Allan, George (1736–1800), antiquary and topographer, was born on 7 June 1736 in Darlington, co. Durham, the eldest son of James Allan (1712–1790) and Elizabeth Pemberton (1710–1756). His father, ‘Auld Jem’, fourth son of Nicholas Allan of Staindrop, had trained as an attorney, and in 1738 was appointed bailiff of ...
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Elizabeth Baigent
Allen, Thomas (1803–1833), topographer, son of J. Allen, map engraver, was probably born in London. In 1827 he published The History and Antiquities of the Parish of Lambeth and the Archiepiscopal Palace, with illustrations, chiefly drawn and etched by himself. He afterwards published: ...
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Robert J. Haines
Atkyns, Sir Robert (bap. 1647, d. 1711), topographer and antiquary, was baptized at Monken Hadley, Middlesex, on 26 August 1647, the eldest son of Sir Robert Atkyns (bap. 1621, d. 1710), lawyer, and his first wife, Mary (d. 1681), daughter of Sir George Clerk...
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Barry, George (1748–1805), topographical writer, was a native of Berwickshire. Educated at Edinburgh University, he was licensed to preach by the presbytery of Edinburgh. Initially he served as a tutor to the sons of gentlemen in Orkney, by whose patronage he became minister of second charge in ...
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R. H. Thompson
Bartlet, Benjamin (1714–1787), numismatist and topographer, was born on 1 September 1714 at Bradford, Yorkshire, the only son of Benjamin Bartlet (1678–1759), bookseller and apothecary, and his second wife, Elizabeth Green (1684–1751). The family were Quakers: his grandfather and father suffered the seizure of goods for absenting themselves from the parish church; and ...
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R. E. Graves
revised by Anne Pimlott Baker
Bartlett, William Henry (1809–1854), topographical artist, was born on 26 March 1809 at 5 Bartholomew Place, Kentish Town, London, the second child and elder son in the family of three children of William Bartlett and his wife, Ann. At the age of seven he was sent to a local boarding-school, where he was very miserable. He left school in 1821, and in 1822 was apprenticed to the antiquary ...
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Barton, Richard (1706–1759), topographer and religious writer, was born in Painstown, co. Meath, Ireland, the third son of the Revd John Barton (fl. 1675–1735), dean of Ardagh, and Elinor Jenney, daughter of the Revd Henry Jenney, archdeacon of Dromore diocese, and granddaughter of ...
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David Stoker
Blomefield, Francis (1705–1752), topographical historian and Church of England clergyman, was born on 23 July 1705 at Fersfield, Norfolk, the eldest son of Henry Blomefield (1680–1732) and his wife, Alice Batch (d. 1730), daughter of Henry Batch of Lynn. He came from a family of yeomen farmers and was the first member to receive a university education. He began attending classes run by the rector of ...
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Blundell, William (1620–1698), royalist landowner and topographer, was born on 15 July 1620 at Crosby Hall, Little Crosby, Lancashire, the second son of Nicholas Blundell (c.1590–1631) and Jane (d. 1640), daughter of Roger Bradshaigh of Haigh, near Wigan. In 1635 at the age of fifteen he married, in ...
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Boys, William (1735–1803), surgeon and topographer, was born in Deal, Kent, on 7 September 1735, the eldest son of Commodore William Boys (1700–1774), afterwards lieutenant-governor of Greenwich Hospital, and Elizabeth Pearson of Deal. He practised as a surgeon in Sandwich and devoted much of his spare time to literature and scientific research. Descended from an ancient ...
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John Brand (1744–1806) by unknown artist Tyne and Wear Museums
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Brand, John (1744–1806), antiquary and topographer, was born on 19 August 1744 at Washington in co. Durham, where his father, Alexander Brand, was the parish clerk. Little is known of his mother, Elizabeth Wheatley, who died shortly after he was born. When his father remarried ...
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Thompson Cooper
revised by Elizabeth Baigent
Brayley, Edward Wedlake (1773–1854), topographer and archaeologist, born in Lambeth, London, was apprenticed to one of the most eminent enamellers in London. While an apprentice he met John Britton. They both had literary and artistic aspirations, and longed to be free of their existing trades. They formed a close friendship, which lasted for sixty-five years, and collaborated to produce illustrated volumes on topographical subjects. They began their literary partnership with a song called ...
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John Britton (1771–1857) by John Wood, 1845 © National Portrait Gallery, London
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J. Mordaunt Crook
Britton, John (1771–1857), antiquary and topographer, was born on 7 July 1771 at Kington St Michael, near Chippenham, Wiltshire, the son of Henry Britton, a small farmer, maltster, baker, and village shopkeeper, and his wife, Anne Hillier. His mother died young, having reared ten children, of whom ...
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Samuel Buck (1696–1779) by Richard Houston, pubd 1774 (after Joseph Highmore) [Buck brothers [left to right]: and Nathaniel Buck (1724-1759)] © National Portrait Gallery, London
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Buck, Samuel (1696–1779), topographical draughtsman, engraver, and print publisher, is usually said to have been born in Richmond, Yorkshire, though firm evidence of his birth place is lacking. Hauxwell, 4½ miles south of Richmond, has also been suggested. His father was living near ...
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Alan G. Crosby
Butterworth, Edwin (1812–1848), topographer and journalist, was the tenth child of James Butterworth (1771–1837) and his wife, Hannah Boyton (or Royton; 1774–1836). He was born at Pitses, near Oldham, on 1 October 1812. From childhood Edwin assisted his father, a well-known local historian and publisher, in the preparation of his works, but from the age of sixteen he was writing and publishing on his own account. He produced town histories, cartographical surveys, reports of charities and local societies, and a miscellany of topographical and historical material. By the late 1830s he was becoming particularly interested in the collection and presentation of statistical information on the economic and social trends of ...
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Calvert, Michael (bap. 1770, d. 1862), topographer, son of Richard and Barbara Calvert, was born in Knaresborough, Yorkshire, and baptized at the parish church on 2 February 1770. By profession a chemist, he filled the office of churchwarden in 1808 and 1809 and in the latter year repaired the chancel of the church. Among other local concerns in which ...
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Candler [Gillet], Matthias (1605–1663), topographer and Church of England clergyman, son of William Gillet or Candler (c.1580–1612), schoolmaster, of Yoxford, Suffolk, and his wife, Hannah (c.1585–1649), daughter of William Fiske and Anna Anstye of South Elmham St James, was born on 24 February 1605 at ...
