Introduction

Biography

Robert was the son of John Hindes Groome, for­mer fel­low of Pem­broke Col­lege, Cam­bridge.

He was edu­cat­ed at Nor­wich un­der Ri­chard Val­py and Howes, and at Cai­us Col­lege, Cam­bridge (BA 1832, MA 1836).

In 1833, he was or­dained to the Suf­folk cur­a­cy of Tann­ing­ton-with-Brun­dish.

In 1835, he tra­veled in Ger­ma­ny as tu­tor to the son of Spa­nish fi­nan­cier Juan Ál­va­rez Men­diz­á­bal.

In 1839, he be­came cur­ate of Corfe Cas­tle, Dorset, where he was al­so may­or for a year.

In 1845, he suc­ceed­ed his fa­ther as rec­tor of Monk So­ham. Dur­ing his 44 years there, he built the rec­to­ry and the vil­lage school, re­stored the old church, erect­ed an or­gan, and re­hung the bells.

In 1858, he was ap­point­ed hon­or­ary ca­non of Nor­wich, and from 1869–87 was Arch­dea­con of Suf­folk. When fail­ing eye­sight forced him to re­sign that office, 186 cler­gy of the dio­cese pre­sent­ed him with his por­trait by Will­iam R. Sy­monds.

Groome was a man of wide cul­ture and ma­ny friends. Chief among these were Ed­ward Fitz­ger­ald; Will­iam Bod­ham Donne; Will­iam Hep­worth Thomp­son, the mas­ter of Tri­ni­ty; and Hen­ry Brad­shaw, the Cam­bridge li­bra­ri­an, who said of him: I ne­ver see Groome but what I learn some­thing from him.

Works

He read much, but pub­lished lit­tle: a cou­ple of charg­es, one or two ser­mons and lec­tures, some hymns and hymn-tunes, and ar­ti­cles in the Chris­tian Ad­vo­cate and Re­view, which he ed­it­ed 1861–66.

He is re­mem­bered for his Suf­folk short sto­ries, The On­ly Dart­er, Mas­ter Char­lie, and oth­ers, a col­lect­ion of which ap­peared shor­tly af­ter his death.