PYCROFT, James (2 son of Thomas Pycroft of Pickwick, Wiltshire, barrister). b. Geyers House, Wiltshire 1813; educ. Trin. coll. Oxf., B.A. 1836; played at Lord’s 23 and 24 June 1836 in the third cricket match Oxford v. Cambridge; student of Lincoln’s inn 1836; ordained deacon 1840; second master of collegiate school at Leicester 1840; C. of Clardstock, Dorset 1845; P.C. of St. Mary Magdalen, Barnstaple 1845–56; resided at Bathwick, Bath; member of the Lansdown cricket club; edited Valpy’s Virgil improved 1846; W. Enfield’s The Speaker 1851; author of Principles of scientific batting 1835; A course of English reading adapted to every taste and capacity 1844, 4 ed. 1861; The collegian’s guide, or recollections of college days. By the Rev. ****, ******, M.A.,—— college, Oxford 1845, 2 ed. 1858; The cricket field, or the history and the science of cricket 1851, 9 ed. 1887; Twenty years in the church: an autobiography 1859, and a second part entitled Elkerton rectory 1860; Agony point: or the groans of gentility, 2 vols. 1861, 2 ed. 1862; Dragon’s teeth, a novel, 2 vols. 1863; Oxford memoirs: a retrospect after fifty years, 2 vols. 1886. d. Dudley mansion, Lansdowne place, Brighton 10 March 1895. Church of England photographic portrait gallery (1860), part xlvii, portrait; Wisden’s Cricketers’ almanack (1892) pp. xlix, l; Times 13 March 1895 p. 10.
PYCROFT, Sir Thomas (brother of the preceding). b. 1807; educ. Bath gr. sch.; matric. from Trin. coll. Oxf. 13 May 1826, exhibitioner there 1826–8; hon. M.A. 1829; writer Madras civil service 1828; sub-secretary to board of revenue 1843–4, secretary 1845–50; secretary to the government in revenue department 1850, chief secretary 1855–62; member of council of the governor of Madras 1862, retired on annuity 25 Oct. 1867; K.C.S.I. 24 May 1866; was the first of the competition wallahs, being the first man appointed to the Indian civil service on the result of a competitive examination. d. Folkestone 29 Jany. 1892.
PYE, Charles (eld. son of Charles Pye of Birmingham, author of works on provincial coins and tokens). b. 1777; pupil of James Heath, the engraver; a good line engraver, chiefly of small book illustrations; illustrated Mrs. Inchbald’s British theatre, 25 vols. 1806–9; Walker’s Effigies poetica 1822, and Physiognomical portraits 1824; engraved a view of Brereton Hall after P. de Wint 1818, a portrait of Robert Owen after M. Heming 1823, and a Holy family after Michael Angelo 1825. d. Leamington 14 Dec. 1864.
PYE, John (2 son of Charles Pye). b. Birmingham 7 Nov. 1782; paid assistant to James Heath, the engraver, in London 1801; engraved many plates after Turner, which placed him at the head of his profession; engraved all the head pieces in the Royal repository or picturesque pocket diary 1817–39, Le Souvian or pocket tablet 1822–43, and Peacock’s polite repository 1813–58; exhibited 4 engravings at Suffolk st. gallery 1824–9; published a series of 29 engravings from pictures in the National Gallery, three of these were by himself 1830–40; retired 1858; chief founder of the Artists’ annuity fund, which received a royal charter 1827; a corresponding member of the Académie des beaux arts 1862; formed a fine collection of impression of Turner’s Liber studiorum, which is in the print-room of the British Museum; author of Patronage of British art, a sketch 1845; A glance at the rise and constitution of the royal academy of arts, London 1851; Notes respecting the Liber studiorum of J. M. W. Turner 1879. d. 17 Gloucester terrace, Regent’s park, London 6 Feb. 1874. I.L.N. lxiv 185, 186 (1874) portrait.
PYKE, Hugh. b. about 1774; law stationer at 87 Chancery lane, London and proprietor of the Law and Clerical agency establishment 1811–57. d. in a London workhouse 31 July 1858.
Note.—His only son Henry Hugh Pyke b. 1809, barrister G.I. 24 Jany. 1838, was disbarred and expelled by the benchers 11 Dec. 1844, this decision was affirmed by 11 of the judges 9 June 1845.
PYM, Edward Lawes. b. 23 March 1824; 2 lieut. R.M. 21 Aug. 1843, lieut. col. 24 Jany. 1873, col. commandant 25 Dec. 1877; M.G. 4 June 1879, general 22 June 1887; placed on retired list 23 March 1889; served in China 1858–60, at capture of Canton 5 Jany. 1858, and subsequently commanded the English constabulary in Canton. d. 44 Nevern sq. Earl’s Court, London 6 April 1892. bur. Brompton cemet. 9 April.
Note.—He was tried at Hampshire assizes 6 March 1846 for being accessory to the murder of James Alexander Seaton, late of the 11th Hussars, who fought a duel with lieut. H. C. M. Hawkey of the R.M. on the shore near Gosport 21 May 1845 and died on 2 June. Pym was found not guilty.
PYM, Horatio Noble. Solicitor at 6 Victoria st. Westminster 1867; member of firm of Tathams, Curling and Pym 3 Frederick’s place, Old Jewry, London 1870 to death; had an extensive practice as a confidential solicitor; possessed a fine library at Brasted, near Sevenoaks; among his friends were Robert Browning, Wilkie Collins, W. B. Richmond, R.A., James Payn, Andrew Lang and Corney Grain; a very perfect raconteur; edited Memories of old friends, being extracts from the journals and letters of Caroline Fox of Pengerrick, Cornwall from 1835 to 1871, 1882; Excerpts from the Diary of Samuel Pepys 1889; author of Odd and ends at Foxwold 1887; A tour round my bookshelves 1891. d. of Russian influenza at Brasted 5 May 1896. Times 11 May 1896 p. 8.
PYM, Robert John. b. 1787; in Samuel Jerrold’s company at Sheerness 1812; bag bearer to the registrars of the court of chancery, with charge of the daily cause lists 1815–54; built a private theatre at the rear of his residence in Wilson st. Gray’s inn lane for the use of students for the stage, where he himself with J. Reeve, Strickland, Marston, Selby, Bedford and others often acted; acted Caleb Quotem in The Review 1846; gave up the theatre 1847, but it was used to 1853; the house was also known as the Gough st. amateur theatre, now Havelock hall and used as a London city mission station 1896. d. 33 Holford sq. Pentonville, London 16 Sept. 1866. N. and Q. 8 s, vi 427, 476 (1894).