Reverend Sir Frederic Shelley, 8th Baronet, of Shobrooke Park, Crediton, Devon, was a cleric and landowner.
Origins
He was the second son of Sir John Shelley, 6th Baronet of Michelgrove and Maresfield Park, Sussex, by his wife Frances Winckley, daughter and heiress of Thomas Winckley, of Brockholes, Lancashire.
Career
He began his career in the Royal Navy, from which he retired in 1833, after twelve years' active service in all parts of the world as Lieutenant. Having decided on adopting the clerical profession, he was ordained deacon in 1835, and priest in 1836. In about 1837 he was appointed by Richard Hippisley Tuckfield of Shobrooke Park near Crediton, Devon, as curate of Posbury Chapel, near Shobrooke, which he had built in 1835 to cater for the growing congregation of Holy Cross Church, Crediton. In about 1839 he was also appointed to succeed Mr Marriott as head teacher of St Luke's teacher training college at Posbury, founded next to the chapel in about 1836 by Lady Hippisley, Sir Richard's wife, a pioneer in the education of deaf and dumb children. He lived with the students at Priestcott, Posbury. In 1845 he married his patron's niece Charlotte Martha Hippisley, sister of John Hippisley of Ston Easton Park, and following his marriage he moved away from Posbury having been appointed as rector of Bere Ferrers with Beer Alston, Devon in 1844, by the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe.
Succession to baronetcy
He succeeded to the baronetcy 26 January 1867, at the age of 58, following the death of his elder brother Sir John Villiers Shelley, 7th Baronet, MP, of Maresfield Park. Maresfield Park, however, was left by the 7th Baronet to his only daughter Blanche.
Marriage and progeny
On 4 February 1845 he married Charlotte Martha Hippisley, daughter of the Rev. Henry Hippisley, of Lambourne Place, Berkshire by his wife Anne Rollinson. he left progeny two sons and one daughter, including:
He died at Shobrooke Park aged 60 on 19 March 1869 and was buried in the churchyard of St Swithun's Church, Shobrooke. The inscription on his gravestone is as follows:
