Gage Earle Freeman

June 3, 1820 (age 83)

In 1850. Ordained deacon in 1846 and priest in 1847, Freeman held a curacy at Geddington, Northamptonshire, from 1846 to 1854, and the perpetual cure of Emmanuel Church, Bolton-le-Moors, from 1854 to 1856. He was then incumbent of Macclesfield Forest with Clough, Cheshire, till 1889, when he became vicar of Askham, near Penrith, and private chaplain to the Earl of Lonsdale. This living he held for the rest of his life. Freeman died at the vicarage, Askham, on 15 December 1903, and was buried at Macclesfield Forest Chapel. Freeman was a devotee of hawking, introduced to the sport by William Brodrick of Belford, Northumberland (later of Chudleigh). In Northamptonshire he enjoyed his first experience with a kestrel-hawk, equipped with a hood of home manufacture, and he afterwards flew sparrowhawks, merlins and peregrine falcons at pigeons and larks. Next to peregrines, Freeman preferred goshawks, with which he killed hares and rabbits, with or without ferrets. Lord Lilford praised Freeman"s influence on English falconers. Freeman was twice married: In April 1891 to Mary, daughter of Francis William Ashton, cotton-spinner and calico printer, of Hyde, Cheshire, who survived him.

Gage Earle Freeman

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Background

Born on 3 June 1820 at Tamworth, Staffordshire, was son of Captain Charles Earle Freeman of the 69th Regiment by his wife Mary Parsons.

Education

After private education he was admitted a pensioner at Street John"s College, Cambridge, on 8 July 1840, and graduated Bachelor of Arts in 1845, proceeding Master of Arts

Career

In 1850. Ordained deacon in 1846 and priest in 1847, Freeman held a curacy at Geddington, Northamptonshire, from 1846 to 1854, and the perpetual cure of Emmanuel Church, Bolton-le-Moors, from 1854 to 1856. He was then incumbent of Macclesfield Forest with Clough, Cheshire, till 1889, when he became vicar of Askham, near Penrith, and private chaplain to the Earl of Lonsdale. This living he held for the rest of his life.

Freeman died at the vicarage, Askham, on 15 December 1903, and was buried at Macclesfield Forest Chapel.

Freeman was a devotee of hawking, introduced to the sport by William Brodrick of Belford, Northumberland (later of Chudleigh). In Northamptonshire he enjoyed his first experience with a kestrel-hawk, equipped with a hood of home manufacture, and he afterwards flew sparrowhawks, merlins and peregrine falcons at pigeons and larks.

Next to peregrines, Freeman preferred goshawks, with which he killed hares and rabbits, with or without ferrets. Lord Lilford praised Freeman"s influence on English falconers.

Freeman was twice married:

In April 1891 to Mary, daughter of Francis William Ashton, cotton-spinner and calico printer, of Hyde, Cheshire, who survived him.

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