Modern English Biography (volume 1 of 4) A-H

ASHWORTH, Henry. b. Birtwhistle near Bolton 4 Sep. 1794; ed. at Ackworth school; partner with his brother Edmund; a founder of “Anti-Corn Law Association” 10 Jany. 1839, afterwards called “The National Anti-Corn-Law League”; great friend of Bright and Cobden, the three were known as the A, B, C of the League, the final meeting of which was held in Manchester town hall 2 July 1846; author of Statistical illustrations of Lancashire 1842; A tour in the United States, Cuba and Canada 1861. d. Florence 17 May 1880. Recollections of Richard Cobden, by H. Ashworth, 2 ed. 1878, portrait.

ASHWORTH, John. Preached his trial sermon 8 Oct. 1837; founded a chapel for the destitute in Baillie st. Rochdale 4 Oct. 1858; representative of United Methodist Free churches at the Conference of Evangelical Christians held in New York Oct. 1873; author of Strange tales from humble life, 5 series 1863–74, these 61 tales were also published singly, upwards of 3,000,000 copies have been circulated. Simple Records, 2 series 1871–72. d. Broadfield, Rochdale 26 Jany. 1875. Life and labours of John Ashworth, by A. L. Calman 1875, portrait.

ASHWORTH, Rev. John Harvey (younger son of John Ashworth). b. Elland, Yorkshire 1795; ed. at Manchester gr. sch. and Univ. coll. Ox., scholar 1815, B.A. 1819, M.A. 1825; R. of Hethe, Oxon 1820–21; C. of St. Mary’s, Rochdale 1821; bought old castle of Craggan, co. Clare which he restored; V. of St. Mary’s, Staveley-in-Cartmel 1874 to death; author of Hurstwood, a tale 3 vols. 1823; Scenes and thoughts from secluded life 2 vols. 1827; The Saxon in Ireland 1851; The young curate or the quicksands of life [anon.] 1859, and Rathlynn [anon.] 3 vols. 1864. d. 4 Aug. 1882.

ASKEW, Richard Craster (5 son of John Askew of Pallinsburn, Northumberland who d. 28 Oct. 1794). b. 5 Sep. 1778; barrister L.I. 13 June 1807; recorder of Newcastle upon Tyne 1833–34. d. Pallinsburn 30 July 1851.

ASKEY, James Robert Roper. Chief clerk of the divorce registry 1858 to death. d. 14 Park village West, Gloucester gate, Regents’ park, London 30 Jany. 1866.

ASLETT, Thompson. 2 Lieut. R.M. 1 June 1796; col. commandant 9 Nov. 1846 to 17 Aug. 1848 when he retired on full pay. d. 27 Aug. 1851 aged 75.

ASLETT, William Stratton. 2 Lieut. R.M. 26 July 1837; brigade major in Crimean war; col. commandant 13 Feb. 1867 to death; M.G. 6 March 1868. d. Cury road, Gosport 28 July 1876.

ASPINALL, Butler Cole (son of Rev. James Aspinall, R. of Althorpe, Lincs.) b. Liverpool 7 Nov. 1830; ed. at Merchant Taylor’s; connected with Morning Chronicle; barrister M.T. 17 Nov. 1853; arrived in Victoria 1854; law reporter to the Argus paper 1854; practised at Melbourne 1854; M.L.A. for Talbot 1856; M.L.A. for Portland to 1870; member of the Heales government 1861, of the Macpherson government 1869; defended the Eureka stockade rioters 1855; defended H. J. O’Farrell who was tried 30–31 March 1868 for shooting Prince Alfred (Duke of Edinburgh) at Clontarf 12 March 1868; became insane 1871. d. England 4 April 1875.

ASPINALL, Rev. James (son of J. B. Aspinall of Cleongar hall, Cheshire). b. Liverpool; ed. at St. Mary hall Ox., B.A. 1820, M.A. 1823; C. of Rochdale 5 years; P.C. of St. Luke’s, Liverpool 1830 where he preached 5 June 1831 a remarkable sermon called The Crisis or the signs of the times with regard to the Church of England; R. of Althorpe, Lincs. 2 June 1839 to death; author of Roscoe’s library or old books and old times 1853; Parish sermons 2 series 1854–59. d. Althorpe rectory 15 Feb. 1861 aged 65.

ASPLAND, Alfred (son of Rev. Robert Aspland 1782–1845, pastor of the Unitarians at Hackney 40 years). b. 1815; ed. at King’s college, London; studied at Guy’s hospital; L.S.A. 1837, M.R.C.S. 1838, F.R.C.S. 1859; practised at Dukinfield, Cheshire till about 1870; editor of the Holbein Society publications; pres. of Manchester statistical society 1863–65; his large collection of books and drawings was sold at Sotheby’s Jany. 1885; author of Crime in Manchester 1868; edited for Holbein Society H. Burgmair’s Triumph of the Emperor Maximilian 1875; and The golden legend 1878. d. St. Helen’s Field, Dukinfield 24 Oct. 1880. Book-lore March 1885 p. 119.

ASPLAND, Rev. Robert Brook (brother of the preceding). b. Newport, Isle of Wight 19 Jany. 1805; Unitarian pastor of Crook’s lane chapel, Chester Aug. 1826; co-pastor with Lant Carpenter of Lewin’s Mead chapel, Bristol 1833; kept a boarding school at Bristol 1833–36; pastor at Dukinfield 1 Jany. 1837 and at Hackney 1858 to death; edited the Christian Reformer Jany. 1845 to Dec. 1863 when it ceased; one of secretaries of Manchester college 1846–57, which was moved from Manchester to London 1853; secretary to British and Foreign Unitarian Association 1859 to death. (m. 21 Oct. 1833 Jane dau. of Robert Hibbert of Brookside Godley, Cheshire). d. Well st. Hackney 21 June 1869. John Evans’s Lancashire authors (1850) 4–8; The Inquirer 3 July 1869 427–28.

ASPULL, William. b. Nottingham 1798; tenor singer; composed many vocal pieces. d. 192 Clapham road, London 16 Jany. 1875.

ASTLEY, Sir Francis Dugdale, 2 Baronet (only son of Sir John Dugdale Astley, 1 Baronet 1778–1842). b. 5 Nov. 1805; succeeded 19 Jany. 1842. d. Eastleigh lodge, Warminster 23 July 1873.

ASTLEY, Rev. Richard. b. Chesterfield 12 March 1785; Unitarian minister at Rochdale 1810, at Halifax 1812–26, at Gloucester 1826–31 and at Shrewsbury 1831–53; author of A selection of 500 hymns for public and private worship. d. Stourbridge 19 March 1855. The Christian Reformer xi, 265–73 (1855).

ASTON, Sir Arthur Ingram (younger son of Henry Hervey Aston of Aston, Cheshire, who d. Madras 23 Dec. 1798 aged 37 from a wound received in a duel with major Allen). b. London 23 Dec. 1798; ed. at Brasen. coll. Ox., created M.A. 18 June 1817; sec. of embassy at Paris 11 Jany. 1833; min. plenipo. there for short periods 9 times between 19 April 1833 and 14 Sep. 1838; envoy extraord. and min. plenipo. at Madrid 13 Feb. 1840 to 13 Nov. 1843; G.C.B. 10 Nov. 1843; pensioned 8 March 1846; sheriff of Cheshire 1850. d. Aston hall, near Runcorn 5 May 1859.

ASTON, James Jones (2 son of Benjamin Richard Aston of 71 Banner st. Finsbury, coal merchant). b. 71 Banner st. 12 Dec. 1822; barrister M.T. 6 Nov. 1846; went Northern circuit; Q.C. for county palatine of Lancaster 1867; Q.C. 24 March 1880; author of Chancery practice of the county palatine of Lancaster 1852. (m. 7 Sep. 1854 Sarah Margaret eld. dau. of Thomas Eccles of Walton-le-dale, Lancs.) d. 13 Pembroke gardens, Kensington 17 Jany. 1885.

ASTON, John Partington (son of John Aston of Manchester, liquor merchant.) b. Manchester 9 Nov. 1805; ed. at Manchester gr. sch.; solicitor at Manchester 1829 to death; one of leading conveyancing and patent lawyers; solicitor and sec. of Owens college, Manchester; contributed prose and verse to periodicals; author with W. H. Ainsworth of Sir John Chiverton 1826. d. Higher Broughton, Manchester 11 May 1882. Admission register of Manchester school iii, 112 (1874).

ATHERLEY, Mark Ker (2 son of Arthur Atherley M.P. for Southampton who d. 21 Oct. 1844 aged 74). Ensign 15 foot 28 Aug. 1823; lieut. col. 92 foot 23 Nov. 1849 to 5 June 1863 when placed on h.p.; commanded a brigade in the Crimea 4 Nov. 1855 to 13 March 1856; brigadier general Malta 1863–68; col. of 109 foot 14 Feb. 1873, of 93 foot 30 Jany. 1880 and of 92 foot 5 April 1880 to death; general 1 Oct. 1877. d. 11 March 1884 in 80 year.

ATHERSTONE, Edwin. b. Nottingham 17 April 1788; author of The fall of Nineveh, a poem, 2 vols. 1828–68; The Sea Kings in England, an historical romance, 3 vols. 1830; The handwriting on the wall, a story 3 vols. 1858; Israel in Egypt 1861 a poem of nearly 20,000 lines; granted civil list pension of £75 Oct. 4 1858 and another of £25 Jany. 16 1860. d. 19 Macaulay buildings, Bath 29 Jany. 1872.

ATHERTON, Charles (3 son of Nathan Atherton of Calne, Wilts attorney). b. Calne 1805; ed. at Queen’s coll. Cam.; 33 wrangler 1828, B.A. 1828; resident engineer of river Clyde 1832–34; manager of business of Claud Girdwood and Co. of Glasgow, ironfounders 1834–37; chief engineer at Woolwich dockyard 6 April 1847 to 31 Dec. 1848 and 8 Sep. 1851 to 26 July 1862; at Devonport dockyard 1 Jany. 1849 to 7 Sep. 1851; consulting engineer in London 1862–70; M.I.C.E. 19 Feb. 1828. d. Sandown, Isle of Wight 24 May 1875. Min. of proc. of Instit. of C.E. xlii, 252–55 (1875).

ATHERTON, Sir William (only son of Rev. Wm. Atherton of Battle Bridge Middlesex, Wesleyan minister 1775–1850). b. Glasgow October 1806; special pleader 1832–39; barrister I.T. 22 Nov. 1839, bencher 1851; went northern circuit of which he became leader; Q.C. July 1851; Q.C. for duchy of Lancaster 1851–60; M.P. for Durham 9 July 1852 to death; judge advocate of the fleet and counsel to the Admiralty 1854 to 16 Dec. 1859; solicitor general 16 Dec. 1859 and attorney general 4 July 1861 to Sep. 1863; knighted by the Queen at St. James’s palace 23 Feb. 1860. (m. 15 April, 1843 Agnes Mary younger dau. of Thomas James Hall, chief magistrate at Bow st. London, she d. 26 March 1866). d. 13 Westbourne terrace, Hyde Park 22 Jany. 1864.

ATHLUMNEY, William Meredyth Somerville, 1 Baron. b. 1802; ed. at Harrow; paid attaché at Berlin 1829–32; M.P. for Drogheda 1837–52 and for Canterbury 1854–65; under sec. of state for Home department 5 July 1846 to 22 July 1847; chief sec. for Ireland 22 July 1847 to Feb. 1852; P.C. 22 July 1847; raised to peerage of Ireland as Baron Athlumney 14 Dec. 1863 and to peerage of United Kingdom as Baron Meredyth 3 May 1866. d. Dover 7 Dec. 1873.

ATHOLE, George Augustus Frederick John Murray, 6 Duke of. b. Great Cumberland place, London 20 Sep. 1814; took part in the Eglinton tournament 28–30 Aug. 1839; grand master mason of Scotland 1843–63; succeeded his uncle as 6 Duke of Athole 14 Sep. 1846; K.T. 28 Oct. 1853; pres. of Highland and Agricultural Societies 1858–62; kept Otter hounds at Dunkeld. d. Blair castle, Perthshire 16 Jany. 1864.

ATKINS, Edward. b. 1818; played at T.R. Birmingham 1851–61; made his début in London at Drury Lane 28 Oct. 1861; played Jem Dalton in Tom Taylor’s drama The Ticket of leave man at Olympic theatre 27 May 1863 to 16 Sep. 1864 406 times, and more than 600 times afterwards in different theatres; played Autolycus in A winter’s tale at Drury Lane 28 Sep. 1878. d. 5 Carlton road west, Peckham 8 April 1883. Tallis’s Drawing room table book part 16, portrait.

ATKINS, Edwin. Manager with his brother John Atkins of Zoological gardens situated between Farnworth st. and Butler st. Liverpool which were established in 1832 by Thomas Atkins, keeper of a travelling menagerie, the gardens were eventually turned into a limited liability company, and in 1863 the place was dismantled and the land sold; started for interior of Africa 1852. d. on a small island of the White river, a branch of the Nile Jany. 1854.

ATKINS, Edwin Martin (eld. son of Atkins Edwin Martin-Atkins of Walcot in Bath). b. 1808; ed. at Rugby; matric. Magd. coll. Ox. 26 July 1825 aged 17, B.A. 1829; sheriff of Berkshire 1844; F.S.A. 10 Dec. 1857; the original of the Squire depicted by Tom Hughes in The scouring of the White Horse 1859. d. Weston super Mare 5 May 1859.

ATKINSON, Charles Caleb (eld. son of Caleb Atkinson of Hillingdon, Middlesex), b. 1793; barrister M.T. 6 June 1834; sec. of University college London 1835 to July 1867; sub editor of The Sphinx; owner of The Athenæum for short time. (m. 1831 Harriet dau. of George Swimley of Henley on Thames). d. Alexandra road, Kilburn, London 11 Jany. 1869.

ATKINSON, Fenton Robinson. b. Leeds 12 Nov. 1784; admitted attorney May 1810; practised at Manchester; a leading bankruptcy lawyer; sold his library Dec. 1817 and his other library of 13,000 volumes May 1858 a ten days sale; member of Chetham, Camden, Hakluyt, Shakspere and Percy Societies and Warton club; contributed to Bibliographiana, originally published in the Manchester Exchange Herald 1815–16 and afterwards as a small vol. of which only 24 copies were issued 1817. d. The Grove, Withington, Lancs. 9 June 1859. Law Times xxxiii, 212, 257 (1859).

ATKINSON, Sir Henry Esch (3 son of Henry Wm. Atkinson 1753–1834 provost of Company of moneyers). b. 1792; entered navy 2 Feb. 1807; commander 30 April 1827; employed in the Coast Guard 1835–38; retired captain 1 April 1856; knighted by lord lieutenant of Ireland 1836; superintendent of convicts in Van Diemen’s Land 1846. (m. 1819 Sarah dau. of John Randall of the Isle of Wight, she d. 1873). d. Hobart Town 1857.

ATKINSON, James. b. county of Durham 9 March 1780; assistant assay master at Calcutta mint 1813–28; superintendent of the government Gazette 1817–28; surgeon to 55 Bengal N.I. 1833; superintending surgeon to the army of the Indus 1838–41; a member of Bengal medical board 1845–47; author of The Shâh Nâmah translated and abridged 1832, which won gold medal of Oriental translation fund; The expedition into Afghanistan 1842; Sketches in Afghanistan 1842. d. 18 Dorset sq. London 7 Aug. 1852. Journal of Royal Asiatic Society xv, vi-ix, (1855).

ATKINSON, James. Perfumer in Old Bond st. London; lived at Village park, Ealing. d. 27 June 1853 aged 71.

ATKINSON, James Charles. b. Middlesex 1 May 1783; served in merchant service 1796–1803; joined R.N. as a volunteer 1803; master 29 Jany. 1814; staff commander on h.p. 11 June 1863. d. Southampton 27 Oct. 1882 aged 99 years and six months.

ATKINSON, Sir Jasper (son of Henry Wm. Atkinson 1753–1834, provost of Company of moneyers). b. Dulwich 1790; employed in the Mint 1804–51; provost of Company of moneyers 1 April 1848 to July 1851 when it was dissolved; knighted by patent 28 Nov. 1842 for services rendered to Ottoman, Russian and French governments. (m. 12 May 1819 Louisa Jane Grace only dau. of Wm. Gyll of Wyrardisbury house, Bucks, she was b. 21 July 1800 and m. (2) 1863 Percy Honey of Exchequer Office, Lincolns Inn). d. North Frith Haddow near Tonbridge Wells 6 Oct. 1856.

ATKINSON, Richard. b. Dublin 1796; a poplin manufacturer there 1820 to death; alderman of Dublin 1857 to death; mayor 1856 and 1861; gave a grand ball to Prince of Wales 11 Sep. 1861; a great philanthropist. d. 1867. I.L.N. xxxviii, 83 (1861) portrait.

ATKINSON, Solomon. b. Cumberland; ed. at Trin. coll. Cam.; senior wrangler and 2 Smith’s prizeman 1821; B.A. 1821; barrister L.I. 21 May 1827; author of County court extension act, 1850; Law and practice of county courts 1853. d. Mornington crescent, Hampstead road 12 Feb. 1865.

ATKINSON, Thomas Witlam. b. Cawthorne, Yorkshire 6 March 1799; employed in rebuilding St. Mary’s church Barnsley 1819 where he carved some very fine work; architect in London 1827–42 when he went to Hamburg; engaged in reconstruction of St. Nicholas church Hamburg 1845; went to Russia 1846; granted by Emperor of Russia rare privilege of a blank pass throughout his Asiatic dominions; travelled in Siberia and Mongolia; F.R.G.S. 1858, F.G.S. 1859; author of Explorations in Oriental and West Siberia 1857; Travels in the regions of the Upper and Lower Amoor 1860; (m. 1847 Lucy authoress of Recollections of Tartar Steppes 1863, she was granted a civil list pension of £100 18 June 1863). d. Lower Walmer, Kent 13 Aug. 1861.

ATKINSON, William Greene. b. Darlington 1810; barrister M.T. 19 Nov. 1841; librarian of the Great seal patent office, London Jany. 1854 to death; prepared manuscript of catalogue of the library which was printed in 2 vols. 4º. 1882–83; edited the Commissioners of patents journal Jany. 1854 to death, d. 59 Rowan road, Hammersmith 18 Sep. 1881.

ATKINSON, William Stephen (eld. son of Rev. T. D. Atkinson Rector of Rugeley, Staffs.) director of public instruction for Bengal. d. Rome 15 Jany. 1876 aged 55.

ATTHILL, Rev. William Lombe. b. 11 July 1807; scholar of Caius coll. Cam. 1825; B.A. 1830, M.A. 1851; sub-dean, canon and commissary of collegiate church of Middleham, Yorkshire 1839–51; P.C. of Horsham Norfolk 1851–63; V. of Horsford, Norfolk 1851–63; married 4 times; author of The way of Catechising 1840; History and antiquities of the collegiate church at Middleham 1847 and of articles in Burke’s Historic Lands of England 1849. d. Brandiston hall, Alderford, Norfolk 11 Dec. 1884.

ATTREE, William Wakeford. b. 1805; ed. at Eton and Trin. coll. Cam., B.A. 1829, M.A. 1832; barrister M.T. 7 June 1833; assistant tithe comr.; recorder of Hastings and of Seaford about 1842 to death; author of Report of Braintree church rate case 1853. d. Queen’s Park, Brighton 28 Jany. 1862.

ATTWOOD, Benjamin (son of Matthias Attwood of Hales Owen, founder of bank of Attwoods in London and Birmingham). a manufacturer at Birmingham; came into a large fortune from his nephew Matthias Attwood; gave with greatest secrecy for many years sums of £1000 each to all manner of charities to amount of £375,000. d. Pengelly house, Cheshunt 22 Nov. 1874. I.L.N. lxvi 57 (1875) portrait; Graphic xi 67 (1875) portrait.

ATTWOOD Matthias (brother of the preceding). partner in bank of Attwoods; chairman of General steam navigation co.; M.P. for Callington 14 March 1820, for Boroughbridge 2 Aug 1830, and for Whitehaven 15 Dec. 1832 to 23 July 1847. d. Dulwich hill 11 Nov. 1851. G.M. xxxvii 192–93 (1852).

ATTWOOD, Thomas (brother of the preceding). b. Howe house, Hales Owen, 6 Oct. 1783; a banker and manufacturer at Birmingham and London; opposed orders in council of 1807 and 1809 prohibiting all trade between England and the ports occupied by the French, the orders were partly revoked June 1812; originated abolition of East India monopoly 1813; one of the 3 founders of Birmingham Political Union 1829 which contributed largely towards passing of the Reform bill; presented with freedom of city of London 23 May 1832; M.P. for Birmingham 12 Dec. 1832 to Jany. 1840; presented to House of Commons the Chartist petition signed by 1280000 people, 14 June 1839; author of Letters of a Scotch banker, first published anonymously in The Globe 1828. d. Great Malvern 6 March 1856. Dents Old and new Birmingham, section 2, (1880) 349–52.

Note.—There is a statue of him in Stephenson place New st. Birmingham, which was unveiled 7 June 1858. He is the “King Tom” of Cobbett’s Weekly Register.

ATWOOD, Rev. Henry Adams Sergison. b. St. Margaret’s Westminster 13 Jany. 1800; ed. at Queen’s coll. Ox., B.A. 1822, M.A. 1824; F.R.A.S. 1827; R. of Ashelworth, Gloucs. 1839 to death; author of A new version of the Book of Psalms in verse by H. A. S. A. 1834. d. Ashelworth rectory 22 June 1877.

AUBIN, John. One of the 11 judges of the Royal Court in Jersey 17 May 1862 to death. d. 27 Midvale road, St. Heliers 28 Jany. 1874 aged 78.

AUBREY, Thomas. b. Cefn-coed-y-cymer near Merthyr-Tydvil 13 May 1808; Wesleyan minister 1826 to death; chairman of North Wales district 1854–65. d. Rhyl 15 Nov. 1867. Wesl. Meth. Mag. xci, pt. 2 p. 845 (1868).

AUBREY, Sir Thomas Digby, 7 Baronet. b. Llanblythian, Glamorganshire 2 Dec. 1782; barrister L.I. 11 Feb. 1811; sheriff of Bucks 1815; succeeded 1 March 1826; chairman of Bucks quarter sessions some years, d. Oving house near Aylesbury 2 Sep. 1856.

AUCHMUTY, Sir Samuel Benjamin (2 son of Samuel Auchmuty of Bryanstown). b. Ireland 1781; major 7 foot 28 Oct. 1813 to 1 Aug. 1822 when placed on h.p.; aide de camp to the Sovereign 1831–41; granted service reward 3 Aug. 1845; col. of 65 foot 31 Jany. 1851 and of 7 foot 18 Jany. 1855 to death; general 19 June 1860; C.B. 4 June 1815, K.C.B. 2 Jany. 1857, G.C.B. 28 June 1861. (m. 1817 Mary Anne Buchanan, she d. 2 Jany. 1869 aged 69). d. Pau 30 April 1868.

AUCKLAND, Right Rev. Robert John Eden, 3 Baron. b. Eden farm Beckenham, Kent 10 July 1799; ed. at Eton and Magd. coll. Cam., M.A. 1819, D.D. 1847; R. of Eyam 1823; R. of Huntingfordbury 1825; V. of Battersea 1835; chaplain to William iv 1831–37 and to Victoria 1837–47; Bishop of Sodor and Man 7 May 1847; consecrated 23 May 1847; installed at Castletown 29 June 1847; translated to see of Bath and Wells 2 June 1854; resigned his episcopal functions Oct. or Nov. 1869; succeeded his brother as 3 Baron 1 Jany. 1849. d. The palace, Wells 25 April 1870. I.L.N. lvi, 489, 490 (1870), portrait.