William Anderson, F.R.S., came to Norwich as an excise officer, and his great talents introduced him to the most scientific characters of this city. He obtained the situation of clerk to the New Mills, in Heigham, and was a considerable contributor to Mr. Baker’s works on the Microscope. Many of his papers on Natural History are published in the transactions of the Royal Society. He died in 1767, and was buried in Heigham churchyard.
Anna Letitia Barbauld, sister of Dr. Aikin, of Yarmouth, resided at Norwich. She was the authoress of “Evenings at Home,” and other valuable works for children, and died in 1825.
Peter Barlow, the celebrated mathematician, and author of many of the articles in Rees’ Encyclopædia, and the Encyclopædia Metropolitana, was the son of a warper of this city. He was born October, 1766, in the parish of St. Simon and Jude.
Sir William Beechey, the eminent painter, resided in this city in the early part of his life, and executed several of the paintings in St. Andrew’s Hall, particularly the celebrated portrait of Lord Nelson. He was knighted by George III., and appointed portrait painter to his majesty.
Hancock Blythe, schoolmaster, mathematician, and teacher of languages, resided in Timberhill, and was the author of several small works on astronomy. He died in 1795, aged 73 years.
John Brand, B.A., was a native of this city. His father was a saddler in London Lane. Young Brand, having a turn for study, went for some years to the continent, where he acquired the languages and customs of the people so strongly, that on his return to England he received the soubriquêt of Abbè Brand. In 1744 he was reader at St. Peter’s Mancroft. He was the author of several articles in the British Critic. He was rector of St. George’s, Southwark, and of Wickham Skeith, in Suffolk. He died in February, 1809.
Henry Cooper, barrister at law, was born in the parish of St. Peter’s Mancroft. He was sent to sea in the early part of his life, but was afterwards called to the bar, and was made attorney general of the Bermudas. After a brilliant career, in which he rapidly became one of the leaders of the Norfolk circuit, he died, after being twelve years at the bar, in 1825.
Mr. Reuben Deave was a large manufacturer in this city, who, in December, 1769, became the fortunate possessor of a prize in a lottery worth £20,000. The number was 42,903. It came into his possession in the following singular manner. His foreman, who was in a confidential position, had bought two tickets in a lottery, and after some time thought he had speculated too far, and told his employer that he feared he had done a very foolish thing. Mr. Deave, being informed of the circumstance, thought so too, but offered to buy one of the tickets. His foreman took them out of his pocket and gave Mr. Deave his choice. Mr. Deave, however, said he would make no choice, and bought the one offered to him. Shortly afterwards the lottery was drawn, and this ticket proved to be a fortunate number for £20,000, while the other was a blank. Mr. Deave, who had paid for the ticket, gave his foreman a cheque for £500, but the poor man was so vexed at losing the prize that he hung himself on the next day. Mr. Deave was much grieved at this, and often said afterwards that the prize never did him any good, for he gave a power of attorney to a man to draw the money in London, and that man bolted with it, and was never heard of afterwards.
William Enfield, LL.D. an eminent literary character, was for many years the minister at the Octagon Chapel here. He was much beloved by his congregation, and died November 2nd, 1797, aged 57, and was buried in the chapel, where there is a monument to his memory.
Sir John Fenn, the editor of the “Paston Letters,” was born here in 1739; on presenting the first two volumes of these letters to George III. in 1787, he was knighted. He died October 14th, 1796.