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

BAKER, THOMAS ELD. _b._ Margate 1791; M.R.C.S. 1813; surgeon Bengal army 1814 to 23 Aug. 1838 when he retired; treasurer of Royal humane society; author of _The art of preserving health in India_ 1829; _An appeal to the common sense of the people of England in favour of anatomy_ 1832. _d._ 76 Porchester Terrace, London 23 July 1868. BAKER, THOMAS PALMER. Chief engineer Chatham dockyard 11 Nov. 1856 to Dec. 1868 when office abolished; chief inspector of machinery afloat 6 July 1866; C.B. 2 June 1869. _d._ 170, Lewisham high road, Newcross 6 Oct. 1876 in 69 year. BAKER, WILLIAM (_son of Mr. Baker of Eastover, Bridgwater, butcher_). _b._ Eastover 3 March 1787; apprenticed to Mr. Tuthill of Bridgwater, currier Sep. 1800; worked in London and Glasgow 1807–1809; a currier in Fore st. Bridgwater 1809; alderman; F.G.S. Nov. 1842; sec. to Somersetshire Archæological and natural history society. _d._ Bridgwater 8 Oct. 1853. _A brief memoir of Wm. Baker by John Bowen_ 1854. BAKER, WILLIAM (_elder son of George Wingfield of Cotham who d. 1774_). Barrister L.I. 23 Nov. 1797, bencher 1818 to death; M.P. for Bodmin 1 Nov. 1806 to 29 April 1807; chief justice of Brecon circuit; a comr. of bankrupts; K.C. 1818; master in Chancery 19 March 1819 to March 1849; assumed surname of Baker in lieu of Wingfield by R.L. 29 Dec. 1849. _d._ Sherborne castle, Dorset 21 March 1858. BAKER, WILLIAM. _b._ 1784; an attorney in London; coroner for east division of Middlesex; author of _A practical compendium of the recent statutes, cases and decisions affecting the office of coroner_ 1851. _d._ 12 Chester terrace, Regent’s Park 22 Feb. 1859. BAKER, WILLIAM. _b._ 19 May 1817; articled to G. W. Buck, C.E. 1834–39; engineer upon southern division of London and north western railway 1852–59, chief engineer of that line Oct. 1859–1878, during which time he carried out a great extent of railway works; M.I.C.E. 7 May 1848; member of council 1877 to death. _d._ 7 March 1878. _Minutes of proc. of Instit. of C.E. lv_, 315–17 (1879). BAKER, SIR WILLIAM ERSKINE (_son of Joseph Baker, capt. R.N._) _b._ Leith 1808; 2 lieut. Bengal engineers 15 Dec. 1826, col. commandant 10 March 1857; military sec. at India office 1858; member of council of India 1861–1875; general 1 Oct. 1877; placed on retired list 29 Nov. 1878; K.C.B. 1 Feb. 1870. (_m._ 1837 Frances Gertrude 3 dau. of major general A. Duncan). _d._ the Castle, Banwell 16 Dec. 1881. BAKER, REV. WILLIAM RICHARD. _b._ Waltham abbey, Essex 3 Sep. 1798; agent of Home missionary society at Ramsey, Isle of Man 1822–28; minister of independent chapel at Shepton Mallet, Somerset 1828–38; sec. of New British and Foreign Temperance Society 1838–41; minister of Portland chapel St. John’s Wood, London 1841–51; a founder of United Kingdom temperance and general provident Institution 1840, resident director 1852; author of _The curse of Britain_ 1838; _The idolatry of Britain_ 1840; _Our state church_ 1850; _Anti-mysticism_ 1855. _d._ Down house near Sutton, Surrey 28 Sep. 1861. _Life of the late Rev. W. R. Baker, edited by his sister Mrs. E. L. Edmunds_ 1865. BALD, ROBERT. _b._ Culross, Perthshire 1776; engaged in the Mar collieries; a mining engineer at Edin. about 1820; much employed in Scotland, England and Wales; reported on coalfields of Sweden for the Swedish government; F.R.S. Edin. 1817; author of _A general view of the coal trade of Scotland_ 1812; of the article _Mine_ in the _Edinburgh Encyclopædia_ and of many papers. _d._ Alloa 28 Dec. 1861. BALD, WILLIAM, _b._ Burnt Island, Fifeshire; a civil engineer 1803; made a territorial survey of co. Mayo about 1810, his map on a scale of 4 inches to a mile was one of the finest maps ever constructed; a draftsman at the Admiralty; resident engineer to trustees of the river Clyde 1839–45; examined the river Seine