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

AMESBURY, Joseph (youngest child of Joseph Amesbury of Huntspill, Somerset who d. about 1802). b. Huntspill 15 Oct. 1795; M.R.C.S. 4 Aug. 1820; a surgeon in London 1820–58; opened a private spinal establishment at 59 Burton crescent 1838; lived at 26 Fitzroy sq. 1847–58; invented apparatus for cure of stiff joints, spinal curvature, and other deformities for which he took out 3 patents; author of Practical remarks on nature and treatment of fractures of the trunk and extremities 2 vols. 1831. d. 93 Lansdowne place, Brighton 27 March 1864.

AMEUNEY, Antonius George (son of Georgius Ameuney of Latakia). b. Latakia 1821; went to England 1840; studied at King’s college; went with J. B. Thompson, M.D. on a mission to Damascus 1844; surveyed the Jordan and Dead Sea with captain Lynch of the U.S. navy 1848; worked for the London Arabic literary fund 1859; professor of Arabic at King’s college, London Jany. 1865 to death; author of Notes from the life of a Syrian, with an appeal on behalf of 80,000,000 of the human family 1860. d. 87 Seymour st. London 16 Sep. 1881.

AMHERST, William Pitt Amherst, 1 Earl of (only son of Wm. Amherst 1732–81, governor of Newfoundland). b. Bath 14 Jany. 1773; ed. at Ch. Ch. Ox.; B.A. 1793, M.A. 1797; succeeded his uncle as 2 Baron Amherst 3 Aug. 1797; envoy to Naples 1809–11; P.C. 30 Dec. 1815; ambassador extraordinary to China 8 Feb. 1816 to 30 July 1817; visited Napoleon at St. Helena 1817; governor general of India 23 Oct. 1822 to 10 March 1828; declared war against Burmah 24 Feb. 1824; created Viscount Holmesdale and Earl Amherst of Arracan in the East Indies 19 Dec. 1826; appointed governor general of Canada but never took office; granted a pension of £3,000 a year; G.C.H. 1834. d. Knole house near Sevenoaks 13 March 1857. bur. in Sevenoaks church. Jerdan’s National portrait gallery vol. 1 (1830), portrait; Waagen’s Galleries of art (1857) 337–41; Ellis’s Journal of the proceedings of the late embassy to China 1817; Mill’s History of British India, by H. H. Wilson, vol. iii, 1848.

AMHERST, Right Rev. Francis Kerril (eld. son of Wm. Kerril Amherst of Parndon, Essex, by Mary Louisa youngest dau. of Francis Fortescue Turvile of Bosworth hall co. Leicester). b. London 21 March 1819; ed. at Oscott; ordained priest by bishop Wiseman 6 June 1846; professor at Oscott, Nov. 1855 to Oct. 1856; served the mission of Stafford, Oct. 1856 to May 1858; bishop of Northampton 14 May 1858 to 1879; consecrated 4 July 1858; assistant at pontifical throne 8 June 1862; preconised to titular see of Sozusa 1880; author of Lenten thoughts 1873, 4 ed. 1880. d. Fieldgate house, Kenilworth 21 Aug. 1883. bur. R.C. cathedral, Northampton 28 Aug.

AMHERST, G. A. b. London 1776; first appeared on the stage 14 July 1817 in The blue devils at Haymarket theatre; visited United states as director of Cooke’s Equestrian company 1838; made his début in Philadelphia as the Castillian in Mazeppa 2 April 1838; author of many plays. d. in the Philadelphia Almshouse 12 Aug. 1851.

AMOS, Andrew (son of James Amos of Devonshire sq. London, Russian merchant). b. India 1791; ed. at Eton and Trin. coll. Cam.; 5 wrangler 1813, B.A. 1813, M.A. 1816; fellow of his college 1815–23; barrister L.I. 24 Nov. 1818; went Midland circuit 1818–37; professor of English law in Univ. of London 1829–37; recorder of Banbury, Nottingham and Oxford; member of first criminal law commission 1834–43; 4th ordinary member of supreme council of India 11 Oct. 1837 to 15 Feb. 1843; judge of county courts for Brentford, Brompton and Marylebone, circuit 44, March 1847 to Sep. 1852; Downing professor of laws of England in Univ. of Cam. 1848 to death; author of A treatise on the law of fixtures 1827, 3 ed. 1883; The English constitution in the reign of Charles ii, 1857; Martial and the Moderns 1858. (m. 1 Aug. 1826 Margaret eld. dau. of Rev. Wm. Lax Lowndes professor of astronomy at Cambridge, she d. 13 April 1882). d. Downing college, Cambridge 18 April 1860. Law Times xxxv, 117–18 (1860).

Note.—There is a marble bust of him in University college, London.

AMOS, Charles Edwards. b. March, Cambs. 27 Nov. 1805; a millwright at Wandsworth, Surrey 1835–66; patented several inventions in manufacture of paper; invented dynamometer brought out and designed for Atlantic cable 1857; M.I.C.E. 22 May 1855. d. Cedars road, Clapham common 12 Aug. 1882. Minutes of proc. of instit. of C.E. lxxi, 387–95 (1883).

AMOTT, John. Organist at Gloucester cathedral 1832 to death. d. College Green, Gloucester 3 Feb. 1865 in 67 year.

AMPHLETT, Sir Richard Paul (eld. son of Rev. Richard Holmden Amphlett, R. of Hadsor, Worcs., who d. 8 March 1842 in 60 year). b. Salop 24 May 1809; ed. at Brewood gr. sch. and St. Peter’s coll. Cam.; 6 wrangler 1831, B.A. 1831, M.A. 1834; fellow of his college 1832–40; hon. fellow 6 Nov. 1882; student of L.I. 5 Feb. 1831, barrister 6 June 1834, bencher, Jany. 1858; Q.C. Jany. 1858; M.P. for East Worcester (Conserv.) 24 Nov. 1868 to Jany. 1874; pres. of Legal education association, Oct. 1872; serjeant at law, and baron of Court of Exchequer 24 Jany. 1874; knighted by the Queen at Osborne 27 Jany. 1874; judge of court of appeal 27 Oct. 1876 to Nov. 1877; P.C. 28 Nov. 1876; struck with paralysis 3 April 1877. d. 32 Wimpole st. London 7 Dec. 1883. bur. at Hadsor 13 Dec. I.L.N. lxiv, 120, 129 (1874) portrait.

Note.—His was the first instance of nomination of an equity practitioner to a common law judgeship since the appointment of Sir Robert Rolfe in Nov. 1839.

AMPTHILL, Odo William Leopold Russell, 1 Baron (youngest son of Lord George Wm. Russell, G.C.B.) b. Florence 20 Feb. 1829; ed. at Westminster; attaché at Vienna 15 March 1849; employed on special service at Rome, Nov. 1860 to 9 Aug. 1870; ambassador extraord. and plenipo. at Berlin 16 Oct. 1871 to death; P.C. 5 Feb. 1872, G.C.B. 21 Feb. 1874, G.C.M.G. 24 May 1879; created Baron Ampthill of Ampthill, Beds. 7 March 1881. d. Potsdam 25 Aug. 1884. bur. in family vault in parish church of St. Michael, Chenies, Bucks 3 Sep. I.L.N. lxxxv, 220 (1884) portrait.

AMSINCK, Henry. b. 1798; served in navy 1811–44; retired commander 22 March 1876; sec. to the Railway commission 1844; went to Melbourne 1853; M.P. for West Bourke. d. Hawthorne, Victoria 17 Dec 1878.

ANCELL, Henry (son of Mr. Ancell of Carshalton, Surrey, cotton miller). b. Croydon 23 Jany. 1802; walked through the United States 1823–25; L.S.A. 1828, M.R.C.S. 1831; surgeon to Metropolitan police; lectured at Lane’s school next St. George’s hospital 1837; sec. to National association of general practitioners 1845–47; author of A treatise on Tuberculosis 1852; Lectures on the blood and Commentaries on Liebig. d. 3 Norfolk crescent Hyde Park 19 Nov. 1863.

ANDERDON, James Hughes. b. 1790; collected many pictures of British School; bought Hogarth’s Sigismunda for £56 (which he bequeathed to National Gallery), and his portrait of Sarah Malcolm the murderess. d. 23 Upper Grosvenor st. London 24 Jany. 1879.

ANDERDON, John Lavicount (3 son of John Proctor Anderdon). b. Bristol 5 April 1792; ed. at Ealing and Harrow; a West India merchant in London 1816–54; contested Penryn 1818; author of The river Dove 1847; The life of bishop Ken, by a Layman 2 vols. 1851; The Messiah 1861. (m. 4 March 1816 Anna Maria 2 dau. of Wm. Manning, M.P., she d. 1 May 1880 in 84 year). d. Brighton 8 March 1874. Geron, the old man in search of paradise, by J. L. Anderdon with a biographical notice, by Rev. G. Williams 1877.

ANDERDON, Thomas Oliver. Barrister L.I. 20 Nov. 1822; equity draftsman; Q.C. 1841; bencher of his inn 1841. d. Horsendon house Bucks 31 July 1856 aged 70.

ANDERSON, Adam, Lord Anderson (2 son of Samuel Anderson of Moredun, co. Edinburgh). b. Edin. 1797; ed. at Univ. of Edin; advocate 1818; solicitor general Nov. 1834 to April 1835; sheriff of Perthshire 1835–1842; solicitor general for Scotland 8 Nov. 1842 to 1846; Dean of Faculty of Advocates 28 Feb. 1852; Advocate for Scotland 28 Feb. 1852; one of Lords of Session and of Justiciary 18 May 1852 to death. d. 55 Upper Brook st. London 28 Sep. 1853. bur. under St. John’s episcopal chapel Edin. B. W. Crombie’s Modern Athenians (1882) 112, portrait.

ANDERSON, Alexander. b. near Stirling 1762; assistant surgeon R.N. 1784; served in North America and West Indies; surgeon 15 Oct. 1790; retired on h.p. 1803; practised at Knightsbridge, London 1803–35; the last medical officer who belonged to Lord Nelson’s fleet. d. Clarence terrace, New Hampton, Middlesex 6 Sep. 1859.

ANDERSON, Alexander. b. 7 May 1807; 2 Lieut. R.M. 13 May 1823; col. commandant 21 Nov. 1859 to death; general 1 April 1870; C.B. 2 June 1869. d. St. Alban’s place, St. James’s London 21 Nov. 1877.

ANDERSON, Rev. Alexander. b. Peterhead 1808; ed. at St. Andrew’s; founder and head of Chanonry house school (the Gymnasium) Old Aberdeen. d. Aboyne 25 Oct. 1884.

ANDERSON, Alexander Dunlop (son of Andrew Anderson of Greenock, merchant). b. Greenock 1794; M.R.C.S. 1816, M.D. Edin. 1819; asst. surgeon 49 foot 22 June 1815 to 25 Dec. 1818, when placed on half pay; practised in Glasgow; surgeon to royal infirmary 1822 and phys. 1837; pres. of faculty of phys. and surgeons 1852–55; pres. of Med. Chir. society of Glasgow. d. 159 St. Vincent st. Glasgow 13 May 1871.

ANDERSON, Alfred. Celebrated Australian pianist. m. at Sydney 29 Dec. 1875 Ilma de Murska, the “Hungarian nightingale.” d. Melbourne 22 March 1876 aged 28.

ANDERSON, Andrew. A stocking weaver. Champion draught player of Scotland; author of The Game of Draughts 1848, 2 ed. 1852, 3 ed. 1878. d. Braidwood near Carluke, Lanarkshire 1 March 1861.

ANDERSON, Arthur (eld. son of Robert Anderson of Grimaster, Shetland). b. Grimaster, Feb. 1792; midshipman R.N. 1810; a merchant in London 1823; superintended naval portion of expedition to Portugal under Don Pedro 1831–32; started a line of steamers to the Peninsula 1836; formed fishery establishment in Orkney and Shetland 1838; member of Anti-corn law league formed at Manchester 18 Sep. 1838, took an active part in it; a founder of Peninsular and Oriental steam navigation company incorporated 1840; their first boat the Hindostan was started Sep. 1842; chairman of the company; chairman of Union steamship company and of Crystal palace company; M.P. for Orkney (lib.) 1 Sep. 1847 to 1 July 1852; F.S.A.; author of Communication with India, China, &c. 1843; National defence 1852. d. Norwood, Surrey 28 Feb. 1868. I.L.N. xviii, 232 (1851), portrait.

ANDERSON, Charles Abercromby. Inspector general of hospitals and fleets 12 April 1869 to death; C.B. 17 June 1871. d. London 25 Feb. 1872.

ANDERSON, Christopher (youngest son of William Anderson of Edin. ironmonger 1744–1804). b. West Bow, Edin. 19 Feb. 1782; clerk in the Friendly Insurance Office 1800–1804; ordained pastor of English baptists in Edin. 21 Jany. 1808; originated the Edinburgh Bible Society Oct. 1810, the Gaelic School Society Nov. 1810; author of The annals of the English bible, 2 vols. 1845, 2 ed. 1862. d. Edinburgh 18 Feb. 1852. The life and letters of Christopher Anderson, by his nephew Hugh Anderson 1854, portrait.

ANDERSON, Sir George Campbell (son of John Anderson). b. 1804 or 1805; admitted attorney in Bahama 1827; speaker of House of Assembly, Bahama 1831 to 1868; attorney general 1837; knighted by patent 16 Sep. 1874; chief justice 11 Oct. 1875; president of legislative council 1875; acting chief justice, Ceylon 1875–77; chief justice of Leeward islands 27 March 1877–1880. d. Kingston, Jamaica 1 March 1884.

ANDERSON, George Frederick. b. Carlton palace, London 1793; member of royal private band 1819, conductor 1847–48; master of the Music 1848–70; band changed by Prince Albert from a mere wind band to a full orchestra 24 Dec. 1840; treasurer of Philharmonic society, and of Royal Society of musicians. (m. 1820 Lucy Philpot). d. 34 Nottingham place, London 14 Dec. 1876. bur. Kensal Green 20 Dec.

ANDERSON, Sir George William (son of Robert Anderson of London, merchant). b. London 1791; ed. at Haileybury; entered Bombay civil service 1806; senior judge of the Sudder Dewanee 1833; member of council 8 March 1838; governor of Bombay 27 April 1841 to 28 July 1842, of the Mauritius 9 Feb. 1849 to Oct. 1850, of Ceylon Oct. 1850 to Feb. 1855; knighted by the Queen at St. James’s palace 22 Feb. 1849; C.B. 22 March 1849, K.C.B. 22 Nov. 1850. (m. (1) 1813 Caroline 2 dau. of John Proby Kensington of Lime Grove, Putney. m. (2) 1833 Jane dau. of Archibald Wight of Ormiston, East Lothian). d. 99 Westbourne terrace, London 17 March 1857. G. M. ii, 493–94 (1857).

ANDERSON, Sir Henry Lacon (eld. son of the preceding). b. Surat, East Indies 1817; ed. at St. Paul’s, at St. John’s coll. Ox. and Haileybury; entered Bombay civil service 1840; judge of Kandeish 1853; sec. to government of Bombay in political and judicial departments 1854; chief sec. to government 1860; mem. of council of India for making laws and regulations 1863–1865, when he retired; sec. to India Board in judicial, public and sanitary departments 1866; K.C.S.I. for long service in Bombay 24 May 1867. (m. 1841 Anne Grace 4 dau. of Hope Stewart of Ballechin, Perthshire, she d. 19 Feb. 1885). d. 46 Leinster gardens, London 7 April 1879 aged 62.

ANDERSON, Rev. James. b. Newburgh; ed. at St. Andrew’s Univ.; B.D., D.D.; author of The Course of creation 1846; Dura Den, a monograph 1859. d. Nice 16 March 1864 aged 65.

ANDERSON, Sir James (son of John Anderson of Stirling, merchant). b. Stirling 1800; a manufacturer at Glasgow; lord provost 1848–49; knighted by the Queen at Glasgow 14 Aug. 1849; M.P. for Stirling (lib.) 13 July 1852 to 23 April 1859. (m. 1831 Janet only dau. of Robert Hood of Glasgow). d. Blairvadick, Dumbartonshire 8 May 1864.

ANDERSON, James. b. Cumberland; went to Rome before 1839; became well known there as a photographer under name of Isaac Atkinson. d. Rome 28 Feb. 1877. Law Reports xxi Chancery division 100–104 (1882).

ANDERSON, James. b. 1797; entered navy 17 Sep. 1808; captain 1 Nov. 1849; retired admiral 21 March 1878. d. Teignmouth, Devon 7 March 1882 in 85 year.

ANDERSON, Rev. James. ed. at Univ. of Aberdeen; lived at Morpeth 1844 to death; the first moderator of Presbyterian church of England; D.D. St. Andrew’s 12 Feb. 1878. d. The Manse, Morpeth 17 May 1882 in 87 year.

ANDERSON, Sir James Caleb, 1 Baronet (elder son of John Anderson of Fermoy co. Cork, merchant, by his 2 wife Elizabeth only dau. of James Semple, of Waterford, she d. 3 April 1830). b. Waterford 21 July 1792; created a baronet 22 March 1813 as a mark of approbation of the services rendered to Ireland by his father, who advanced the civilization of Ireland fully 50 years; improved steam locomotion. (m. 1815 Caroline 4 dau. of Robert Shaw of Dublin, she d. 1859). d. London 4 April 1861. D. O. Madden’s Revelations of Ireland (1848) 268–85.

ANDERSON, Sir James Eglinton (eld. son of W. Anderson of Glasgow, merchant, by a dau. of James Eglinton). b. 1788; ed. Univ. of Glasgow; M.D. Edin. and Dublin; entered medical department of the navy 1808; surgeon 19 Aug. 1811; Surgeon to one of royal yachts 1827 to Nov. 1833, when he retired from the service; M.R.C.P.; Physician in ord. to Lord Lieut. of Ireland; knighted by him 1829; M.R.I.A. (m. 1819 Jane 3 dau. of Rev. W. Learmont of Luce Abbey, she d. 20 Sep. 1857). d. 7 Harley st. London 29 Feb. 1856.

ANDERSON, Rev. James Stuart Murray. ed. at Ball. coll. Ox.; B.A. 1821, M.A. 1823; P.C. of St. George’s, Brighton 1831–51; chaplain in ord. to the Queen 1844; preacher of Lincoln’s Inn 1844–1859; R. of Tormarton, Gloucs. 1851; hon. canon of Bristol 1856; British chaplain at Bonn 1859; author of The history of the church of England in the colonies and foreign dependencies of the British empire, 3 vols. 1845–56, 2 ed. 1856; Addresses on miscellaneous subjects 1849, 2 ed. 1858, and many sermons. d. Bonn 22 Sep. 1869. I.L.N. xxvi, 269 (1855) portrait.

ANDERSON, Rev. John. b. Craig farm, parish of Kilpatrick-Durham, Galloway 23 May 1805; ed. at Univ. of Edin; ordained a minister of church of Scotland 13 July 1836; sent out to Madras as a missionary 1836; baptised his first converts 20 June 1841; joined the Free Church at the disruption 1 July 1843; the mission was then carried on in connection with that church; established many schools both for boys and girls; published the Native Herald, a bimonthly periodical 2 Oct. 1841. d. Madras 25 March 1855. Rev. John Braidwood’s True Yoke-fellows in the mission field 1862, portrait.

ANDERSON, John. Col. 43 Madras N.I. 7 Jan. 1843 to 7 Feb. 1848; col. 37 Madras N.I. 7 Feb. 1848 to death; L.G. 23 Sep. 1857. d. Folkestone 22 July 1858.

ANDERSON, John (son of Wm. Anderson of Green st. London, horse dealer). Partner with his father many years; the first man to direct attention to the value of action in horses; Anderson’s Steppers were known all over Europe; kept steppers in Green st., hacks in Bryanston st. and hunters at Mapesbury farm, Willesden lane, which is minutely described in Edmund Yates’s first novel; Broken to harness 1865. d. Jany. 1864 aged 55. Sporting Gazette 11 Feb. 1865, p. 113.

Note.—His horses were sold 7–9 Feb. 1865 for sum of £20898 average £205 each horse, which exceeded in value any previous sale of horses in this country.

ANDERSON, John. Col. 61 Bengal N.I. 7 July 1842 to death; General 14 Jan. 1864. d. Norwood, Surrey 25 April 1866 aged 84.

ANDERSON, Rev. John Henry. b. Oakham 4 July 1841; Wesleyan Methodist minister 1862 to death. d. on board the “Lorraine” in latitude 28°31 S. longitude 61°46 E. in the Indian ocean 3 Jany. 1880. Memorials of Rev. J. H. Anderson 1882, portrait.

ANDERSON, John Henry, known as Professor Anderson the Wizard of the North (eld. child of Mr. Anderson of Aberdeen, mason). b. estate of Craigmyle parish of Kincardine, Aberdeenshire 14 July 1814; call boy in Ryder’s theatrical company in Scotland 1824; first performed as a conjuror in small towns of north of Scotland 1831; performed in Waterloo rooms, Edinburgh 100 nights in 1837; erected a building called The Temple of Magic at Glasgow, seated for 2000 spectators, and performed in it 200 nights in 1838 and 1839; first appeared in London at Strand theatre 1840, when he displayed finest collection of apparatus that had ever been seen in London, performed there 4 months; converted St. James’s bazaar in St. James’s street, into a Temple of Magic 1840; performed in Ireland 1840; built theatre at Glasgow which was burnt; performed at Alexandrisky theatre, St. Petersburg, and in all chief cities of central Europe; at Covent Garden 1846, at the Strand 1848; in America 1851–53; before the Queen at Balmoral 1853; lessee of Lyceum theatre, London, Sep. 1855; of Covent Garden 24 Dec. 1855 where he produced a pantomime and the drama of Rob Roy in which he acted Rob Roy; the theatre was burnt down 5 March 1856; performed at Sadler’s Wells 1856; abroad 1856–64, at St. James’s hall, London 1864–65; went to India and Australia. d. Fleece hotel, Darlington 3 Feb. 1874. bur. St. Nicholas churchyard, Aberdeen 7 Feb. Frost’s Lives of the conjurors (1876) 228–60; The Era 8 Feb. 1874, p. 4, col. 1; 15 Feb. p. 4, col. 3.

ANDERSON, Joseph Jocelyn. b. 1789; ensign 78 foot 27 June 1805; served in Peninsula 1809–12; lieut. col. 50 foot 1 April 1841 to 19 Sep. 1848 when he sold out; military commander and civil superintendent of convicts Norfolk Island; commanded a brigade in Gwalior campaign 1843; a squatter on the Goulburn Victoria; member of legislative council 1852; K.H. 1837, C.B. 2 May 1844. d. Fairlie house, South Yarra 18 July 1877. bur. St. Kilda cemetery 21 July. I.L.N. lxxi, 347, 348 (1877), portrait.

ANDERSON, Lucy (dau. of John Philpot of Bath). b. Bath Dec. 1790; made her début at Philharmonic Society’s concerts 1822; Pianist to Queen Adelaide 1832; Pianist to Queen Victoria 1837; gave her last concert 30 May 1862 in Her Majesty’s theatre; granted a civil list pension of £100 23 July 1840. (m. 1820 George Frederick Anderson). d. 34 Nottingham place, London 24 Dec. 1878. bur. Kensal Green cemetery 31 Dec. I.L.N. xli, 77 (1862), portrait.

ANDERSON, Paul (2 son of James Anderson of Grace Dieu, co. Waterford, by Susanna youngest dau. of Christmas Paul). b. 29 March 1767; ensign 51 foot 31 March 1788; lieut. col. 60 foot 14 Jany. 1808 to 25 Feb. 1817 when placed on h.p.; commander of Gravesend and Tilbury forts 1 Dec. 1827, of Pendennis castle 23 July 1832; col. 78 foot 9 Feb. 1837 to death; general 11 Nov. 1851; C.B. 4 June 1815, K.C. d. Bath 17 Dec. 1851.

ANDERSON, Rev. Philip (son of Mr. Anderson, captain H.E.I.Co.) Entered St. Paul’s school 7 Oct. 1824 aged 8; Pauline exhibitioner C.C. coll. Cam. 1834; B.A. 1838, M.A. 1849; chaplain at Colaba, Bombay Nov. 1849 to death; began Bombay quarterly magazine 1850; edited Bombay quarterly review Jany. 1855; author of The English in Western India 1854. d. Malabar hill, Bombay 13 Dec. 1857.