Thomas Hodgkin

“ He rarely appeared in court except to uphold some opinion which he had given on a disputed question of title; and at the early age of forty-three, in consequence of a severe illness, he retired from the legal profession, and devoted the remainder of his life to religious and philanthropic work. He held a high position among the preachers of the quaker body, visited their congregations in Ireland, France, and America, and was for two years ‘clerk’ to their yearly meeting, a position corresponding to that of moderator in the church of Scotland. ”

“ At fourteen he was bound apprentice to Olive Sims, a retail chemist, of Stockport. During his apprenticeship he taught himself after business hours, French, botany, and scientific chemistry. In chemistry he was deeply impressed by the works of Lavoisier and his fellow-labourers.
In 1793 Howard commenced business as a chemist in London, near Temple Bar. From 1796 until 1803 he was in partnership, as a wholesale and retail chemist, with William Allen (1770–1843) [q. v.] Howard removed to Plaistow in Essex in order to take charge of the manufacturing department of the concern. ”

“ HODGKIN, JOHN (1766–1845) , grammarian, born at Shipston-on-Stour, 1766, was educated partly at a quakers' school at Worcester, and partly by his uncle, Thomas Hodgkin, a successful private tutor in London, who invited his nephew to enter his own profession. In 1787 he joined Thomas Young [q. v.] in superintending the education of Hudson Gurney [q. v.] The two tutors seem to have given each other mutual instruction for four years, and tutors and pupil remained warm friends through life. ”

“ HOWARD, LUKE (1772–1864) , one of the founders of the science of meteorology, was born in London on 28 Nov. 1772. His father, Robert Howard, a manufacturer of iron and tin goods, accumulated considerable wealth. ”

“ He soon obtained a large practice, but was chiefly eminent as a teacher of law. His chambers were always crowded with pupils, with whom he read for an hour a day some legal text-book, even when fully occupied with his practice. ”

“ He was a zealous worker in the anti-slavery cause, and he actively aided the movement for the relief of the German peasants in the districts ravaged by the Napoleonic wars after the retreat from Moscow. ”