Frederic Boase
Modern English Biography (volume 1 of 4) A-H
FERMOY, Edmund Burke Roche, 1 Baron (only son of Edward Roche of Trabolgan, co. Cloyne 1771–1855). b. Aug. 1815; M.P. for co. Cork 1837–55, for Marylebone 1859–65; lord lieutenant of Cork 1856; created Baron Fermoy in the county of Cork 10 Sep. 1856. d. Trabolgan 17 Sep. 1874. I.L.N. xxxv, 82 (1859), portrait.
FERNELEY, John (son of Mr. Ferneley of Thrussington, Leics., wheelwright). b. Thrussington 18 May 1782; pupil of Ben Marshal the animal painter; painted some large hunting pictures for Assheton Smith 1806; an animal painter at Melton Mowbray 1814 to death; enjoyed an unlimited patronage for about 50 years; many of his pictures were engraved in the Sporting Magazine and other similar works. d. Thrussington 4 June 1860. Sporting Review xliv, 4–6 (1860).
FERREY, Benjamin. b. Christchurch, Hants. 1 April 1810; ed. at Wimborne gr. sch.; articled to Augustus Pugin 1825; practised as an architect 1832 to death; designed oldest part of present town of Bournemouth 1837; diocesan architect of Bath and Wells 1841 to death; restored Wells cathedral 1842; designed many churches mainly Gothic; F.R.I.B.A. 1839; F.S.A. 1863; author of Recollections of A. N. W. Pugin and of A. Pugin 1861; author with E. W. Brayley of Antiquities of the priory church of Christchurch, Hants. 1834. d. 55 Inverness terrace, Bayswater, London 22 Aug. 1880.
FERRIER, James Frederick (son of John Ferrier of Edinburgh, writer to the signet). b. Edinburgh 16 June 1808; ed. at univ. of Edin. and Magd. coll. Ox., B.A. Ox. 1832; called to Scottish bar 1832; prof. of civil history in univ. of Edin. 1842–45; prof. of moral philosophy and political economy in univ. of St. Andrews 1845 to death; author of The institutes of metaphysics 1854, 2 ed. 1856 and other books. d. St. Andrews 11 June 1864. Lectures on Greek philosophy by J. F. Ferrier 1, pp. vii-xliv, 1866; G. Gilfillan’s Remoter Stars (1867) 139–46.
FERRIER, Susan Edmonstone (youngest child of James Ferrier of Edinburgh, writer to the signet 1744–1829). b. Edinburgh 7 Sep. 1782; author of Marriage, a novel 3 vols. 1818, anon.; The Inheritance 3 vols. 1824, and Destiny, or the chief’s daughter 3 vols. 1831. d. at house of her brother Walter Ferrier in Edinburgh 5 Nov. 1854. Works of S. E. Ferrier (1881), i, 1–38; Edinburgh Review lxxiv, 498–505 (1842).
FESTING, Benjamin Morton (5 son of Henry Festing, commander R.N., who d. 1807). b. Andover, Hants., April 1794; entered navy 2 May 1805; inspector in the coast guard 11 July 1837–1840; captain on half pay 27 Sep. 1851; K.H. 1 Jany. 1837 for services on coast of Italy in 1812–13. d. Weymouth 10 May 1865.
FESTING, Sir Francis Worgan (2 son of the preceding), b. High Littleton, Somerset 24 July 1833; 2 lieut. R.M. 3 July 1850; served in the Baltic 1854–5, in the China expedition 1857–9; served in Ashantee war 1873–4 for which he received thanks of both Houses of Parliament 30 March 1874; A.A.G. of R.M. 1876–1883; A.D.C. to the Queen 7 July 1879; col. commandant R.M.A. 3 Sep. 1886; C.B. 31 March 1874; K.C.M.G. 8 May 1874. d. Donnington lodge, Newbury 21 Nov. 1886. bur. Eastney cemetery, Portsmouth 26 Nov. Brackenbury’s Ashantee war (1874) i, 72–100; Graphic 2 May 1874, pp. 413, 415, 420, portrait.
FESTING, Robert Worgan George (brother of B. M. Festing 1794–1865). Entered navy 22 Feb. 1799; captain 9 Oct. 1811; retired admiral 1 Nov. 1860; C.B. 20 July 1838. d. Maiden Bradley near Frome 16 July 1862 aged 73.
FEVERSHAM, William Duncombe, 2 Baron. b. London 14 Jany. 1798; ed. at Eton and Ch. Ch. Ox., B.A. 1820, M.A. 1823; M.P. for Yorkshire 1826–30, for North riding of Yorkshire 1832 to 16 July 1841 when he succeeded to the peerage; a breeder of short horn cattle. d. 3 Hyde park gate, London 11 Feb. 1867. bur. Helmsley church 19 Feb. Sporting Review lvii, 158 (1867).
FEW, Robert (eld. son of Charles Few of Henrietta st. Covent Garden, London, solicitor). b. 1807; ed. at old gr. sch. Marlborough; solicitor in London 1828 to death; settled with Rev. John Hodgson basis of Clergy Mutual Insurance Co. 1829, member of the board 40 years, deputy chairman 1872 to death; one of the founders of Marlborough college 1843, mem. of council many years; deputy steward of Westminster 1873 to death; author of History of St. John’s house 1884. d. Wolsey grange, Esher, Surrey 24 Oct. 1887 in 80 year.
FFARINGTON, William. b. 1777; entered navy 13 Oct. 1785; captain 18 Sep. 1815; retired admiral 4 Oct. 1862. d. Woodvale, Cowes 4 May 1868.
FFENNELL, William Joshua (eld. son of Joshua William Ffennell of Ballybrado near Cahir). b. Ballybrado 16 Aug. 1799; sec. of river Suir Preservation Society 1837; fishery inspector under Board of Works 1845; commissioner to enquire into salmon fisheries of England and Wales 30 July 1860; inspector of fisheries Oct. 1861 to Oct. 1864; com. under Salmon fisheries of Scotland act 1861, 25 Sep. 1862; the act commonly called ‘Ffennell’s act’ was passed 1848 being the first modern salmon fishery act; started with F. T. Buckland Land and Water 27 Jany. 1866. d. London 12 March 1867.
FFOULKES, Ven. Henry Powell (2 son of John Powell Ffoulkes of Eriviatt, co. Denbigh, who d. 2 Dec. 1826 aged 56). b. 2 Jany. 1815; ed. at Ball. coll. Ox., B.A. 1837, M.A. 1840; C. of St. Matthew, Buckley, Flints. 1840–57; R. of Llandyssil, Montgomery 1857–59; R. of Whittington, Salop 1859 to death; archdeacon of Montgomery and canon res. of St. Asaph, Feb. 1861 to death. d. the Canonry, St. Asaph 26 Jany. 1886.
FIDDES, Thomas. Entered Bengal army 1804; col. of 45 Bengal N.I. 9 Aug. 1843, of 1 European fusiliers 1853, of 42 Bengal light infantry 1854, of 5 Bengal N.I. 1861 to death; L.G. 15 Sep. 1856. d. Oakfield, Cheltenham 13 April 1863 aged 81.
FIELD, Charles Frederick. Chief inspector of Metropolitan detective police to 1851 when he retired on pension; inquiry agent at Eldon chambers, Devereux court, Strand, London; figures prominently in Dickens’s novel Bleak House under name of Inspector Bucket. d. 2 Gertrude st. Chelsea, London 27 Sep. 1874. Publisher’s Circular 1874 p. 738.
FIELD, Edwin Wilkins (eld. child of Rev. Wm. Field 1767–1851). b. Leam near Warwick 12 Oct. 1804; ed. at his father’s school; admitted an attorney and solicitor Nov. 1826; partner with Wm. Sharpe 1827, they became partners in firm of Taylor and Roscoe 1835; secretary to royal commission to prepare a plan for new law courts 1865; a great law reformer, also amateur artist; author of Memoir of Edgar Taylor, privately printed 1839; Observations of a solicitor on defects in the system of the equity courts 1840 and 17 other pamphlets; drowned in the Thames near Goring 30 July 1871. bur. Highgate cemetery 4 Aug., statue by T. Woolner at solicitors’ entrance to the Law courts in Carey st. Edwin Wilkins Field, a memorial sketch by T. Sadler 1872, portrait; Law magazine and law review i, 35–50 (1872).
FIELD, Frederick (2 son of Charles Field of London, candle maker). b. Lambeth, London 2 Aug. 1826; an original member of Chemical Soc. of London 1846; chemist to some copper-smelting works at Coquimbo, Chili 1848, manager of the works 1852; British vice consul at Caldera near Coquimbo 1853–56; chemist and sub-manager to smelting works at Guayacan 1856–59; lecturer on chemistry at St. Mary’s hospital, London 1860; professor of chemistry in London Institution 1862; a partner in firm of J. C. and J. Field, candle makers 1866 to death; F.R.S. 4 June 1863; F.R.S. Edin.; M.R.I.A.; wrote 43 papers on scientific subjects. d. Oakfield, Addlestone 3 April 1885.
FIELD, Rev. Frederick (son of Henry Field of London, apothecary 1755–1837). b. London 20 July 1801; ed. at Christ’s hosp. and Trin. coll. Cam.; Tyrwhitt’s Hebrew scholar and tenth wrangler 1823; B.A. 1823, M.A. 1826, hon. LLD. 1875; fell. of his coll. 1824–43, hon. fell. of his coll. 1876 to death; R. of Reepham, Norfolk 1842–63; edited S. Joannis Chrysostomi Homiliæ in Matthæum 3 vols. 1839; S. Joannis Chrysostomi Interpretatio omnium epistolarum Paulinarum per homilias facta 7 vols. 1849–62; Origenis Hexaplorum, quæ supersunt 2 vols. 1874–5 and many other patristic works; member of Old Testament revision company 1870 to death. d. Carlton terrace, Heigham, Norwich 19 April 1885. Origenis Hexaplorum 1874, preface; Cambridge Review 6 May 1885.
FIELD, George. b. Berkhampstead, Herts. about 1777; grew Madder in his own garden from which he produced specimens of the colouring matter more beautiful than any before seen; invented the pereolator by atmospheric pressure for reducing the madder to its finest consistence 1816; author of Chromatography, or a treatise on colours and pigments 1835, 3 ed. 1885; Outlines of analogical philosophy 2 vols. 1839; Rudiments of the painter’s art, or a grammar of colouring 1850 and 5 other books. d. Syon hill, Park cottage, Isleworth, Surrey 28 Sep. 1854.
FIELD, Henry William (4 son of John Field 1764–1845, umpire at Royal Mint, London). b. 23 March 1803; entered Royal Mint 1818, probationer assayer 1836, Queen’s assay master 1851 to 1871; made chemically pure gold and brought the coin of the realm up to mathematical precision; exhibited 8 designs or models for coins at R.A. 1822–27. d. 10 Chesham place, Brighton 9 June 1888. bur. Nunhead cemetery, London 14 June. J. Waylen’s House of Cromwell (1880) p. 49.
FIELD, Joseph M. b. London 1810; ed. in New York; first appeared on the stage in New York 1843; performed in most of the large cities; manager of Field’s Varieties, St. Louis, Mo. 1852; established at St. Louis the Reveille a daily paper, one of the editors and chief proprietor; dramatized and produced many local plays; wrote many humorous sketches for the New Orleans Picayune, signed Straws which were widely quoted; proprietor of theatre in Mobile to death; author of The drama of Pokerville, Philadelphia 1847. d. Mobile 30 Jany. 1856.
FIELD, Joshua (son of Mr. Field of Lower Thames st. London, corn and seed merchant). b. Hackney 1786; ed. at Harlow, Essex 1793–1802; employed by Maudslay marine engine maker 1804–22, a partner 1822; one of the 6 founders of Institution of Civil engineers and, the first chairman 6 Jany. 1818, vice pres. 1837–48, pres. 1848–50; F.R.S. 3 March 1836. d. Balham hill house, Surrey 11 Aug. 1863. Pusely’s Commercial Companion, 2 ed. (1860) 123–4; Min. of proc. of Instit. of C.E. xxiii, 488–92 (1864).
FIELD, Rev. William (son of John Field of Stoke Newington, London, surgeon). b. Stoke Newington 7 Jany. 1768; ed. for Calvinist ministry at Homerton and Daventry; pastor of presbyterian chapel, High st. Warwick 1789–1843; founded the Warwick Advertiser 4 Jany. 1806; schoolmaster at Leam near Warwick many years; pastor of presbyterian chapel, Kenilworth 1828–50; published An historical account of town and castle of Warwick 1815; Memoirs of the life of the Rev. S. Parr 2 vols. 1826 and many sermons, tracts, letters and pamphlets. d. Leam 16 Aug. 1851. Spears’s Record of Unitarian Worthies (1877); J. Waylen’s House of Cromwell (1880) p. 51.
FIELDEN, Joshua (son of John Fielden 1784–1849, M.P. for Oldham). b. 1827; member of firm of Fielden Brothers, cotton spinners of Todmorden and Manchester, and of firm of Fielden Brothers & Co. of London, merchants; M.P. for eastern division of West Riding of Yorkshire 1868–80; author of A Letter showing the effects of the malt tax 1865. d. Hotel Monte Huri, Cannes 9 March 1887 in 60 year, personalty declared of value of £503,598.
FIELDEN, Thomas (4 son of Joshua Fielden, who d. 1811). Member of firm of Joshua Fielden and Sons, cotton spinners, Todmorden; manager of the Manchester warehouse, firm became Fielden Brothers; erected gas works 1830; firm became Fielden Brothers & Co. 1837. d. Manchester 7 Dec. 1869, personalty sworn under £1,300,000, 12 March 1870. Fortunes made in business i, 411–56 (1884).
FIELDING, Antony Vandyke Copley (2 son of Nathan Theodore Fielding, painter). b. 1787; pupil of John Varley; member of Society of Painters in water-colours 1813, treasurer 1817, sec. 1818, pres. 1831 to death; exhibited 17 pictures at R.A. and 100 at B.I. 1811–55; awarded a medal at Paris Salon 1824. d. Worthing 3 March 1855 in 68 year. Redgrave’s Century of painters ii, 509–13 (1866); J. Sherer’s Gallery of British Artists ii, 57–8.
FIELDING, Henry Borron (only son of Henry Fielding of Myerscough house near Garstang, Lancs.) Devoted himself to study of plants; bought herbarium of Dr. Steudel 1836; bought Prescott collection of 28,000 plants 1837; F.L.S. 1838; bequeathed his herbarium to Univ. of Oxford. d. Lancaster 21 Nov. 1851.
FIELDING, Newton Smith (brother of Antony V. C. Fielding 1787–1855). b. Huntingdon 1799; worked in water colours, etching, aquatint and lithography; best known for his paintings and engravings of animals; taught painting to family of Louis Philippe in Paris; published Subjects after nature 1836; Lessons on fortification 1853; A dictionary of colour containing 750 tints 1854; How to sketch from nature, or perspective and its application, 2 ed. 1856 and other books, d. Paris 12 Jany. 1856.
FIELDING, Theodore Henry Adolphus (brother of the preceding). Painter and engraver; exhibited 18 pictures at R.A., 21 at B.I. and 27 at Suffolk st. gallery 1799–1837; teacher of drawing and perspective at Addiscombe college; published numerous sets of engravings in aquatint; author of Index of colours and mixed tints 1830; On the theory of painting 1836; The art of engraving with the various modes of operation 1844 and other books. d. Croydon 11 July 1851 aged 70.
FIFE, James Duff, 4 Earl of (elder son of Alexander Duff, 3 Earl of Fife 1731–1811). b. 6 Oct. 1776; served with great distinction in Spanish army during Peninsular war, major general; M.P. for Banffshire 1818–27; succeeded as 4 Earl 7 April 1811; lord lieut. of Banffshire 1811–56; vice pres. of Antiquarian society, Scotland; G.C.H. 1823; K.T. 3 Sep. 1827; created Baron Fife 27 April 1827. d. Duff house, Banffshire 9 March. 1857. W. C. Taylor’s National portrait gallery iv, 86 (1848), portrait; Jerdan’s National portrait gallery ii, (1831), portrait.
FIFE, James Duff, 5 Earl of (elder son of General Sir Alexander Duff, G.C.H. 1777–1851). b. Edinburgh 6 July 1814; attached to the embassy at Paris; M.P. for Banffshire 1837 to 1 Oct. 1857 when he was created Baron Skene of Skene; lieut. and sheriff principal of Elginshire 26 May 1851; lord lieut. of Banffshire 1857 to death; succeeded his uncle as 5 Earl 9 March 1857; K.T. 2 March 1860. d. Mar lodge, Braemar, Aberdeenshire 7 Aug. 1879.
FIFE, George (son of Wm. Fife of Newcastle, surgeon). M.D. and L.R.C.P. Edin. 1827; surgeon to Northern public dispensary, Edin.; phys. to Queen’s hospital and professor of clinical medicine and materia medica and therapeutics at Queen’s college, Birmingham to death; translated Coster’s Manual of operative surgery 1831; author of Observations on Influenza 1833; Treatise on Cholera 1849 and other books; died from taking morphia at his lodgings Surrey st. Strand, London 10 May 1857 aged 50.
FIFE, Sir John (brother of the preceding). b. Newcastle 1795; surgeon at Newcastle 1815; member of Newcastle corporation 1835, alderman 1835, mayor 1838–9 and 1842–3; knighted at St. James’s palace 1 July 1840 for his exertions in repressing Chartist disturbances 1840; F.R.C.S. 1844; senior surgeon to Newcastle infirmary; lieut. col. commandant 1 Newcastle rifle volunteers 1860–68; author of Practical remarks on the Continental cholera, Newcastle 1831. d. Reedsmouth house, North Tyne 15 Jany. 1871.
FIFE, William Wallace (son of Peter Fife of Dundee, baker). b. Dundee 28 March 1816; one of staff of the Dundee Warder; edited North British Agriculturist short time; edited Nottingham Daily Guardian to death. d. Hound’s Gate, Nottingham 25 Sep. 1867.
FIGGINS, James (son of Vincent Figgins of Smithfield, London, type founder, who d. Dec. 1860 or Jany. 1861). b. West st. Smithfield, London 16 April 1811; a type founder in Smithfield; sheriff of London 1865–6; M.P. for Shrewsbury 1868–74; alderman of Farringdon without, 9 June 1873 to 1882. d. 12 Russell sq. London 12 June 1884.
FILDES, John. b. Dorton, Lancs. 18 Dec. 1811; M.P. for Great Grimsby 1865–68. d. Stanley house, Oxford road, Manchester 6 July 1875.
FILLANS, James. b. Wilsontown, Lanarkshire 27 March 1808; apprenticed to a stonemason at Paisley; a sculptor at Glasgow, moved to London 1836; his best works are The Blind teaching the Blind, Grief, a Madonna, busts of Sir James Shaw and John Wilson; exhibited 25 sculptures at R.A. 1837–50. d. 95 Montrose st. Glasgow 27? Sep. 1852. James Paterson’s Memoir of James Fillans 1854, portrait.
FILLEUL, Rev. Philip (son of Philip Filleul of Jersey). Matric. from Pemb. coll. Ox. 6 Dec. 1813 aged 20, scholar; B.A. 1817, M.A. 1820; R. of St. Brelade, Jersey 1818–29; R. of St. Peter, Jersey 1828–48; vice dean of Jersey 1838; R. of St. Saviour, Jersey 1848–50; R. of St. Heliers, Jersey 1850 to death; author of Défense des Missions 1821; Christ est-il divisé? Guernsey 1825; Infant baptism and confirmation, Jersey 1855 and other books. d. St. Heliers, Jersey 13 Oct. 1875.
FILMER, Sir Edmund, 8 Baronet. b. 14 June 1809; succeeded his uncle 15 July 1834; M.P. for West Kent 1838 to death. d. East Sutton place near Maidstone 8 Jany. 1857.
FILMER, Sir Edmund, 9 Baronet (eld. son of the preceding). b. 11 July 1835; ed. at Eton; M.P. for West Kent 1859–65, for Mid Kent 1880–84; sheriff of Kent 1870. d. Brighton 17 Dec. 1886.
FINCH, Francis Oliver (only child of Francis Finch of Friday st. London, merchant, who d. 25 March 1805 aged 50). b. Friday st. 22 Nov. 1802; pupil of John Varley 1814–19; studied at Sass’s life academy and produced some portraits; exhibited 14 landscapes at R.A. 1817–32; associate of S.P.W.C. 11 Feb. 1822, mem. 4 June 1827; a musician and a poet; lost the use of his limbs 10 Oct. 1861; author of An Artist’s Dream; Sonnets 1863. d. Highfield villas, London 27 Aug. 1862. Memorials of the late F. O. Finch [by his widow] 1865, portrait.
FINCH, George. b. 1794; M.P. for Lymington, Hants. 1818–19, for Stamford 1833–37, for Rutland 1846–47. d. 41 South st. London 29 June 1870.
FINCH, John (4 son of 4 Earl of Aylesford 1751–1812). b. 13 March 1793; cornet 15 dragoons 5 Oct. 1809; major Royal West India Rangers 5 March 1818 to 25 June 1819 when placed on h.p.; L.G. 20 Feb. 1855; col. 24 foot 19 June 1856 to death; C.B. 26 Dec. 1818. d. Dover 25 Nov. 1861.
FINCHAM, John. Master shipwright of Portsmouth dockyard 2 Oct. 1844 to 2 July 1852; superintendent of school of naval architecture Portsmouth; built the celebrated “Arrogant” the first screw frigate in the British navy 1850; author of A history of naval architecture 1851; A treatise on masting ships 1854. d. Highland lodge near Portsmouth 15 Dec. 1859 aged 74.
FINDEN, Edward Francis. b. 1791; pupil and coadjutor of William Finden sharing his successes and fortunes; among his separate works were etchings for Duppa’s Miscellaneous Opinions on the Continent 1825 and Illustrations of the Vaudois 1831; illustrator of annuals, books of beauty and other sentimental works; among his separate engravings were Gainsborough’s Harvest Waggon, Collins’ As Happy as a King, Westall’s Princess Victoria. d. St. John’s Wood, London 9 Feb. 1857 aged 65.
FINDEN, William (brother of the preceding). b. 1787; apprentice to James Mitan engraver; he worked chiefly in conjunction with his brother E. F. Finden; made engravings illustrating the books published by Sharpe, Sutton and others; established a school of pupils who worked under their directions and executed much of the work which goes by their name, they themselves giving the finishing touches; produced illustrations to H. Ellis’ ed. of Dugdale’s History of St. Paul’s 1818 and Dibdin’s Ædes Althorpianæ 1822; with his brother engraved Elgin marbles for British museum; published on their own account the illustrations to Moore’s Life and works of Byron 1833; brought out The Royal Gallery of British Art 1838–1840, Nos. 1–15, an admirable work in which they lost all their money; engraved full length portrait of George iv, after Sir T. Lawrence and other important single works; the Crucifixion, after W. Hilton, Finden’s last work was purchased by Art Union for £1470. d. 49 Camden st. Camden Town 20 Sep. 1852 in 65 year. bur. Highgate.
FINDLATER, Andrew. b. Aberdour, Aberdeenshire 1810; educ. Aberdeen univ. LLD. 1864; sch. master at Tillydesk; head master Gordon’s hospital, Aberdeen; commenced a life long connection with W. and R. Chambers 1853; edited Information for the People 1857; Chambers’s Encyclopædia 1860; prepared for the Educational Course, manuals on language, astronomy, physical geography and physiography, edited their Etymological Dictionary 1882; contributed an essay on Epicurus to Encyclopædia Metropolitana, and articles in the Scotsman. d. 15 Rillbank terrace, Edinburgh 1 Jany. 1885. London Figaro 17 Jany. 1885 p. 4, portrait.
FINDLAY, Alexander. Entered the army as private; ensign 2 West India regiment 27 July 1814, captain 24 Oct. 1821 to 28 Dec. 1826; major royal African corps 28 Dec. 1826 to 19 March 1829 when placed on h.p.; governor of Sierra Leone; fort major at Fort George, Inverness, Feb. 1847 to death; K.H. 1836. d. Fort George 10 May 1851.
FINDLAY, Alexander George (son of Alexander Findlay b. London 1790, an original F.R.G.S. 1830, made an atlas sheet of environs of London 1829 to a distance of 32 miles from St. Paul’s ½ inch scale, d. 1870). b. London 9 Jany. 1812; geographer and hydrographer succeeding on death of John Purdy in 1843 to the first position in this business; produced six nautical directories invaluable to the maritime world; received Soc. of Arts medal for dissertation on the English lighthouse system; F.R.G.S. 1844, member of Arctic committee and instrumental in government sending out Alert and Discovery expedition 1875; succeeded to Laurie’s geographical and print publishing business in 1858 and on dispersal of navigating business of Van Kenlen of Amsterdam in 1885 it became the oldest firm in Europe for charts and nautical works; foreign hon. memb. of Società Geografica Italiana 1870; author of A directory for the navigation of the Pacific Ocean 2 vols. 1851 and many other books. d. East Cliff, Dover 3 May 1875.
FINGALL, Arthur James Plunkett, 9 Earl of (only son of 8 Earl of Fingall 1759–1836). b. Geneva 29 March 1791; M.P. for co. Meath 1830–32; P.C. Ireland 1834; K.P. 12 Oct. 1846; lord lieut. of co. Meath 1849 to death. d. 47 Montagu sq. London 21 April 1869.
FINLAISON, John (son of Donald Finlaison d. 1790). b. Thurso, Caithness 27 Aug. 1783; factor to Sir B. Dunbar 1802; employed by board of naval revision London, July 1805, first clerk 1805–8, invented systems for reforming victualling department and arranging admiralty records 1809; keeper of records and librarian of admiralty 1809–22; compiled the original account of the enemy’s naval forces 1811; investigated abuse of sixpenny revenue at Greenwich hospital 1811; founded a system for the salaries in the admiralty 1813; compiled first official navy list 1814 and edited it monthly to 1821; his plan for fund for widows and orphans of civil department of navy established 17 Sep. 1819; connected with London Life Assurance Co. and other offices as actuary; made improvements on Northampton tables of mortality 1829; computed the annuity for the naval and military half pay and pensions, being the only person who could do it 1823; actuary and accountant of check department national debt office 1 Jany. 1822 to Aug. 1851; president of Institution of Actuaries 1847 to death. d. 15 Lansdowne crescent, Notting hill, London 13 April 1860. Assurance magazine, April 1862, 147–69; Walford’s Insurance cyclopædia iii, 300–303 (1874).
Note.—In 1833 he computed the duration of Slave and Creole life, with reference to the emancipation of slaves on the West Indian plantations, preliminary to raising a loan of £15,000,000 to compensate the slave owners, which was carried out and 770,280 slaves became free on 1 Aug. 1834.
FINLAY, Alexander Struthers. b. 21 July 1806; ed. at Harrow and Glasgow Univ.; M.P. for Argyllshire 1857–68; author of Our monetary system 1864. d. Castle Toward, Greenock 9 June 1886.
FINLAY, Francis Dalzell (son of John Finlay, tenant farmer). b. Newtownards, co. Down 12 July 1794; apprentice to a printer at Belfast; master printer 1820; founded Northern Whig 1824; often prosecuted for press offences; imprisoned 3 months in 1826 and his newspaper suspended Aug. 1826 to May 1827; imprisoned 3 months in 1832 and fined £50; a friend of D. O’Connell but not an advocate of repeal. d. Glenarm, co. Antrim 10 Sep. 1857. Freeman’s Journal 12 Sept. 1857 p. 4.
FINLAY, George (son of John Finlay, captain R.E., F.R.S., who d. 1802). b. Faversham, Kent 21 Dec. 1799; studied law in Glasgow, at univ. of Göttingen 1821; went to Greece in 1823 where he was very intimate with Byron; joined Odysseus in an expedition into the Morea 1824, fought in the war of 1824–27; purchased an estate in Attica 1828 in which he lost his money; studied the history of Greece for many years; author of Greece under the Romans 1844; The history of Greece to its conquest by the Turks 1851; The history of Greece under the Ottoman and Venetian domination 1856; History of the Greek Revolution 1861, all republished collectively as A History of Greece, ed. H. F. Tozer 7 vols. 1877. d. Athens 26 Jany. 1875.
FINLAY, Sir Thomas (youngest son of David Finlay). b. 1803; high sheriff of co. Cavan 1837; knighted 1837. d. 19 Adelaide road north, Hampstead 22 Oct. 1869.
FINLAYSON, John. b. Scotland 1770; a writer at Cupar-Fife and then in Edinburgh; a house agent in London 1798; became a believer in Richard Brothers 1797; obtained Brothers’s release from Fisher house asylum Islington 14 April 1806, Brothers resided in Finlayson’s house Upper Baker st. Marylebone 1815 to his decease 25 Jany. 1824; claimed from the government £5710 for Brothers’s maintenance, but all he received was £270 Brothers’s naval half pay 4 Mch. 1830; reduced to poverty and lived on a parish allowance; author of An admonition to the people of all countries [in support of Richard Brothers], Edin. 1797; An essay [on the First Resurrection] 1798; The last trumpet and the flying angel, the true system as given by God to R. Brothers and myself 1849 and other works; engraved 9 sheets of the ground plan of the New Jerusalem and 12 sheets of views of its public buildings for Brothers’ publications; found dead 14 Paradise st. Marylebone 20 Sept. 1854. bur. in Brothers’ grave at St. John’s Wood.
FINLAYSON, Rev. Thomas (2 son of Thomas Finlayson of Coldock, Blair Drummond, Perthshire, farmer). b. Coldock 22 Dec. 1809; licensed by presbytery of Stirling and Falkirk as a preacher of the gospel April 1835; min. of Union st. congregation Greenock, Nov. 1835 to Sep. 1847; min. of Rose st. church, Edinburgh, Sep. 1847 to death; moderator of supreme court of his church 1867; D.D. Univ. of Edin. 1867 or 1868; edited Beattie’s Poems 1864; Goldsmith’s Poems 1871. d. of heart disease at Campbeltown 17 Oct. 1872. bur. Grange cemetery, Edinburgh 22 Oct. Memorials of Rev. Thomas Finlayson, D.D. Edinburgh 1873; John Smith’s Our Scottish clergy 2 series (1849) 295–301.
FINNELLY, William. Barrister M.T. 26 Jany. 1827; author with Charles Clark of Reports of cases in the House of Lords on appeals and writs of error 1831–1846, 12 vols. 1835–47, and of House of Lords cases on appeals and writs of error, claims of peerage and divorces 1847–1850, 2 vols. 1849–51; found dead on the floor of his sitting room at 20 Old sq. Lincoln’s Inn 23 Nov. 1851 aged 52. Law Times 29 Nov. 1851 p. 103.
FINNIS, Thomas Quested (son of Robert Finnis of Hythe, Kent). b. Hythe, Jany. 1801; partner in firm of Finnis and Fisher 79 Great Tower st. London, provision merchants; the first pioneer of commerce to port of Bussorah; alderman of Lower Ward 18 Jany. 1848; sheriff of London 1848–49, lord mayor 1856–57. d. Park Gate, Wanstead, Essex 29 Nov. 1883. J. E. Ritchie’s Famous city men (1884) 96–105; Illust. news of the world ii, 333 (1858), portrait; I.L.N. xxix, 479 (1856), portrait, lxxxiii, 581 (1883), portrait.
Note.—His brother John Finnis, lieut. col. 11 Bengal N.I. was the first English officer killed in the Sepoy mutiny, at Meerut 10 May 1857 in 54 year, memorial tablet in church of St. Dunstan in the East, London.
FIRBANK, Joseph. b. Bishop Auckland 1819; worked in a colliery 1826; executed works for North Western railway 1848; contractor for maintenance of Monmouthshire railway 1854–61; railway contractor in South Wales 30 years; contractor for widening of London and North Western railway near London 1859–66, for Midland Company’s Bedford and London extension 1864–68 and their Settle and Carlisle extension 1870; built St. Pancras goods depot for Midland 1884; promoted the interest of his workmen; J.P. and D.L. for co. Monmouth. d. St. Julian’s, Newport 29 June 1886. Mc. Dermott’s Life of J. Firbank (1887).
FIRTH, Joseph Firth Bottomley- (eld. son of Joseph Bottomley of Matlock). b. near Huddersfield 21 Feb. 1842; barrister M.T. 6 June 1866; pres. of Municipal reform league; assumed additional surname of Firth by r.l. Feb. 1873; LL.B. Univ. of London 1875; member of London school board (Chelsea division) 1876–79; M.P. for Chelsea 1880–85, for Dundee 1888 to death; contested North Kensington 1885, received invitations from 13 of the London boroughs to stand for parliament at general election 1886; member of London county council 17 Jany. 1889, deputy chairman 12 Feb. 1889 to death; author of Gas supply of London 1874; Municipal London 1876. d. whilst ascending the Flégère mountain near Chamounix 3 Sep. 1889. Graphic xxv, 153 (1882), 2 portraits; I.L.N. 14 Sep. 1889 pp. 325, 326, portrait.
FIRTH, Mark (elder son of Thomas Firth of Sheffield, steel manufacturer, who d. 1848). b. Sheffield 25 April 1819; worked as a steel smelter for 20/– a week; a steel manufacturer at Sheffield with his father and brother Thomas 1843, they erected the Norfolk works covering 13 acres 1849; master cutler 1867–69; mayor of Sheffield 1875; erected the Mark Firth almshouses at Ranmoor, Sheffield at cost of £30,000, 1869; gave the Firth park of 36 acres to town of Sheffield, park was opened by Prince of Wales 16 Aug. 1875; erected and fitted up Firth college, Sheffield at cost of £20,000, opened by Prince Leopold 20 Oct. 1879, he also endowed it at cost of £5000; famous for castings for gun blocks, and for their refined steel; cast the steel cores for the government great guns; supplied to Italian government a 100 ton gun. d. Oakbrook, Sheffield 28 Nov. 1880, personalty sworn under £600,000, Jany. 1881. Practical mag. vi, 289–91 (1876), portrait; I.L.N. lxvii, 208 (1875), portrait.