Modern English biography, volume 1 (of 4), A-H by Frederic Boase

AYTOUN, ROBERT. _b._ Edinburgh 1799; ed. at Univ. of Edin.; a writer to the Signet; member of Royal Scottish society of arts 1826; read many papers; A.I.C.E. 1839; invented a safety cage for mines exhibited at great exhibition 1862. _d._ 9 Sep. 1876. AYTOUN, WILLIAM EDMONDSTOUNE. _b._ 21 Abercromby place, Edin. 21 June 1813; ed. at academy and univ. of Edin.; M.A. 1849; a writer to the Signet 1835; an advocate 1840; on the staff of Blackwood’s magazine 1839 to death, contributed more than 120 articles; professor of Rhetoric and Belles Lettres in Univ. of Edin. 22 Oct. 1845 to 1864, during which time he raised number of students from 30 to 1850; sheriff of Orkney and Zetland 29 May 1852; delivered 6 lectures on poetry and dramatic literature at Willis’s Rooms, London 1853; presided at Burns centenary festival at Ayr 25 Jany. 1859; hon. pres. of associated societies of Univ. of Edin. 1860; author of _Poland, Homer and other poems_ [_anon._] 1832; _Lays of the Scottish cavaliers and other poems_ 1848, _29 ed._ 1883; _Firmilian or the student of Badajoz, a spasmodic tragedy by T. Percy Jones_ [_pseud._] 1854; _Bon Gaultier ballads_ (with T. Martin) 1855, _13 ed._ 1877; _Bothwell, a poem in six parts_ 1856; edited _The ballads of Scotland 2 vols._ 1858, 4 ed. 1870. _d._ Blackhills near Elgin 4 Aug. 1865. _Theodore Martin’s Memoir of W. E. Aytoun_ 1867, _portrait_; _Crombie’s Modern Athenians_ 1882, _portrait_. B BABBAGE, BENJAMIN HERSCHELL (_eld. son of the succeeding_). Geologist of colony of South Australia; examined the country north and east of Adelaide for gold 1856; commanded an exploring party sent by Parliament of South Australia to Lake Torrens Feb. 1858 to 5 Nov. 1858. _d._ Adelaide 22 Oct. 1878 aged 63. _W. Howitt’s History of discovery ii_, 311–24 (1865); _Rev. J. E. T. Wood’s History of discovery ii_, 260–79 (1865). BABBAGE, CHARLES (_son of Benjamin Babbage of London, banker_). _b._ near Teignmouth, Devon 26 Dec. 1792; ed. at Enfield and Trinity and Peterhouse colleges Cam., B.A. 1814, M.A. 1817; F.R.S. 14 March 1816; a founder of Royal Astronomical Society 1820, one of its secs. 1820–24, vice pres., foreign sec and member of council successively; began his calculating machine 1823, suspended its construction 1833, after spending on it about £6,000 besides £17,000 granted him by Government; Lucasian professor of mathematics at Cambridge 1828–39 but delivered no lectures; a founder of British Association 1831, a trustee 1832–38, originated the statistical section at Cambridge meeting 1833; contested Finsbury as a radical Dec. 1832 and June 1834; chief founder of Statistical Society 15 March 1834, chairman 1835; author of _Table of logarithms of the natural numbers from 1 to 108,000_, 1827; _The decline of science in England_ 1830; _On the economy of manufactures_ 1832, _4 ed._ 1835; _The ninth Bridgewater treatise_ 1837, _2 ed._ 1838. _d._ 1 Dorset st. Portman sq. 18 Oct. 1871. _Babbage’s Passages from the life of a philosopher_ 1864; _Monthly notices of R. Astronom. soc. xxxii_, 101–109 (1872); _C. R. Weld’s History of royal society ii_, 369–91 (1848); _Edinburgh Review lix_, 263–327 (1834); _Journal of statistical soc. xxxiv_, 411–15 (1871); _I.L.N. lix_, 423 (1871), _portrait_; _Graphic iv_, 495 (1871), _portrait_. BABER, REV. HENRY HERVEY (_son of Thomas Baber of London, barrister_). _b._ 22 Aug. 1775; ed. at St. Paul’s sch. and All Soul’s coll. Ox., B.A. 1799, M.A. 1805; sub librarian of the Bodleian 1796; assistant librarian at British Museum 1807 and keeper of Printed books 1812–37; vice principal of St. Mary’s hall Ox. 1805; C. of St. Mary the Virgin Ox. 1805; R. of Stretham with Thetford, Cambridge 1827; F.R.S. 23 May 1816; one of founders of Royal society of literature 2 June 1823 which received a charter 13 Sep. 1826; editor of _Vetus testamentum Græcum e codice MS. Alexandrino_, _4 vols._ 1816–28. _d._ Stretham rectory 28 March 1868. BABINGTON, BENJAMIN GUY (_son of Wm. Babington of London, physician 1756–1833_). _b._ Guy’s Hospital 1794; ed. at the Charterhouse 1803–1807; midshipman R.N., served at Walcheren and Copenhagen 1809; in the Madras medical service 1812–19; studied at Guy’s Hospital and Pemb. coll. Cam., M.B. 1825, M.L. 1827, M.D. 1830, F.R.C.P. 1831; delivered Croonian and Lumleian lectures; F.R.S. 13 March 1828, on the council 1861–63; assistant phys. to Guy’s Hospital 1837 and phys. 1840–55; a founder of Sydenham Society 1843, treasurer 1843–58 when society was dissolved; chief founder of Epidemiological society Aug. 1850, pres. 1850–64; pres. of Royal Medical and Chirurgical society 1861; invented the Laryngoscope, made for him by an optician called Elsworthy and exhibited at Hunterian Society 18 March 1829; took out patents for pens 1843, and for preventing incrustation of boilers 1850; author of _Passing thoughts in sonnet_ [_anon._] 1855. _d._ 31 George st. Hanover sq. 8 April 1866 in 73 year. _Trans. of Epidemiological Society ii_, 160–67 _and_ 471–76 (1865–67). BABINGTON, CORNELIUS METCALFE STUART. _b._ India 1816; M.R.C.S. 1838, M.R.C.P. 1849, F.R.C.P. 1857; surgeon accoucheur to St. George’s and St. James’s dispensary London; phys. to Queen Charlotte’s Lying-in-hospital 1850 to death; a founder of Obstetrical Society 16 Dec. 1858, vice pres. 2 Jany. 1861. _d._ Hertford st. London 25 Jany. 1862. _Proc. of Royal Med. and Chir. society iv_, 86–88 (1864). BABINGTON, DAVID. Entered Madras army 1820; brigadier general in command of Malabar and Canara 17 Jany. 1862 to 3 Feb. 1865; L.G. 16 May 1872. _d._ Clifton 12 Aug. 1874. BABINGTON, GEORGE GISBORNE. _b._ 22 Jany. 1794; M.R.C.S. 1816, F.R.C.S. 1843; practised at Golden sq. London; surgeon to St. George’s hospital; delivered Hunterian oration at Royal college of surgeons 14 Feb. 1842. _d._ 13 Queen’s gardens, Hyde park 1 Jany. 1856. BABINGTON, WILLIAM KNOX. Brigadier general commanding northern district of Madras 29 Nov. 1867 to 1 Dec. 1868; L.G. 1 Oct. 1877. _d._ 48 Oxford terrace, Hyde Park 31 July 1878. BABY, DANIEL. Ensign 24 foot 9 Nov. 1797; captain 6 Aug. 1806 to 1 June 1826 when placed on h.p.; M.G. 31 Aug. 1855. _d._ 15 April 1858. BACHE, FRANCIS EDWARD (_eld. child of the succeeding_). _b._ Birmingham 14 Sep. 1833; pupil of Alfred Mellon; played violin in orchestra at Birmingham festivals 1846 and 1847; organist at All Saint’s Church Gordon sq. London Oct. 1850 to Oct. 1853; his first Overture was performed at Adelphi theatre Nov. 1850; composed many pianoforte pieces and songs; designed the organ in Hope st. church, Liverpool. _d._ Frederick st. Edgbaston, Birmingham 24 Aug. 1858. _The Christian Reformer xiv_, 713–19 (1858). BACHE, REV. SAMUEL. _b._ Bridgnorth 24 Dec. 1804; assistant in school of Rev. Lant Carpenter at Bristol; ed. at Manchester college, York 1826–29; unitarian minister at the old meeting Dudley 1829–32 and at the new meeting Moor st. Birmingham 1832–62 when it was sold and congregation moved to Church of the Messiah, Broad st. where he was minister 1862–68; kept a school at Birmingham many years; author of _Harmony of science and revelation_ 1839; _Exposition of Unitarian views of Christianity_ 1854; _Miracles the credentials of the Christ_ 1863 and 19 other publications, none of which are mentioned in _The English catalogue of books_, or _Allibone’s Dictionary_. _d._ Gloucester 7 Jany. 1876. _Beale’s Memorials of old meeting house Birmingham_ 1882. BACHHOFFNER, GEORGE HENRY. _b._ London 13 April 1810; originated and suggested scheme of Royal Polytechnic Institution, which was opened 6 Aug. 1838, principal in department of natural and experimental philosophy there, Aug. 1838 to Aug. 1855; one of district registrars of Marylebone parish 1837, and superintendent registrar 1853 to death; lessee and manager of Royal Colosseum, Dec. 1856 to 16 Feb. 1864, when it closed for ever; professor of natural philosophy at Elizabeth college, Guernsey; invented the Polytechnic gas fire 1850; author of _Chemistry as applied to the fine arts_ 1837. _d._ 78 The Grove, Hammersmith 22 July 1879. BACK, SIR GEORGE (_son of John Back of Stockport, Cheshire_). _b._ Stockport 6 Nov. 1796; midshipman R.N. Sep. 1808; a prisoner at Verdun in France 1809–14; went with Franklin to the Spitzbergen seas 1818, along Arctic coast of America 1819–22, and to Mackenzie river 1825–27; conducted overland Arctic expedition 1833–35, when he travelled 7500 miles, and discovered the Back or Great Fish river; captain by order in council 30 Sep. 1835, an honour which no other officer in the navy had received except William iv; commanded the Terror in expedition to the frigid zone 1836–37; knighted by the Queen at St. James’s palace 6 March 1839; F.R.G.S. 1836, Founder’s gold medallist 1836; F.R.S. 7 Jany. 1847; gold medallist of Geographical Society of Paris; pres. of the Raleigh club 1844; awarded good service pension 21 Jany. 1854; D.C.L. Oxford 28 June 1854; admiral on h.p. 18 Oct. 1867; author of _Narrative of the Arctic land expedition to the mouth of the Great Fish river_ 1836; _Narrative of an expedition in H.M.S. Terror_