Rev. Vincent Coke Boddington
Tuesday 13 March 1917
Army Rank: Chaplain 4th ClassNumber: Regiment: Army Chaplains’ DepartmentBorn: 1887Died: 13th March, 1917Age: 30Cause of Death: Tuberculosis acquired on active serviceCommemorated at Hereford Cathedral School, Hereford Cathedral, Wokingham (St. Sebastian) Churchyard and St. John’s College, Cambridge.Son of Arthur Onslow Boddington and Dora Boddington.As a keen singer, Boddington took part in many concerts both when he was a pupil at the school and after he had left. This is seen in various editions of The Herefordian:School Concert, 20th December 1905As usual, Mr. V.C. Boddington was one of the most delightful of the soloists, singing with his customary clearness and expression.The Herefordian March, 1906School Concert, December 19th 1906Mr V.C. Boddington has never been heard to such advantage at School concerts as in his singing of the songs “Indian Love Lyrics” and “Son of Mine.”The Herefordian December, 1912School concert, Friday, December 18th, 1908Mr. V. C. Boddington entranced his audience with his beautiful singing in Handel’s gem, “Where’ere you walk,” receiving a double encore.The Herefordian March, 1909After leaving school Boddington studied at St. John’s College, Cambridge. The ‘Cambridge Letters’ in The Herefordian, written to provide news of former pupils at Cambridge, give an insight into Boddington’s life there:March, 1906 V.C. Boddington has been killing time by warbling, watering people from his windows, and rowing in the L.M.B.C. 2nd boat. Doubtless the success which favoured this boat is mainly attributable to his efforts, coupled with the doughty efforts of G.A.R. Thursfield, who, in addition to adorning this boat, has been working with a view to pulling the examiners’ legs in the Little Go. December, 1906 V.C. Boddington has been singing nearly all the term: he is reported to stop occasionally, but the courts of a certain large College resound all day, and his neighbours say he sings in his sleep. He has also been rowing in a Crock eight.April, 1907V. C. Boddington rowed “7” in the first Lent boat. Demands on him for singing at concerts are as universal as ever.July, 1907 V. C. Boddington rowed “7” in the L.M.B.C 2nd boat, which went down one place. He also sang a solo and in various quartettes in the May Week Concert.December, 1907V. C. Boddington rowed in a senior crock eight for most of the term, but latterly owing to an unfortunate indisposition has taken to coaching instead. He has the reputation of being a great acquisition to all social functions, and his singing at the College “smokers,” etc., is looked forward to with much delight. April, 1908 V. C. Boddington rowed bow in the L.M.B.C. 1st boat which so greatly distinguished itself. Accordingly he is very happy in the possession of his oar. He also rowed bow in the L.M.B.C Clinker four. His voice has lost none of its charm and has been said to be the best tenor voice in the ‘Varsity’.July, 1908 V. C. Boddington has also played for St John’s first tennis six. Latterly his hair has been turning grey, so he informs us, as the result of the hurry and worry consequent on his position as secretary of his college ball. We have heard him sing with great effect at the C.U. Musical Club.March, 1909V. C. Boddington has come up for a year at Westcott House preparatory to taking Orders. After rowing for the L.M.B.C first boat most of the term, relentless fate moved him into the second just before the races, but this by no means killed his ardour. His voice is in great demand everywhere.July, 1909 V. C. Boddington has wrestled at Westcott House with all the intricacies of deep theological problems, and has striven at St. John’s to perform the equally arduous work of Tennis Secretary. His success in the former has been proportionate to his success in the latter. His voice has never failed to charm, and he has served on the Committee of the C.U.M.C.December, 1909 V.C. Boddington has deserted the river and taken up golf. His voice is still in great demand, and was very much appreciated at the L.M.B.C. concert.April, 1910 V.C. Boddington has been suffering from laryngitis, and so we have not had the pleasure of hearing his voice at College “smokers.” He has been playing a good deal of golf.July, 1910 V.C. Boddington has been playing for the tennis six. We see very little of him in college, owing, no doubt, to the strenuous life he leads at Westcott House.July, 1911 V.C. Boddington came up to sing in the St John’s May Concert.The final record of Boddington at Cambridge is in The War List of the University of Cambridge 1914-1918, edited by G.V. Carey (Cambridge University Press 1921). It gives his year of matriculation as 1905 and simply reads: Boddington, Rev. V.C. C.F. 4th Class, R.A.C.D. (T.F) 1905 Died 13th March 1917 of tuberculosis contracted on active serviceThe March, 1909 edition of The Herefordian marked how he sang at Oxford:V. C. Boddington was also over one evening with some representatives of the Cambridge Musical Union, who provided the programme at one of the meetings of the similar Society at Oxford.On leaving Cambridge, Boddington was ordained. The school acknowledged this in the December, 1910 edition of The Herefordian:V.C. Boddington was ordained Deacon by the Bishop of St Albans on Sept. 25th, and licensed to the curacy of East Ham.