Modern English biography

_Theatrical inquisitor_, _xi_ 395–9 (1817), _portrait_; _J. N. Ireland’s New York stage_, _i_ 329, 350 (1866). MAZZINGHI, THOMAS JOHN (only son of Dominick Peter Mazzinghi of London). _b._ 13 Nov. 1810; ed. at Charterhouse and Trin. coll. Camb., B.A. 1832, M.A. 1835; barrister I.T. 28 Jany. 1842; served under Indian law commission 1865–9; librarian of the William Salt library, Stafford, Feb. 1873 to Dec. 1892; author of A brief notice of some recent researches respecting Dante Alighieri 1844; Index catalogue of the William Salt library 1878; Sanctuaries. Stafford 1878. _d._ Walton lodge near Stafford 19 Feb. 1893. MAZZINI, GIUSEPPE (son of Giacomo Mazzini a physician). _b._ Strada Lomellini, Genoa 22 June 1805; attempted insurrections in Sardinia 1833–4; expelled from Switzerland 1836; came to London Jany. 1837; wrote literary articles for London reviews; founded and conducted a school for mendicant organ-boys; originated an association of Italian workmen 1840; his letters were opened by the English government 1844; fought under Garibaldi against Austria 1848; dictator at Rome as triumvir with Armelli and Saffi, March 1849 to June 1850; president in London of National Italian committee 1850, through which he promoted the risings of 1852 and 1853; directed preparations for abortive revolution at Genoa 1857, for which he was condemned to death 1857, this sentence was cancelled 1866 but he refused the pardon; edited Pensiero ed Azione. London 1858–60; author of Italy, Austria and the Pope 1845; Two letters to the people of England on the war 1855; The duties of man 1862; Life and writings 6 vols. 1864–70 and 40 other books, there were also 50 books written about him and his career 1848–91. _d._ Pisa 10 March 1872. _bur._ Genoa. _E. A. Venturi’s Joseph Mazzini_ (1875), 2 _portraits_; _Joseph Mazzini, his life. New York_ (1872), _portrait_; _Illust. news of the world_ (1862), _portrait_; _Reynolds’s Miscellany_, _xv_ 273 (1856), _portrait_. MEAD, THOMAS, stage name of Thomas Prescott (son of a Methodist minister). _b._ Cambridge 22 Aug. 1819; ran away from home and first appeared on the stage as Orozembo in Pizarro at Devonport theatre 1841; played in the provinces 1841–8; first appeared in London at Victoria theatre as sir Giles Overreach 28 Nov. 1848; played at Surrey theatre 1849–52 and leading parts at Drury Lane 1852–4; shared the lead with T. Swinbourne at T.R. Manchester 1854; a prominent member of Mrs. Seymour’s company at St. James’s theatre, played duke of Richmond in Taylor and Reade’s King’s Rival opening night 2 Oct. 1854; played at Queen’s theatre, Edinburgh, Jany. to July 1856; leading actor at New Grecian theatre 1858; played at Sadler’s Wells and Princess’s, where he was the original Isaac Levy in Charles Reade’s Never too late to mend 4 Oct. 1865; lessee and manager of Elephant and Castle theatre, London 1873–4 where his pantomime Babes in the wood was produced 26 Dec. 1873; played the leading part in Charles Reade’s drama Rachel the Reaper, at Queen’s theatre 9 March 1874; played in Shakespearian revivals at Lyceum theatre 1875 to death; his two best parts were the Priest in Louis XI. and the Ghost in Hamlet; author of The Coquette, 3 act play produced at Haymarket 8 July 1867; The lady of the Rose and other poems 1881, with portrait. _d._ New north road, Islington, London 17 Feb. 1889. _bur._ Highgate lower cemetery 22 Feb. _Tallis’s Drawing room table book_ (1851) _part_ 9, _portrait_; _The Players_, _i_ 193 (1860), _portrait_; _Theatre_, _xiii_ 172 (1889). MEADE, JAMES. _b._ 1822; acted as puisne justice Montserrat 1852, member of executive and legislative council 1861, colonial secretary and treasurer March 1865, member of the legislative council 1867, administered the government 1872; acting president of Montserrat 1882; in 1886 he was treasurer and registrar of the supreme court, registrar of deeds and of shipping and comptroller of customs. _d._ The Meadow, Montserrat 22 June 1890. MEADE, SIR RICHARD JOHN (son of John Meade, captain R.N.) _b._ 25 Sep. 1821; ensign 65 Bengal N.I. 3 Nov. 1838, major 1 Jany. 1862; served during Indian mutiny 1857–9 and captured the notorious rebel leader Tantia Topee 7 April 1859; lieut.-col. Bengal staff corps 12 Sep. 1866; placed on unemployed supernumerary list 1 July 1881; general 22 Jany. 1889; agent to governor general in Central India 1861–70; chief comr. Mysore 1870–5; special comr. Baroda 1875; resident Hyderabad 1876–81, chairman Hyderabad state railway company; C.S.I. 24 May 1866, K.C.S.I. 30 May 1874; C.I.E. 1 Jany. 1878. _d._ Hyères, France 20 March 1894. MEADE, ROBERT (2 son of 1 earl of Clanwilliam 1744–1800). _b._ 29 Feb. 1772; ensign 1 foot 7 Nov. 1787; captain 87 foot Sep. 1793; major in Ward’s regiment Oct. 1794 to 10 April 1801; lieut.-col. 31 foot 10 April 1801 to 8 June 1815; commanded the forces in Madeira 1809, was afterwards second in command at Cape of Good Hope; colonel 12 foot 9 Oct. 1823 to death; general 10 Jany. 1837. _d._ 48 Bryanston sq. London 11 July 1852. _I.L.N. xxi_ 46 (1852). MEADOWS, ALFRED (4 child of Charles Meadows). _b._ Ipswich 2 June 1833; ed. at Ipswich gr. sch. and King’s coll. London, associate, then fellow; matric. at Univ. of London 1853, M.B. 1857, M.D. 1858; entered King’s coll. medical sch. Oct. 1853; L.S.A. 1856; M.R.C.S. 1856; M.R.C.P. 1862, F.R.C.P. 1873; house phys. King’s coll. hospital 1856, assistant phys. for diseases of women and children 1860; phys. to hospital for women, Soho square 1863–74; phys. accoucheur St. Mary’s hospital 1871 to death; the first president of British Gynæcological Soc. 1884; attended crown prince of Sweden at Hopetoun house, Scotland 1878, commander of Swedish order of Wasa 1881; provost of the Guild of St. Luke; an energetic freemason and an officer in grand lodge; edited London Medical Review 1860; author of Manual of midwifery 1862, 4 ed. 1881, the 2 ed. was translated into Japanese 1875; The prescriber’s companion 1864, 6 ed. 1891; author with T. H. Tanner of A practical treatise on the diseases of infancy and childhood 2 ed. 1870, 3 ed. 1879; translated Bernutz and Goupil’s Clinical memoirs on the diseases of women, for the New Sydenham Soc. vols. 1 and 2, 1866. _d._ 27 George st. Hanover sq. London 18 April 1887. _bur._ Colnbrook, Bucks. _Midland medical miscellany ii_ 65–7 (1883), portrait; _British Gynæcological Journal_, _iii_ 343 (1887), _portrait_; _Biograph_, _v_ 68–76 (1881). MEADOWS, DRINKWATER. _b._ Yorkshire or Wales 1799; acted in Westmoreland and Yorkshire; played at Bath theatre 1817–21; first appeared in London as Scrub at Covent Garden 28 Sep. 1821; the original Timothy Quaint in Howard Payne’s Soldier’s Daughter, Nimpedo in Clari or the Maid of Milan 8 May 1823, Spado in Pride shall have a fall 11 March 1824, Robin in Poole’s Scapegoat 25 Nov. 1825, Raubvogel in Planché’s Returned Killed 31 Oct. 1826, Salewit in Planché’s Merchant’s Wedding 5 Feb. 1828, Oliver in Moncrieff’s Somnambulist 19 Feb. 1828, Bronze in Pocock’s Home sweet home 19 March 1829, Torpid in The night before the wedding and The wedding night 17 Nov. 1829; the original Fathom in Sheridan Knowles’s Hunchback 5 April 1832, and Bartolo in his The Wife 24 April 1833, both at Covent Garden; the original Philippe in Lovell’s Provost of Bruges, at Drury Lane 10 Feb. 1836; acted at Lyceum from 1844 and at Princess’s to 1862 when he retired; the original Boaz in Douglas Jerrold’s Prisoner of war, first given at Windsor castle 24 Jany. 1851; secretary to Covent Garden theatrical fund; a portrait of him as Raubvogel in Returned Killed is in the Matthews’ collection at the Garrick club; lived in White lion st. near High st. Islington many years; wrote William Blanchard, a sketch in Life of E. L. Blanchard, ii 645–54 (1891). _d._ Prairie cottage, The Green, Barnes, Surrey 12 June 1869. _The Era 11 June 1869 p._ 11, _col._ 1. MEADOWS, GEORGE DEARE (son of Dixon Meadows, captain H.E.I.Co.) _b._ London; L.R.C.S. Edinb. 1824; L.S.A. 1824, M.D. Edinb. 1824; member of royal medical society of Edinb. 1820; practised at Portsmouth many years as a partner with Dr. John Porter, his speciality being the diseases of women and children. _d._ St. George’s square, Portsea 22 April 1853. MEADOWS, JAMES (son of Wm. Meadows, comedian). _b._ Dublin 1798; an officer of the ship Kent 1818; resided in Calcutta some years, where he was well known as an amateur actor; scenic artist to many of the London theatres; exhibited 21 marine pictures at R.A., 14 at B.I. and 18 at Suffolk st. 1854–63. _d._ 12 Coborn st. Bow road, London 5 May 1863. _bur._ Trinity church, Bow road. _Era 17 May 1863 p._ 10. MEADOWS, JOSEPH KENNY (son of James Meadows, retired naval officer). _b._ Cardigan. _bapt._ 1 Nov. 1790; designed and lithographed the plates for Planché’s Costume of Shakespeare’s Historical tragedy of King John 1823, and for The heads of the people 1838–40; illustrated B. Cornwall’s ed. of Shakespeare 2 vols. 1839–43; illustrated many children’s books and the Christmas numbers of the Illustrated London News; exhibited 1 portrait at R.A. and 4 at Suffolk st. 1830–8; illustrated Hall’s Book of British ballads 1842; Punch’s Complete letter writer by Douglas Jerrold 1845; The illustrated Byron 1854–6, and many other books; granted civil list pension of £80, June 1864. _d._ 458 King’s road, Chelsea 19 Aug. 1874. _bur._ St. Pancras cemetery at Finchley 24 Aug. _G. Hodder’s Memories of my time_ (1870) 98–103. MEAGHER, THOMAS (son of Thomas Meagher of Waterford). _b._ 1796; mayor of Waterford 1843–5; M.P. Waterford 1847–57. _d._ 1874. MEAGHER, THOMAS FRANCIS (son of the preceding). _b._ city of Waterford 3 Aug. 1823; ed. at Clongowes Wood college, Kildare, and at Stonyhurst college, Lancs. 1834–43; an orator at meetings of the Repeal Association, from which he seceded 28 July 1846; called by Thackeray in The battle of Limerick (Works 1869, vol. xviii 179) ‘Meagher of the Sword,’ which sobriquet adhered to him; a founder of the Irish Confederation 13 Jany. 1847; contested city of Waterford 1 March 1848; a member of war committee of Irish Confederation 21 July 1848, went with Smith O’Brien through Ireland to organize a revolution, arrested in Tipperary 13 Aug., tried at Clonmel Oct. 1848 and sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered 23 Oct. 1848, sentence commuted to penal servitude for life 26 Oct., transported to Van Diemen’s Land July 1849, made his escape 4 Jany. 1852, arrived at New York 26 May 1852; lectured in the United States 1852–4; helped John Mitchell to found the Citizen newspaper in New York 7 Jany. 1854; admitted to New York bar Sep. 1855; published first number of the Irish News in New York 12 April 1856, the paper ceased July 1860; explored Central America 1857; raised a company of Zouaves for the 69th New York volunteers April 1861 and served with the army of the North in the first campaign in Virginia; organised the Irish brigade Nov. 1861, colonel of the first regiment, the command of entire brigade was subsequently given him Dec. 1861; brigadier general 3 Feb. 1862, lost greater part of his men at Fredericksburg 13 Dec. 1862, the rest of them at Chancellorsville 2 May 1863, resigned 14 May 1863; enrolled a Fenian 1863; brigadier general of volunteers 1864 and in command of the Etowah district; secretary of Montana territory July 1865, temporary governor Sep. 1866 to death; author of Speeches on the legislative independence of Ireland. New York 1853, portrait; Recollections of Ireland and the Irish; The last days of the 69th in Virginia. New York 1862, portrait, and of three articles in Harper’s New monthly mag.; fell from a steamboat into the Missouri and was drowned near Fort Benton, Montana 1 July 1867. _M. Cavanagh’s Memoirs of T. F. Meagher_ (1892), _portrait_; _W. F. Lyons’s Brigadier-General T. F. Meagher. New York_ (1870), _portrait_; _F. J. Bramhall’s Military Souvenir_ (1863), _portrait_ 51; _Sir C. G. Duffy’s Four years of Irish history_ (1883), _passim_; _Reynolds’s Miscellany_, _iii_ 481 (1848), _portrait_; _I.L.N. xii_ 323 (1848), _portrait_. MEAKIN, JOHN. _b._ Carlton near Nottingham 22 Dec. 1829; 5 feet 10½ inches high, running weight 12 stone; beat Steven Davy 100 yards 1843; enlisted in 95 foot May 1854, present at Sebastopol 1855, in India 1858, discharged at Chatham 8 May 1859 with a pension of 6d. a day for nine months; won Hospool’s All England handicap 140 yards £10, Dec. 1860; won J. Boothroyde’s All England handicap 115 yards £10, Oct. 1861; won All England handicap at Sheffield 220 yards £20, Dec. 1861; was beaten by A. Grinrod of Oldham 110 yards for the champion cup £25 a side; attacked by some men and kicked over the ankle and was not again able to run. _Illust. Sporting News 31 Jany. 1863 p._ 417, _portrait_. MEANS, JOSEPH CALROW (son of John Means, wine merchant, Rood lane, London). _b._ 29 Mark lane, London 20 May 1801; a teacher at Worship st. Finsbury sq. Sunday school 1818; _bapt._ by immersion at Deptford 1822; studied at Univ. coll. London 1828; preacher to afternoon congregation at Worship st. 1829, his congregation removed to Trinity place Oct. 1829 and subsequently to Coles st. Southwark, ceased to be preacher 1839; secretary to general baptist assembly 1831, one of their messengers 1834; edited The General Baptist Advocate 1831–6; minister of general baptist congregation at Chatham, Kent 1843; head master of Chatham proprietary school; minister at Worship st. London 1855 to Oct. 1874; author of Jesus the mercy seat: or a scriptural view of atonement 1838, and of many articles in Penny Cyclopædia, Christian Reformer, Inquirer, Biog. Dict. of the S.P.C.K. and Smith’s Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography. _d._ London 6 Feb. 1879. _Christian Life 15 Feb. 1879 pp._ 78 _et seq._; _Inquirer 15 Feb. 1879 pp._ 98 _et seq._ MEANY, STEPHEN JOSEPH. _b._ Ennis; a constable in Dublin, where he was dismissed; reporter on the Clare Journal, then on the Limerick Chronicle and afterwards on the Freeman’s Journal; travelling companion of Daniel O’Connell during repeal agitation; left O’Connell and joined the Young Ireland movement, a prisoner in Kilmainham gaol; editor of the Drogheda Argus 1854; started at Liverpool the Lancashire Free press; bankrupt 27 April 1860; connected with the foreign refreshment department of the Exhibition of 1862; sentenced to 18 months imprisonment at Middlesex sessions for obtaining goods under false pretences Oct. 1882; went to America and joined the Fenians; private sec. to Head-Centre Stephens, returned to London and was committed to Richmond gaol, Dublin for high treason Dec. 1886; author of Shreds of fancy, a volume of poems. Ennis 1841. _d._ New York 8 Feb. 1888. _bur._ Queenstown. _Newspaper Press_, _i_ 35, 44 (1867); _E. L. Blanchard’s Life_, _ii_ 617 (1891). MEARNS, DUNCAN (son of Alexander Mearns, minister of Cluny, Aberdeenshire). _b._ the manse of Cluny 23 Aug. 1779; ed. at King’s coll. Aberdeen, M.A. March 1795; studied in the divinity hall 1795–9; D.D.; assistant minister of parish of Tarves 13 Nov. 1799, then minister; professor of divinity Univ. and King’s coll. Aberdeen 12 Oct. 1816 to death; moderator of general assembly 1821; chaplain to the king for Scotland 1825 to death; author of Principles of christian evidence. Edinb. 1818; Report of speech in synod of Aberdeen on the settlement of ministers. Aberdeen 1834, 4 ed. 1840. _d._ 2 March 1852. _H. Scott’s Fasti_, _vol._ 1 _part_ 1 _p._ 397 (1866). MEATH, JOHN CHAMBRE BRABAZON, 10 Earl of (youngest son of 8 earl of Meath 1721–90). _b._ 9 April 1772; succeeded his brother the 9 earl 26 May 1797; K.P. 19 July 1821; lord lieut. of co. Dublin and custos rotulorum of co. Wicklow 1831; created baron Chaworth of Eaton hall, Hereford in peerage of United Kingdom 10 Sep. 1831; P.C. Ireland 1831. _d._ Great Malvern 15 March 1851. _G.M. xxxv_ 547 (1851). MEATH, WILLIAM BRABAZON, 11 Earl of (2 son of the preceding). _b._ Merrion sq. Dublin 25 Oct. 1803; styled lord Ardee or lord Brabazon 1826–51; M.P. co. Dublin 1830–32 and 1837–41; contested co. Dublin 22 Dec. 1832 and 16 July 1841; sheriff of Wicklow 1848 and lord lieutenant 1869 to death; col. Dublin county militia 10 May 1847 to 1881; succeeded as 11 earl 15 March 1851; built the town hall of Bray at his own expense; Mr. Gladstone on his first visit to Ireland stayed with him at Kilruddery. _d._ Kilruddery, Bray, Wicklow 26 May 1887. _bur._ at Bray, will proved Aug. 1887 above £25,000. _Times 27 May 1887 p._ 6, _3 June p._ 6. MECHI, JOHN JOSEPH (3 son of Giacomo Mechi). _b._ London 22 May 1802; clerk in a house in Walbrook in the Newfoundland trade 1818–28; a cutler at 130 Leadenhall st. 1828–30, at 4 Leadenhall st. 1830–69, partner with Charles Bazan 1859–69; cutler at 112 Regent st. 1869 to death; made a fortune by his magic razor strop 1830–40; purchased for £3400 a farm of about 130 acres at Tiptree Heath, Essex 1841, where he introduced deep drainage and use of steam power, so that it became a model farm; sheriff of London 1856, alderman for Lime st. ward 1858 to Aug. 1866; failed in business 14 Dec. 1880; author of Letters on agricultural improvements 1844; On the principles which ensure success in trade 1853, another ed. 1856; How to farm profitably 1859, 4 ed. 1864; On the sewerage of towns as it affects British agriculture 1860; Mr. Mechi’s Farm balance sheets, also his lectures and papers on farming 1867 and 12 other books. _d._ Tiptree hall, Essex 26 Dec. 1880. _Biograph_, _i_ 250–4 (1879); _I.L.N. xxx_ 337 (1857) _portrait_, _xxxi_ 317 (1857), _lxxviii_ 37 (1881) _portrait_; _Pictorial World 29 Jany. 1881 pp._ 355, 361, _portrait_. MECREDY, HENRY SANDYS. _b._ 1823; ed. at Trin. coll. Dublin, B.A. 1845, M.A. 1856; solicitor in Dublin 1845; vice president of Irish incorporated law society 1885; governor of Royal Irish academy of music; with C. A. Stanwell edited The Incorporated law society’s calendar. Dublin 1887. _d._ Colwyn Bay, North Wales 30 July 1891. MEDHURST, WALTER HENRY (son of William Medhurst of Ross, Scotland, innkeeper). _b._ London 29 April 1796; ed. at St. Paul’s sch. from 1807; went to Malacca as a missionary printer in service of London missionary soc. 1816; ordained at Malacca 27 April 1819; missionary in Penang 1820 and Batavia 1822–36; established an orphan asylum at Parapattan; worked in Batavia 1838–42, and at Shanghai 1842–56; D.D. from an American univ. 1843; one of the delegates to revise Chinese version of new testament June 1847 to July 1850 and of old testament 1851–3; edited G. Happart’s Dictionary of the Favorlang dialect of the Formosan language 1840; translated Ancient China, The Shoo-King or the historical classic 1846; The Chinaman abroad, an account of the Malayan archipelago by Ong-Tae-hae 1849; author of An English and Japanese and Japanese and English vocabulary. Batavia 1830; A dictionary of the Hok-Këèn dialect of the Chinese language. Macao 1832; China, its state and prospects 1838; Chinese and English dictionary 2 vols. Batavia 1842–3, and English and Chinese dictionary 2 vols. Shanghae 1847–8; Chinese dialogues. Shanghae 1844; left Shanghai 10 Sep. 1856, arrived in England 22 Jany. 1857. _d._ Pimlico, London 24 Jany. 1857. _bur._ Abney park cemetery 30 Jany. _J. O. Whitehouse’s Register of missionaries_ (1877) 41. MEDHURST, SIR WALTER HENRY (son of the preceding). _b._ Batavia, Java 3 Nov. 1822; attached to Sir Henry Pottinger’s suite Aug. 1841; present at taking of Amoy and Chusan; consular interpreter at Shanghai 7 Oct. 1843; consul at Foo-choo-foo 9 Nov. 1854, at Tangchow 21 Dec. 1858, at Hankow 25 Jany. 1864 and at Shanghai 23 July 1868, retired 1 Jany. 1877; knighted at Windsor castle 20 March 1877; helped to form British North Borneo company 1881, organised a system of emigration from China into the company’s territories 1882; author of Curiosities of street literature in China. Shanghai 1871; The foreigner in far Cathay 1872. _d._ Formosa, Torquay 26 Dec. 1885. MEDLEY, JOHN (only son of George Medley of Grosvenor place, Chelsea). _b._ London 19 Dec. 1804; ed. at Wadham coll. Oxf., B.A. 1826, M.A. 1830, B.D. and D.D. 1845; C. of Southleigh, Devon 1828–31; Inc. of St. John’s, Truro 1831–8; V. of St. Thomas, Exeter 1838–45; preb. of Exeter 8 April 1843 to May 1845; bishop of Frederickton, New Brunswick 24 April 1845 to death, consecrated in Lambeth palace chapel 4 May 1845, installed in his partly built cathedral 11 June 1845; metropolitan of Canada 11 Jany. 1879 to death; attended the Lambeth Pan-Anglican conference 1889; hon LL.D. Cambridge and D.D. Durham 1888; author of Advice to teachers in Sunday schools 1833; The episcopal form of church government 1835, 2 ed. 1837; Elementary remarks on Chinese architecture 1841; Sermons. Exeter 1845; with H. K. Cornish translated The homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Corinthians 2 vols. 1839. _d._ Frederickton 9 Sep.