Modern English biography

Andrew. _Mrs. Houstoun’s Letters and reminiscences of the rev. John Mitford_ (1891); _Mrs. Houstoun’s Woman’s memories_, _i_ 122–5, 178–204. NOTE.--His collection of silver Greek coins, cameos and miniatures was sold by Sotheby and Wilkinson 30 June 1859; his engravings and drawings 23–25 July 1859; his Greek and Latin classics 17–24 Dec. 1859 for £1030; his library of English history, plays and poetry was sold 24 April to 6 May 1860 for £2999; and his manuscripts, including 55 vols. of his own recollections on 9 July 1860 producing £817. MITFORD, MARY RUSSELL (only child of George Mitford or Midford. _d._ 11 Dec. 1842). _b._ Alresford, Hampshire 16 Dec. 1787; drew a prize in a lottery worth £20,000, 1797; ed. at Mrs. St. Quintin’s school 22 Hans place, London 1798 to 1802; one of 114 persons who competed for the poetical address to be spoken at opening of Drury Lane theatre 10 Oct. 1812; lived at Three Mile Cross near Reading 1820 to 1851, and at Swallowfield near Reading 1851 to death; granted civil list pension of £100, 1837; edited Finden’s Tableaux, an annual 1838–41; author of 4 tragedies, Julian produced at Covent Garden 15 March 1823; Foscari at C.G. 4 Nov. 1826; Rienzi at Drury Lane 9 Oct. 1828; Charles I. at Victoria theatre 9 July 1834; she also wrote Mary Queen of Scots, a scena in verse 1831, and an opera libretto Sadak and Kalasrade produced 1835, her plays were published in 2 vols. 1854; author of Miscellaneous poems 1810, 2 ed. 1811; Blanch of Castile 1812; Our village, sketches of rural character and scenery 5 vols. 1824–32, 5 ed. 1856, reprinted from The Lady’s magazine 1819 &c., which made her famous, children were named after her village urchins; Dramatic scenes, sonnets and other poems 1827; Belford Regis or sketches of a country town 3 vols. 1835, 3 ed. 1849; Recollections of a literary life 3 vols. 1852, 4 ed. 1859; Atherton and other tales 3 vols. 1854. _d._ Swallowfield 10 Jany. 1855. _Life of M. R. Mitford_, _edited by rev. A. G. L’Estrange_ 3 _vols._ (1870); _Friendships of M. R. Mitford_, _edited by rev. A. G. L’Estrange_ (1882); _M. R. Mitford’s Recollections of a literary life_ (1859), _portrait_; _James Payn’s Literary recollections_ (1885) 74–97; _H. F. Chorley’s The authors of England_ (1861) 63–66, _portrait_; _Yesterdays with authors. By James T. Fields_ (_Boston_ 1873) 261–352; _A book of memories. By S. C. Hall_ (1877) 438–49; _H. Martineau’s Biographical sketches_ (1876) 353–59; _S. T. Hall’s Biographical sketches_ (1873) 96–108; _Maclise portrait gallery_ (1883) 355, 379, _portrait_; _I.L.N. xxiv_ 369, 370 (1854) _portrait_, _xxvi_ 60 (1855). MITFORD, _William Townley_ (only son of Charles Mitford, treasurer of Sussex, _d._ 1831). _b._ 29 June 1817; ed. at Eton and Oriel coll. Oxf., B.A. 1839; sheriff of Sussex 1848; M.P. Midhurst, Sussex 1859–74; contested Midhurst 3 Feb. 1874. _d._ 7 Cavendish sq. London 18 April 1889. MIVART, JAMES EDWARD. _b._ 1781; proprietor of Mivart’s hotel 42–45 Brook st. Grosvenor sq. London 1816–56, now called Claridge’s hotel. _d._ 10 College crescent, St. John’s wood, London 5 Jany. 1856. MOBERLY, GEORGE (7 son of Edward Moberly of St. Petersburg, Russia, merchant). _b._ St. Petersburg 20 Oct. 1803; ed. at Winchester 1816–22 and Balliol coll. Oxf., scholar March 1822, fellow 1826–34, tutor; B.A. 1825, M.A. 1828, D.C.L. 1836; select preacher 1833, 1858 and 1863; Bampton lecturer 1868; head master of Winchester Dec. 1835 to Dec. 1866, fellow Dec. 1866 to 1870; R. of Brightstone, Isle of Wight, Dec. 1866 to 1869; canon of Chester cathedral Oct. 1868 to Sep. 1869; bishop of Salisbury 14 Aug. 1869, consecrated 28 Oct. 1869; founded a diocesan synod; with four other persons he revised and annotated editions of St. John’s Gospel, and the epistles to the Romans, Corinthians and Galations 1857–61; author of Practical sermons 1838; The sayings of the great forty days 1844, 6 ed. 1882; Sermons preached at Winchester college 1844, Second series with a preface on Fagging 1848; The administration of the Holy spirit in the body of Christ. Bampton lectures 1868; Brightstone sermons 1869, 4 ed. 1882; his name is annexed to upwards of 35 works. _d._ Salisbury 6 July 1885. _H. C. Adams’s History of Winchester College_ (1878) 210–12, 239–48; _I.L.N. lv_ 437 (1869), _portrait_; _Saturday Review_, _lx_ 47. MOBERLY, HENRY. Entered Madras army 1805; lieut. 10 Madras N.I. 15 Oct. 1809; lieut. 25 N.I. 1 Sep. 1818; captain 49 N.I. 1 May 1824, major 9 April 1838 to 18 April 1842; sec. of Madras military board 1835–43; lieut.-col. 8 N.I. 18 April 1842 to 1843, of 9 N.I. 1843–5, and of 16 N.I. 1845–6; stipendiary member of military board 17 Nov. 1843 to death; lieut.-col. of 29 N.I. 1846–7, of 8 N.I. 1847–9, and of 22 N.I. 1849 to death. _d._ Madras 5 July 1852. MOFFATT, GEORGE (son of William Moffatt of London). _b._ 1810; wholesale tea dealer in London and Liverpool; chairman of Lhynvi iron and coal co.; contested Ipswich 3 June 1842 and Dartmouth 27 Dec 1844; M.P. Dartmouth 1845–52; M.P. Ashburton 1852–9; M.P. Honiton 1860–5; M.P. Southampton 1865–8; author of The Bankruptcy law of England. _d._ Torquay 20 Feb. 1878; personalty under £350,000, 27 April 1878. _Sir Henry Cole’s Life_, _i_ 36, _ii_ 101 (1884). MOFFAT, ROBERT (son of a custom house officer). _b._ Ormiston, East Lothian 21 Dec. 1795; apprenticed to a gardener 1809–12; under-gardener at Mr. Leigh’s, High Leigh, Cheshire Dec. 1813 to Dec. 1815; a missionary under the London missionary soc. from 1816, arrived at Cape Town 13 Jany. 1817, travelled in Namaqualand 1817–8; superintendent at Lattakoo 1820–5, at Kuruman 1825–70; visited England 1839–43; persuaded Livingstone to undertake the Bakwana mission 1840; was the pioneer of South African missionary work; left Africa for England 10 June 1870; D.D. Edinb. April 1872; presented with upwards of £5,000 by his friends 1873; presented with freedom and livery of the Turners’ company 20 Dec. 1877; entertained at the mansion house, London 7 May 1881; (_m._ at St. George’s church, Cape Town 27 Dec. 1819 Mary only dau. of James Smith of Dukinfield near Manchester nursery gardener, she was _b._ at New Windsor, now part of Salford, 1795 and _d._ Brinton, London 9 Jany 1871 after being for 50 years one of the pioneers of South African mission work); author of Translation of the gospel of St. Luke into Sechwana 1830, Missionary labours and scenes in Southern Africa 1842 and 9 other books. _d._ Leigh near Tunbridge 10 Aug. 1883. _bur._ Norwood cemet. 16 Aug., memorial monument at Ormiston. _J. S. Moffatt’s The lives of Robert and Mary Moffatt_ (1886), _portraits of Mr. & Mrs. Moffatt_; _A. Manning’s Heroes of the desert_ (1885), _portrait_; _J. Campbell’s Farewell services of R. Moffatt_ (1843); _I.L.N. lx_ 452 (1872), _portrait_; _Graphic xxviii_ 192 (1883), _portrait_. MOFFITT, ANDREW. _b._ 11 Jany. 1836; assistant surgeon in army 25 May 1858, surgeon 1 March 1873, surgeon major 1 April 1873; principal medical officer of the Ever Victorious army in China 1863; author of A manual of instruction for attendants on sick and wounded in war 1870. _d._ Southampton 3 Feb. 1882. _Graphic_, _xxix_ 244 (1884), _portrait_. MOFFITT, JOHN M. _b._ England 1837; apprenticed to a sculptor in London 1852; went to U.S. of America at end of his apprenticeship; executed the figures representing the four ages of man on the eastern entrance to Greenwood cemetery, New York; designed many of the altars in New York churches. _d._ London 15 Sep. 1887. MOGFORD, JOHN. _b._ 1822; landscape painter principally of coast scenes; associate of New Society of Painters in water-colours 1866 and member 1867; lived at 17 Park road, Hampstead 1867 to death; exhibited 32 landscapes at R.A., 28 at B.I. and 20 at Suffolk st. 1846–79. _d._ 17 Park road, Hampstead, Nov. 1885. MOGFORD, THOMAS (son of a veterinary surgeon at Northlew, Devonshire). _b._ Exeter 1 May 1809; printer at Exeter to about 1843 when he moved to London; a landscape painter in Guernsey, where he founded a school of painting; exhibited 43 pictures at R.A., 11 at B.A. and 23 at Suffolk st. 1838–61; his portraits include E. H. Baily, R.A., Samuel Cousins the engraver, and J. C. Adams the astronomer. _d._ Guernsey 1868. _G. Pycroft’s Art in Devonshire_ (1883) 90–6. MOGRIDGE, GEORGE (son of Mathias Mogridge of Ashted, Birmingham, canal agent). _b._ Ashted 17 Feb. 1787; an apprentice to a japanner 1801; partner with his elder brother Mathias Mogridge in the Japan trade at Birmingham 1811, his brother retired from the business with a fortune, and he became a bankrupt 1826; commenced a literary life 1826; author of Twelve moral tales by Uncle Newbury 1828; The moral budget of my Aunt Newbury 1835; Ephraim Holding’s Homely hints to Sunday school teachers 1843; Cheerful chapters adapted to youth, by Old Alan Gray 1854; The Chinese, by Uncle Adam 1845; under the names of Old Humphrey 1839 etc., and Peter Parley 1836 etc., he also wrote very numerous books; wrote under his own name The churchyard lyrist, five hundred original inscriptions 1832; Footprints of popery, or places where martyrs have suffered 1843; Amos Armfield or leather covered bibles 1845; Learning to act 1846; Wanderings in the Isle of Wight 1846; Things that have wings 1851; Sunny seasons of boyhood 1859; Who is my neighbour 1868, and 50 other books many of them anonymous; for the Religious Tract soc. he wrote 106 books and tracts; resided at 114 Cornwall road, London. _d._ 4 High Wickham, Hastings 2 Nov. 1854. _C. Williams’s George Mogridge, his life, character and writings_ (1856), _portrait_; _Memoir of Old Humphrey_ (1855), _portrait_. MOHL, MARY ELIZABETH (dau. of Charles Clarke). _b._ Millbank row, Westminster 1793; placed in a convent school at Toulouse 1801; lived in Paris with her mother; great friend of Madame Récamier for 18 years; _m._ 1847 Julius Mohl the orientalist 1800–76; her receptions in the Rue du Bac, Paris were very popular for nearly 40 years, her friends included Quinet, De Tocqueville, Guizot, Thiers and Renan; author of Madame Récamier, with a sketch of the history of society in France by Madame Mxxx. 1862; Le livre des Rois, par Abou ’lkasim Firdousi traduit et commenté par J. Mohl, Publié par Mme Mohl. 7 vols. 1876–8. _d._ Paris 15 May 1883. _bur._ Père-Lachaise cemetery. _M. C. M. Simpson’s Letters of G. and M. Mohl_ (1887), _portrait_; _K. O’Meara’s Madame Mohl_ (1886), _portrait_; _Contemporary review Aug. 1878 pp._ 1–21; _F. W. Muller’s Biographical Essays_ (1884) 272–310. MOIR, DAVID MACBETH (son of Robert Moir d. 1817). _b._ Musselburgh near Edinburgh 5 Jany. 1798; studied medicine in Edinburgh, M.R.C.S. 1816; partner with Dr. Brown at Musselburgh 1817 and in practice there to death; wrote jeux d’esprit in Blackwood’s magazine, also essays and serious verse over the signature Δ; wrote for Fraser’s magazine and other periodicals; author of The bombardment of Algiers and other poems 1816, anon.; The legend of Genevieve, with other tales and poems 1824; The autobiography of Mansie Wauch 1828; Outlines of the ancient history of medicine 1831; Proofs of the contagion of malignant cholera 1832; Domestic verses 1843; edited The works of Mrs. Hemans 7 vols. 1839. _d._ King’s Arms inn, Dumfries 6 July 1851. _bur._ at Inveresk, statue by Ritchie erected at Musselburgh 1854. _m._ 8 June 1829 Catherine Elizabeth youngest dau. of Charles Bell of Leith, she was granted civil list pension of £100, 6 Oct. 1853. _The poetical works of D. M. Moir. Ed. by Thomas Aird_ 2 _vols._ _Edinb._ (1852), _memoir i pp. xv–cxxxii_, _portrait_; _Blackwood’s Mag. Aug. 1851 pp._ 249–50; _Fraser’s Mag. Sep. 1833 p._ 290, _portrait_; _Maclise Portrait gallery_ (1883) 198–9, _portrait_. MOIR, GEORGE (son of George Moir). _b._ Aberdeen 1800; admitted advocate 2 July 1825; contributed to Blackwood’s Mag. from 1828; professor of rhetoric and belles lettres in univ. of Edinb. 1 Aug. 1835 to Oct. 1840, professor of Scots law 13 Feb. 1864 to 1865; sheriff of Ross and Cromarty 1855–8; sheriff of Stirlingshire 1858–68; translated Wallenstein, a dramatic poem by J. C. F. Von Schiller 2 vols. 1827, and The historical works of F. Schiller, Constable’s Miscellany 2 vols. 1828; author of The appellate jurisdiction of Scotch appeals 1851; Magic and witchcraft 1852; Principles of the law of Scotland, containing extracts from lectures of G. Moir 1870, 4 ed. 1886. _d._ Charlotte sq. Edinb. 19 Oct. 1870. _Grant’s Story of Univ. of Edinburgh_, _ii_ 359, 375 (1884); _Journal of jurisprudence_, _xiv_ 618 (1870). MOIR, JOHN MACRAE. _b._ Waterside of Thornton at the foot of the Grampians in Kincardineshire 1827; ed. Aberdeen univ., M.A.; went to London 1846; associated with journalism 1852; edited the Illustrated Times, London 9 June 1855 for 3 years; secretary of the Scottish corporation 1862 to death; the first editor of the Illustrated news of the world, No. i Feb. 6, 1858; the first editor of the People’s magazine 1867; London correspondent many years of the chief provincial newspapers; one of compilers of Men of the time; nonconformist minister at Worthing, Sussex; barrister M.T. 6 June 1864; often acted as deputy judge in the lord mayor’s court, and as deputy judge in the city of London court and other metropolitan county courts; a candidate for office of town clerk of city of London 1873, and for that of city remembrancer 1878; edited Capital punishment by John Macrae 1865 and Todesstraffe by Professor Mitteemaier 1862. _d._ Braefit, 116 King Henry’s road, South Hampstead 12 July 1881. _bur._ Hampstead cemet. 16 July. _The Biograph_, _Jany. 1881 pp._ 9–11; _Law Times_, _lxxi_ 236 (1881). MOLE, JOHN HENRY. _b._ Alnwick, Northumberland 1814; began painting miniatures 1835; painted landscapes and figure subjects in water-colours; associate of New Soc. of painters in water-colours 1847, member 1848, contributed to annual exhibitions of the society which became the Royal Institute of painters in water-colours 1884, vice pres. 1884; exhibited 11 figure subjects at R.A., 1 at B.I. and 2 at Suffolk st. 1845–80. _d._ 7 Guildford place, Russell sq. London 13 Dec. 1886. MOLESWORTH, JOHN EDWARD NASSAU (only son of John Molesworth). _b._ London 4 Feb. 1790; ed. at Greenwich and Trin. coll. Oxf.; B.A. 1812, M.A. 1817, B.D. and D.D. 1838; C. of Millbrook, Hampshire 1812–28; C. of Wicksworth, Derbyshire 1828 for two months only; V. of St. Martin’s with St. Paul, Canterbury 1829–39; one of the six preachers at Canterbury 1829; V. of Minster-in-Thanet 1839; V. of Rochdale 3 March 1840 to death; promoted the Rochdale vicarage act 1866 by which the 13 chapels of ease were converted into parish churches and their endowments raised; contributed to the British magazine and Encyclopædia Metropolitana; editor of The penny Sunday reader. Canterbury 14 vols. 1835–41, and of Common sense or everybody’s magazine 2 vols. 1842–43; author of The rick-burners, a tale 1830; Overbury, or some advantages of an established church, a tale 1834, 2 ed. 1860; The pulpit pocket companion and liturgical companion 1836; Resistance to church rates, a letter to the people of England 1836, 5 ed. 1854; The domestic chaplain, sermons on family duties 2 vols. 1838; The parish church 1842 and 30 other books. _d._ Rochdale vicarage 21 April 1877. _bur._ St. Martin’s, Castleton Moor, Lancs. _Raines’s Vicars of Rochdale_ (_Chetham Soc._ 1883), _ii_ 325–76. MOLESWORTH, JAMES THOMAS (brother of 7 Viscount Molesworth 1786–1875). _b._ 1795; lieut. 6 Bombay N.I. 4 April 1816; captain 11 Bombay N.I. 1 May 1824, retired 24 April 1837; second assistant commissary general 1827–35; author with Thomas and George Candy of Marathee-English and English-Marathee dictionary. Bombay 2 vols. 1831–47, he worked for six years preparing the second edition published 1857; never made use of his designation the honourable. _d._ Clifton 13 July 1872. _J. J. Higginbotham’s Men whom India has known_ (1874) 305–6. MOLESWORTH, SIR ROBERT (only son of Hickman Blayney Molesworth). _b._ Dublin 3 Nov. 1806; ed. Trin. coll. Dublin, B.A. 1826, M.A. 1833; called to the Irish bar at King’s Inns, Dublin 1828; emigrated to Adelaide 1852; admitted to the bar of Victoria, Australia 1853, solicitor general 25 Nov. 1855 to 17 June 1856; a puisne judge of the colony 17 June 1856, primary judge in equity 1857, retired 1886; chief judge in court of mines; knighted by patent 9 July 1886. _d._ Edlington, Hawthorne, Melbourne 17 Oct. 1890. MOLESWORTH, SIR WILLIAM, 8 Baronet (eld. son of sir Arscott Ourry Molesworth, 7 baronet 1789–1823). _b._ Upper Brook st. London 23 May 1810; entered at Trin. coll. Camb., expelled for challenging his tutor to fight a duel; finished his education at univ. of Edinb.; M.P. East Cornwall 1832–7; projected The London Review, April 1835, which he transferred to J. S. Mill 1837; on the first committee of the Reform club 1836; obtained a parliamentary committee to inquire into the system of transportation 1837 and wrote the report; M.P. Leeds 1837–41; M.P. Southwark 1845 to death; sheriff of Cornwall 1842; P.C. 28 Dec. 1852; first comr. of the board of works 5 Jany. 1853 to 2 July 1855; colonial secretary 21 July 1855 to death; F.R.S. 26 Nov. 1835; edited The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury 11 vols. 1839–45, also Hobbes’s Latin works 5 vols. 1839–45, which cost him £6,000. _d._ 87 Eaton place, London 22 Oct. 1855. _bur._ Kensal Green cemet. 27 Oct. _The philosophical radicals of 1832, comprising the life of Sir W. Molesworth, &c. By Mrs. Grote_ (1866); _Bates’s Maclise portrait gallery_ (1883) 416–19, _portrait_; _I.L.N. xviii_ 341, 342 (1851) _portrait_, _xxvii_ 489, 490 (1855) _portrait_. NOTE.--He _m._ July 1844 Andalusia only dau. of James Bruce Carstairs of county Kinross. She had _m._ (1) Temple West of Mathon lodge, Worcester, who _d._ 13 April 1839. She made her debut as a singer at Drury Lane as Diana Vernon in Rob Roy 5 Oct. 1827 under the stage name of Andalusia Grant. Her last appearance was as Hymen in ‘As you like it’ at Drury lane in 1841. She entertained literary men and others in London and at Pencarrow in Cornwall for many years. _d._ 87 Eaton place, London 16 May 1888. MOLESWORTH, WILLIAM NASSAU (eld. son of John Edward Nassau Molesworth 1790–1877). _b._ Millbrook near Southampton 8 Nov. 1816; ed. at King’s sch. Canterbury and St. John’s and Pembroke colleges, Cambridge; B.A. 1839, M.A. 1842; LL.D. Glasgow 1883; C. of Rochdale 1839–41; P.C. of St. Andrew’s ch. Ancoats, Manchester 1841–4; V. of St. Clement, Spotland near Rochdale 1844–89; hon. canon of Manchester cath. 1881; author of Secular education, an important element of religious education 1857; Essay on the French alliance 1860; Plain lectures on astronomy 1862; The history of the reform bill of 1832. 1864; Prize essay on the great importance of an improved system of education for the upper and middle classes 1867; The history of England from