cathedral. He was buried in Lichfield Cathedral.

'The Venerable John Hodgson Iles, Archdeacon of Stafford and Canon of Lichfield Cathedral, died early yesterday morning at Bournemouth. The deceased, who was sixty years of age, had been in failing health for some months, the result of extensive labour on behalf of the Church. A sojourn in Cornwall had failed to restore his health, and for the past few weeks he has been at Bournemouth. He was a native of Louth, in Lincolnshire, and was born at the Abbey Farm there, his father being a gentleman farmer. Mr Iles graduated at Oxford, and was elected a fellow of Lincoln College. He was ordained in 1852. Before his appointment to a cure he acted as assistant master at King Edward's Grammar School, Bromsgrove. He became curate at St John's Church, Wolverhampton, about the year 1857 or 1858, and spenty nearly twenty years of his life in that town. In 1860 he was chosen rector of St Peter's Collegiate Church and rural dean of Wolverhampton [...]. He performed an immense amount of work during his Wolverhampton residence, displaying great interest in scholastic work, especially in extending the efficiency and popularity of St Peter's schools. [...] It was, however, as a friend of the poor and of the children that he will be particularly known in Wolverhampton. In 1877 he was appointed by the late Bishop Selwyn to the archdeaconry of Stafford, in succession to Archdeacon Moore. Upon receiving his appointment he was presented by his Wolverhampton parishioners with a massive silver salver, a mahogany library table and chair, several albums of photographs, and a bank-note for £500. [...] After being made Archdeacon, the deceased was appointed vicar of Barton-under-Needwood, and in 1880 exchanged this living for that of Christ Church, Lichfield. It may be mentioned that a short time ago he announced that owing to being unable through failing health to perform the work of the office he should at Christmas resign the archdeaconry. The deceased married, a few years after he had been appointed rector of Wolverhampton, Frances Mary, the only daughter of the late Mr Johnstone, of Brickel-hampton Hall, Worcestershire. Mrs Iles survives her husband, as also do two sons and three daughters' (Birmingham Daily Post, 14 November 1888).