Albert Nicholson

“ He resided in Chester with his brother William from 1861 to 1865, and interested himself in the preservation of the city's ancient buildings. In 1868 he read before the Liverpool Architectural Society a paper opposing the proposed restoration of Chester Cathedral, and in 1871 another paper 'On so-called Restorations of our Cathedral and Abbey Churches.' The latter aroused a strong feeling on the subject of restorations, and led, after much discussion in the press, to the formation of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. ”

“ When travelling in Italy for the purpose of studying art, he caught a malarial fever in Rome. While still in a weak state he ventured on a voyage to Naples, where he died on 18 Oct. 1842. He enjoyed the intimate friendship of William Etty, R. A., who writes of him: 'His sketches of scenery, antiquity, and architecture are in taste, facile elegant execution, and correct detail of the first rank.' David Roberts and Clarkson Stanfield were among his friends, and the latter painted a fine picture from one of Harper's sketches. ”

“ William received his first instruction in drawing at the Mechanics' Institution, afterwards the Liverpool Institute, and now the government school of art, where at the age of fifteen he gained a prize for a design, 'Adam's Vision of the Death of Abel.' He also made many studies from the animals at the Liverpool zoological gardens, and was a student at the life class of the old Liverpool academy, of which he became a full member. ”

“ LEICESTER, Sir JOHN FLEMING, first Lord de Tabley (1762–1827) , art patron, born at Tabley House, Cheshire, 4 April 1762, was eldest son of Sir Peter Leicester, by his wife Catherine, coheiress of Sir William Fleming of Rydal, Westmoreland. The father's name was originally Byrne, being the son of Sir John Byrne, bart., and of Merial, only child of Sir Francis Leicester, third baronet, the grandson of Sir Peter Leycester [q. v.] the antiquary; he took by act of parliament his mother's name of Leicester in 1744, and came into possession of the Leicester family estates in Cheshire ”

“ He made his first appearance as an exhibitor with a landscape at Birmingham in 1841, and, with very rare exceptions, his contributions were invariably landscapes. These were fresh in colour and careful in drawing, much resembling the style of Creswick. In 1844 he came to London, where for a time he worked at designing for engravers, especially for the 'Art Journal' and other illustrated works. ”

“ In 1785 Percival aided in the removal to Manchester of the Warrington academy, and took a great interest in its management. An endeavour on the part of Percival and his friends to found a college of arts and sciences proved unsuccessful, but the scheme was accomplished half a century later under the will of John Owens [q. v.] Percival's charm of manner and wide learning gained him friends and correspondents among the most distinguished men and women of his time, both in Europe and America. He died at his house in Manchester 30 Aug. ”

“ Delicate health and the accession to an ample fortune through the death of a relative led him to give up his profession and devote himself to scientific studies. After residing for a time at Bristol and Hampstead, he purchased in 1848 about ten or twelve acres of Oatlands Park, Surrey, and built a house there, in which the last thirty years of his life were spent, and where everything was arranged with a view to his favourite studies. In early life he collected British coleoptera and lepidoptera ”

“ He received his chief art education in the schools of the Royal Academy. In 1839 he went to pursue his studies in Rome. Many tours followed, in which he visited Italy, Sicily, France, Germany, Algeria, and Egypt, making large numbers of clever sketches in all these countries, and these furnished him with materials for his numerous drawings, which were highly finished and had an excellence of composition and an abundance of interesting details that gave his works a considerable popularity. ”

“ GIBSON, SOLOMON (d. 1866) , sculptor, younger brother of John Gibson, R.A. [q. v.] , passed his life in Liverpool, where he practised as a sculptor. At the age of sixteen he modelled a small figure of Mercury, which is his best-known work. ”

“ Johns was elected a member of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society, and for many years was joint secretary with Dalton, and later on was vice-president of the society. The numerous papers he read before the society show wide and accurate knowledge both of literary and scientific subjects. While at Manchester he also preached to the small congregation at Partington in Cheshire, and afterwards accepted the ministry of the congregation of Cross Street (now called Sale) , another Cheshire village, five miles from Manchester, which he held till shortly before his death. ”

“ On the termination of his apprenticeship he removed with his mother and the rest of the family to London, where, through the influence of his uncle, he obtained a situation at Spottiswoode's, the king's printers, but, through some dissatisfaction arising with regard to the government printing, he and about sixty others left the firm. At this time his mother became possessed of a small independence. This enabled young Vincent to take an active part in the agitation which became known as the ‘Chartist’ movement. ”

“ Lindsey had lavishly bestowed his income on his poor parishioners, and he was obliged to sell his plate and part of his library to maintain himself after leaving his rectory. He and his wife arrived in London in the spring of 1774, and with the help of Dr. Priestley, Dr. Price, and other friends, a room was engaged in Essex House, Essex Street, which was fitted as a temporary chapel, and opened for public worship in April of that year. ”

“ Though well versed in the Greek and Latin classics, and with a good knowledge of ancient Welsh literature—on which subject he wrote many papers—‘there was an absence of purpose in the direction of his studies, and he passed through life a strange and useless though not a commonplace man.’ For many years he was dependent on the bounty of his brother. ”

“ He was for many years a student of the Royal Academy, and obtained the silver medal in 1779, and in 1780 he won the gold medal for the best historical picture, the subject being ‘The Caldron Scene from Macbeth.’ He had in his early studies been guided by his brother Joseph [q. v.] , the landscape-painter, but his preference being decidedly for historical subjects he became a pupil of West. Alderman Boydell gave him many commissions, and for him he made several excellent drawings from the Houghton collection. In 1782 he went to India, practising his art with great success. ”

“ DUVAL, CHARLES ALLEN (1808–1872) , painter, was born in Ireland in 1808. When a young man he went to Liverpool uncertain whether to turn his attention to art or to literature, but both were for a time cast aside for the rough life of a sailor. ”

“ The coolness and daring with which he fought his opponents with their own weapons have become proverbial. He helped to establish the London Reform Club, and was elected an honorary life member and appointed solicitor. Although in his day no man was a fiercer partisan, Coppock was respected by friend and foe. ”

“ From May 1849 till 31 Dec. 1862 he was head-master of the Manchester School of Design. On the formation of the Manchester Academy of Fine Arts, in which he took an active part, he was elected its first president, 28 May 1857. This office he resigned on 30 Dec. 1861. A landscape of large size and considerable merit, exhibited at the autumn exhibition of 1850, 'Mountain and Clouds, a scene from the top of Loughrigg Fell, Westmoreland,' he presented to the Royal Manchester Institution. This now hangs in the Corporation of Manchester Art Gallery, and is a good example of his work in oil. ”

“ He contended that it was possible by the touch and manner of the execution to indicate the exact foliage represented, and he practically illustrated his opinion in his drawings. He had a very thorough knowledge of the principles of art, and drew with great skill and accuracy.
Charles John Kennion (1789–1853) painted in water-colour much in the style of his father, and his drawings are interesting and well finished. He exhibited between 1804 and 1853 twenty-six landscapes at the Royal Academy, and five at the Suffolk Street Gallery. He died in Robert Street, Regent's Park, London, on 10 Sept. ”

“ On 26 June 1858, while she was in Edinburgh, Yelverton formally married the widow of Professor Edward Forbes [q. v.] . On 31 Oct. 1859 Miss Longworth, claiming to be Yelverton's wife, sued him for restitution of conjugal rights in the London probate court, but her petition was dismissed. In 1861 an action was brought in Dublin by Mr. Thelwall, in whose house she had been living, to recover from Yelverton money supplied to her. This action lasted from 21 Feb. to 4 March 1861, and the validity of both Scottish and Irish marriage was established in the Irish court. ”

“ In 1827 he erected the celebrated Grosvenor Bridge over the Dee at Chester, from designs he had prepared some years before. This consists of a single arch of two hundred feet span, a then unequalled dimension, and is of such singularly beautiful proportions as to convey little idea of size to a casual observer. This and the castle which stands near are Harrison's best-known works. He erected the obelisk on Moel Vammau, Denbighshire, to commemorate the jubilee of George III, the column to Lord Hill near Shrewsbury, and that to Lord Anglesea at Plâs Newydd. ”

“ On 9 May 1839 Vincent was arrested at his house in Cromer Street, London, on a warrant from the magistrates of the Newport Association for attending a riotous assemblage held in that town. He was taken to Bow Street, charged, and committed to Monmouth gaol to take his trial at the ensuing assizes. So great was the tumult outside the court that the mayor was obliged to read the Riot Act. On 2 Aug. 1839 Vincent, who had been refused bail, was tried at the Monmouth assizes by Sir Edward Hall Alderson [q. v.] ”

“ Price's ‘Treatise on Reversionary Payments,’ Percival wrote his ‘Proposals for establishing more accurate and comprehensive Bills of Mortality in Manchester.’
Keenly sympathising with the poor and the quickly growing artisan population of the town and district, he helped to form a committee to enforce proper sanitation in Manchester. He advocated the establishment of public baths, and may also be considered as the earliest advocate of factory legislation. ”

“ He also rebuilt Lancaster Castle in the Gothic style, and designed other important buildings in that town. His plans in the Grecian Doric style for rebuilding the castle at Chester were selected in competition; they include a prison, county assize courts, armoury, exchequer, and gateway. These buildings were erected between 1793 and 1820, and are wholly of stone, no iron or timber being used in any part of the walls, ceilings, floors, or staircases. ”

“ His health again giving way he removed in 1844 to Torquay, where he resided for twelve years, occasionally visiting Manchester, Liverpool, and Cheshire. Apparently re-established in health, he settled at Shepherd's Bush in 1857. But after two years of gradually failing strength he died at his house in the neighbourhood of Westbourne Park in July 1859. Crane's principal works were portraits in oil, water-colour, and crayon, but he also, when time permitted, produced subject pictures, most of which were hung at the Royal Academy. ”

“ Newspapers reported the marriage of the famed ‘Buttermere Beauty’ to a member of the aristocracy, and Lord Hopetoun's family made it known that Colonel Hope was then residing in Vienna. After his wedding Hatfield set out for Scotland, but in four or five days returned with Mary to her father's house. George Hardinge [q. v.] , the Welsh judge, who knew Colonel Hope and had heard of the imposture, went to Keswick, and invited Hatfield to visit him. Hatfield went over to Keswick, and was introduced to Hardinge by a friendly creditor. ”

“ He acted as lieutenant-colonel of the Cheshire militia, and after thirteen years' service was appointed colonel of a regiment of cavalry raised for home defence. He was among the first who proffered his services to the crown when Bonaparte threatened to invade the country, and raised the regiment eventually called the king's regiment of Cheshire yeoman cavalry. Some years afterwards, in 1817, this regiment received the thanks of the prince regent and government for its activity in dispersing the Blanketeers in Lancashire. Leicester was created Baron De Tabley on 16 July 1826. ”

“ He entered Glasgow University in November 1822, and after a distinguished career there took his M.A. degree in April 1825. In January 1827 he became minister of the old presbyterian chapel, Knutsford, Cheshire, which office he resigned in June 1872. During part of his pastorate he conducted a large private school, and published several handbooks to Euclid. He died on 9 Aug. 1873 at Knutsford, and he was buried in the yard of the old chapel. He married Mary, daughter of John Brandreth, who died 14 June 1871. Five of his six children survived him. ”

“ HULL, WILLIAM (1820–1880) , artist, born 6 May 1820 at Graffham in Huntingdonshire, was son of a small farmer who removed soon after his son's birth to Keysoe in Bedfordshire, and subsequently to the adjoining village of Pertenhall. Here in the village school William received his early education, and went afterwards for three years to the Moravian settlement of Ockbrook, near Derby, to be educated as a minister of that society. ”