OpenLLM-France/wikimedia huggingface dataset:
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bowes, John (1804-1874)

​BOWES, JOHN (1804–1874), preacher, was born at Swineside, Coverdale, in Coverham parish, Yorkshire, on 12 June 1804, the son of parents in very humble circumstances. While still in his teens he began preaching, ​first among the Wesleyans, then as a primitive methodist minister. About 1830 he separated himself from that body, and, renouncing all party appellations, started a mission at Dundee, where he was joined by Mr. (afterwards Dr.) Jabez Burns. Bowes subsequently left Dundee and went from town to town, preaching in the open air or wherever he could gather a congregation, but he always declined to take part in a service at which money was taken, as he could not think of 'saddling the gospel with a collection.' He was several times prosecuted for street preaching, and often suffered privations in his journeyings. He was an earnest and vigorous platform speaker, ever ready to combat with socialists, freethinkers, or Roman catholics. With like ardour he entered into the advocacy of temperance and of peace, and in 1848 was one of the representatives of England at the Brussels Peace congress. During the greater portion of his life he refused to accept a salary for his ministrations, and he seems to have supported himself and family chiefly by the sale of his own tracts and books. He died at Dundee on 23 Sept. 1874, aged 70.
His publications consist of some 220 tracts; two series of magazines—the 'Christian Magazine' and the 'Truth Promoter'—issued between 1842 and 1874; pamphlets on 'The Errors of the Church of Rome,' 'Mormonism exposed,' 'Second Coming of Christ,' 'The Ministry,' &c. ; discussions with Lloyd Jones, G. J. Holyoake, Joseph Barker, C. Southwell, W. Woodman, and T. H. Milner; a volume on 'Christian Union' (1835, 310 pages); a translation by himself of the New Testament (1870); and his 'Autobiography' (1872). His son, Robert Aitken Bowes, was editor of the 'Bolton Guardian,' and died on 7 Nov. 1879, aged 42.
[Autobiography or History of the Life of John Bowes, 1872; Alliance News, 10 Oct. 1874; G. J. Holyoake's History of Co-operation, i. 326; Old South-East Lancashire, 1880, p. 40.]
C. W. S.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Noble, Richard

​NOBLE, RICHARD (1684–1713), criminal, son of a coffeehouse-keeper at Bath, was born in 1684, and received a good education. He was articled as clerk to an attorney, and entered the profession on reaching manhood. Of bad moral character, he soon began to use his professional position to cheat his clients. About 1708 Noble was applied to for legal assistance by John Sayer of Biddlesden in Buckinghamshire, owner of various properties worth 1,800l. a year. Sayer had married a woman of profligate disposition, named Mary, daughter of Admiral John Nevell [q. v.], and was on very bad terms with his wife. Noble soon became unduly intimate with the lady. In 1709 he was empowered to draw up a deed of separation between her and Sayer, and he harassed Sayer by various suits in chancery connected with his wife's separate estate. He was now living with Mrs. Sayer, who on 5 March 1711 bore him a ​son. Thereupon Sayer brought an action for criminal conversation against Noble, and in January 1713 he procured a warrant empowering him to arrest Mrs. Sayer, ‘as being gone from her husband, and living in a loose, dishonourable manner.’ On 29 Jan. Sayer, accompanied by two constables, proceeded to a house in George Street, the Mint, where Mrs. Sayer was then living with Noble and her mother, now Mrs. Salusbury. The visitors were admitted, but Noble no sooner saw Sayer than he drew his sword and ran him through the heart. Noble and the two women were arrested, were committed to the Marshalsea, and were arraigned at Kingston assizes. Noble pleaded self-defence, but was condemned to death, and was executed at Kingston on 29 March 1713. The two women were acquitted.
[See two anonymous pamphlets: (1) ‘A full Account of the Case of John Sayer, Esq., from the time of his unhappy Marriage with his Wife to his Death, including the whole Intrigue between Mrs. Sayer and Mr. Noble,’ London, 1713; (2) A Full and Faithful Account, &c., with additional details relating to the trial and to Noble's behaviour in the Marshalsea, and confession, London, 1713. The legal aspects of the murder are also treated in The Case of Mr. Richard Noble impartially considered, by a student of the Inner Temple, London, 1713.]
G. P. M-y.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Noble, William Bonneau

​NOBLE, WILLIAM BONNEAU (1780–1831), landscape painter in water-colours, born in London on 13 Sept. 1780, was youngest son of Edward Noble, author of ‘Elements of Linear Perspective,’ and brother of Samuel and of George Noble, both of whom are separately noticed. His mother was sister of William Noble (of a different family), a well-known drawing-master, who succeeded to the practice of his father-in-law, Jacob Bonneau [q. v.], and died in 1805. Young Noble began life as a teacher of drawing, and for some years met with success, but being ambitious of obtaining a higher position in his profession, he spent two successive summers in Wales, and made many beautiful sketches of its scenery. Several water-colour paintings from his sketches were sent to the Royal Academy, and in 1809 three of these, a ‘View of Machynlleth, North Wales,’ ‘Montgomery Castle,’ and a ‘View near Dolgelly,’ were hung. Next year, however, his drawings were rejected, and although he had two views of Charlton and Bexley, in Kent, in the exhibition of 1811, he never recovered from what he regarded as an indignity. Being disappointed in love at the same time, he took to dissipated courses, and in November 1825 he made a desperate but unsuccessful attempt upon his life in a fit of delirium. He died of a decline in Somers Town, London, on 14 Sept. 1831. Noble left in manuscript a long poem entitled ‘The Artist.’
[Memorial notice by his brother, the Rev. Samuel Noble, in Gent. Mag. 1831, ii. 374; Royal Academy Exhibition Catalogues, 1809–1811.]
R. E. G.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Nobys, Peter

​NOBYS, PETER (fl. 1520), master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, was son of John Nobys, sometime of Thompson, Norfolk, and of Rose, his wife. He graduated B.A. at Cambridge in 1501, M.A. 1504, became fellow of Christ's College in 1503, and was appointed university preacher in 1514. On 18 Feb. 1515–6 he obtained the rectory of Landbeach, Cambridgeshire, and by 1516–7 had proceeded B.D. In the same year he was promoted to be master of Corpus Christi College, and graduated D.D. in 1519. Obtaining from the Bishop of Norwich a license of absence from his benefice of Landbeach, and letters testimonial as to his life from the university, he set out for Rome in 1519. During his visit he obtained from Leo X a privilege dated 9 Cal. Feb. 1519 (i.e. 24 Jan.), and addressed to the master and fellows of Corpus Christi College, granting for the term of twenty-five years apostolical indulgences and pardons ‘to all sinners of either sex who shall be truly penitent … if so be they should attend the public procession of the college on Corpus Christi, or should be of the congregation at mass in St. Benedict's on that day.’ Nobys was ‘generally reckoned of good understanding and sound learning. He caused to be compiled a register donationum, called “the whyte book of Dr. Nobys,” and it is evident from the only extract remaining, which contains “some observations of keepeinge courts,” that he was versed in the laws of the land.’ It was during his mastership that the tiled roofs of the chambers of the college on the east side were repaired (Willis and Clark, i. 255). He further gave 13l. 6s. 4d. for the celebration of his obsequies and those of his father and mother in St. Benedict's Church on the eve of St. Martin, and a large collection of books, of which a catalogue is noticed in Masters's ‘History’ (p. 71). Nobys also co-operated with Sir Thomas Wyndham in a donation of 130 works to the prior and convent of Thetford, ‘on condition of paying to Dr. Nobys five marks during his natural life, and finding him a stable, two chambers,’ &c., failing which condition Nobys was to have a right of distraint on the manor of Lynforth and Santon. Nobys was a legatee under the will of Sir Thomas Wyndham, dated 22 Oct. 1521.
About midsummer 1523 Nobys resigned his mastership and benefice. He reserved from the former a pension of fifty marks per annum. In the rectory he was followed by ‘Mr. Cuttyng, who agreed to allow him five marks a year out of the profits till he should obtain some other ecclesiastical preferment of that value.’ He was alive at least two years after, when he was an executor of the will of John Saintwarye. Nobys's will is not at the Prerogative Court.
[Cooper's Athenæ Cant. i. 32; Coles MS. vi. 36; Masters's Hist. of Corpus Christi Coll. ed. Lamb; Nicolas's Test. Vetusta, p. 584; Willis and Clark's Architect. Hist. of the University of Cambridge; Cooper's Annals of Cambridge; Martin's Hist. of Town of Thetford, p. 143, App. p. 50; Collins's Peerage, v. 209.]
W. A. S.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Noble, John

​NOBLE, JOHN (1827–1892), politician and writer on public finance, was born at Boston, Lincolnshire, on 2 May 1827. For seventeen years he was known in East Lincolnshire as an energetic supporter of the Anti-Corn Law League. He came to London in 1859, entered for the bar, and engaged in social and political agitation. He was one of the founders of the Alliance National Land and Building Society, and joined Washington Wilks and others in establishing the London Political Union for the advocacy of manhood suffrage. In 1861 he was active in lecturing on the free breakfast-table programme. In 1864 he was in partnership with Mr. C. F. Macdonald as financial and parliamentary agents promoting street railways in London, Liverpool, and Dublin. He actively promoted the election of John Stuart Mill for Westminster in 1865, and advocated municipal reform in London. In 1870 he became parliamentary secretary to Mr. Brogden, M.P. for Wednesbury. On the formation of the County Council Union in 1889 he became its secretary. He delivered in his day many hundreds of lectures on political, social, and financial subjects, habitually took part in the proceedings of the Social Science Congress, and was lecturer to the Financial Reform Association. He died on 17 Jan. 1892, and was buried at Highgate.
Noble wrote:
* ‘Arbitration and a Congress of Nations as a Substitute for War in the Settlement of International Disputes,’ London, 1862, 8vo.
* ‘Fiscal Reform: Suggestions for a further Revision of Taxation, reprinted from the “Financial Reformer,”’ 1865, 8vo; a lecture read at the meeting of the National Association of Social Science at Sheffield.
* ‘Fiscal Legislation 1842–65: A Review of the Financial Changes of the period and their Effects on Revenue,’ 1867, 8vo.
* ‘Free Trade, Reciprocity, and the Revivers: an Enquiry into the Effects of the Free Trade Policy upon Trade, Manufactures and Employment,’ London, 1869, 8vo.
* ‘The Queen's Taxes,’ London, 1870, 8vo.
* ‘Our Imports and Exports,’ 1870, 8vo.
* ‘National Finance,’ 1875, 8vo. ‘Local Taxation,’ 1876, 8vo.
* ‘Facts for Liberal Politicians,’ 1880, revised and brought up to date as ‘Facts for Politicians’ in 1892.
[Works in Brit. Mus. Library; Memoir by Herbert Perris prefixed to Facts for Politicians, 1892.]
G. J. H.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Noble, Matthew

​NOBLE, MATTHEW (1818–1876), sculptor, was born at Hackness, Yorkshire, in 1818. He studied art in London under John Francis [q. v.], a successful sculptor. Noble exhibited one hundred works—chiefly busts—at the Royal Academy. In 1845 he made his first appearance there as the exhibitor of two busts, one being of the Archbishop of York. Later subjects included J. Francis, sculptor (1847); the Bishop of London (1849); the Archbishop of York, a statuette (1849); W. Etty, R.A. (1850); Sir Robert Peel, a bust (1851), and a statuette (1852) afterwards executed in marble for St. George's Hall, Liverpool; the Duke of Wellington (1852); the Marquis of Anglesey and Michael Faraday (both in 1855); Queen Victoria (1857); Joseph Brotherton, M.P. (1857); Sir Thomas Potter, and the Prince Consort. The four last-mentioned busts belong to Manchester. In 1854 he executed a relievo in bronze, ‘Bridge of Sighs,’ and another of ‘Dream of Eugene Aram,’ to form part of a monument to be erected over the grave of Thomas Hood. In 1856 he gained the commission, after a very keen competition, for the execution of the Wellington monument at Manchester. In 1858 he modelled a colossal bust of the Prince Consort, to be executed in marble, for the city of Manchester. He was afterwards commissioned by Thomas Goadsby, mayor of Manchester, to execute a statue of the Prince Consort in marble, nine feet high; the monument was presented by Goadsby to the city, and forms part of the Albert memorial in Albert Square. In 1859 he executed a statue of Dr. Isaac Barrow in marble for Trinity College, Cambridge; it was engraved in the ‘Art Journal’ for 1859. There is also an engraving in that journal for 1876 of his Oliver Cromwell, which was executed in bronze, and was presented by Mrs. Elizabeth S. Heywood to the city of Manchester. Other works by him include the statue of Sir James Outram on the Victoria Embankment; of the queen at St. Thomas's Hospital (engraved in the ‘Art Journal’); of the first Bishop of Manchester (Dr. J. Prince Lee) at Owens College; of the Earl of Derby in Parliament Square, Westminster; and of Sir John Franklin in Waterloo Place, London. Of his ideal works, engravings appeared in the ‘Art Journal’ of ‘Purity’ (1859); ‘The Angels,’ ‘Life, Death, and the Resurrection,’ a mural monument (1861); ‘Amy and the Fawn;’ and ‘The Spirit of Truth,’ a mural monument (1872).
Noble was of exceedingly delicate constitution. The death of a son in a railway accident early in 1876 ruined his health, and he died on 23 June 1876. He was buried at the cemetery at Brompton.
[Art Journal, 1876, p. 275; Royal Academy Catalogues; Inauguration of the Albert Memorial, Manchester, 1867; Manchester Official Handbook; Graves's Dict. of Artists.]
A. N.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Nodder, Frederick P.

Middle name Polydore in the ODNB.
[Dodd's manuscript Hist. of English Engravers, Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 33403; Graves's Dict. of Artists, 1760–1880; Catalogues of the Society of Artists and Royal Academy.]
L. C.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Beckwith, Josiah

​BECKWITH, JOSIAH (b. 1734), antiquary, was born at Rothwell, near Leeds, on 24 Aug. 1734, where his father, Thomas Beckwith, practised as on attorney. He was himself brought up to the same profession, and settled at Masbrough, near Rotherham. He married in August 1763 the eldest daughter and only surviving child of George D'Oxon, of Woodhead, in Cheshire, by whom he had two sons and four daughters, his wife's death taking place in 1788 at the early age of 49. He seems to have been possessed of considerable natural powers, which, together with a large share of acquired knowledge, rendered him eminently fitted for antiquarian pursuits, for which he had a great taste. His name is known to the world in connection with the enlarged and improved edition of Blount's 'Fragmenta Antiquitatis, or Ancient Tenures of Land and Jocular Customs of some Manors,' which he published in the year 1784, the first edition of this work having appeared in 1679. Speaking of Beckwith's edition, the 'Monthly Review' (lxxiii. 459) remarks: 'Few persons were better qualified for this business, and Mr. Beckwith has enriched this edition with many valuable improvements. He has subjoined many notes and observations, which have been communicated by some of the most respectable antiquaries of the present day.' He left materials for a still further enlarged edition, which was published after his death by his son, who had an appointment in the mint.
[Gent. Mag. I786, lvi. 285; Lowndes's Bibliographer's Manual, 1857, i. 221; Brit. Mus. Cat.; Nichol's Literary Anecdotes, 1813, viii. 329-330.]
T. F. T. D.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Becon, Richard

​BECON or BEACON, RICHARD (fl. 1594), Irish administrator and author, was a native of Suffolk, and was educated at Cambridge. He entered St. John's College on 12 Nov. 1567, and proceeded B.A. in 1571 and M.A. in 1575. Admitted a student of Gray's Inn on 19 June 1577, he was called to the bar on 27 Jan. 1584-5. He was appointed 'her majesty's attorney for the province of Munster' on 17 Dec. 1586 at an annual salary of little more than 17l. He was chiefly employed in regulating crown grants of land, and two letters on the subject, dated in the one case 17 Oct. 1587 from Clonmel, and in the other 2 Dec. 1587 from Limerick, addressed by him with other commissioners to Walsingham, are at the Record Office. Beacon himself received grants of land—Clandonnell and Clan Derrnott—in Cork, and of Torcraigh in Waterford, all of which he appears to have sublet to other Englishmen. In 1591 the post of attorney in Munster was conferred on another, but Beacon, although no longer in Ireland, is described as the owner of land there in a visitation of 1611. Beacon was the author of an interesting political pamphlet on Ireland. It is entitled: 'Solon his follie; or a politique discourse touching the reformation of common weales conquered, declined, or corrupted,' Oxford, 1594. It is dedicated to Queen Elizabeth, and is in the form of a conversation between Solon, Epimenides, and Pisistratus as to the policy that Athens should pursue towards Salamina. Old manuscript notes in the copies in the Cambridge University and British Museum libraries state that 'for the better understanding of this allegoricall discourse … by Salamina must be understood Ireland, and by Athens England.' Beacon urges on the English government the adoption of strong coercive measures in order to eradicate Irish national feeling.
[Cooper's Athen. Cantab, ii. 174; Foster's Register of Gray's Inn, p. 52; Calendar of Carew MSS. for 1588, 1591, and 1611; Irish series of State Papers for 1589; Beacon's Solon.]
S. L. L.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Beckwith, John Christmas

1904 Errata appended.
​BECKWITH, JOHN CHRISTMAS (1750–1809), organist, born at Norwich 25 Dec, 1750, was for many years pupil and assistant successively of Dr. Wm. Hayes and Dr. Philip Hayes at Magdalen College, Oxford. On 16 Jan. 1794 he was appointed organist of St. Peter Mancroft's, Norwich. He took both the Mus. Bac. and Mus. Doc. degrees at Oxford in 1803, and in 1808 succeeded Thomas Garland as organist of the Norwich Cathedral. Beckwith retained both his organist's appointments until his death, which occurred in consequence of a paralytic stroke on 3 June 1809. He was buried in St. Peter Mancroft's. Beckwith's compositions are not numerous, consisting principally of anthems, organ voluntaries, a concerto, sonata, &c. His most important work was a collection of chants adapted to the Psalms, and published in 1808, which contains an excellent preface on the subject of chanting. As an organist he took very high rank in his day. Professor Taylor said of him: 'I have never heard Dr. Beckwith's equal upon the organ either in this county or in Germany. … Neither is this my opinion only, but that of every competent judge who has heard him;' and another critic described his playing as 'brilliancy itself.' He had a remarkable power of extemporising, and would frequently play four extempore organ fugues at one Sunday's services. There is some doubt as to whether Dr. Beckwith was christened John Christmas, or whether his second name was only a nickname. In the works published by him in his lifetime he is always described as John Beckwith, but in the register of his burial the name is stated as 'John Christmas Beckwith, married man, an organist of this parish;' and it is by this name that he is generally known.
[Appendix to Bemrose's Choir Chant Book; Musical Criticism (J. D. Eaton, 1872); Registers of St. Peter Mancroft; British Museum Catalogue.]
W. B. S.
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.21 N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Becon, John

​BECON, JOHN, LL.D. (d. 1587), divine, a native of Suffolk, received his education at St. John's College, Cambridge. He was admitted a scholar of that society on the Lady Margaret's foundation in 1559, proceeded B.A. in 1560-1, was admitted a fellow 21 March 1561-2, and commenced M.A. 1564. Subsequently he became principal lecturer of the college. In July 1571 he was elected public orator of the university, and he served the office of proctor for the year 1571-2. During his tenure of the latter office he headed the opposition of the senate to the code of university statutes which had passed the great seal in 1570. Much disorder was the result, and the heads of colleges exhibited articles against him and his adherents. Ultimately the two archbishops and the bishops of London and Ely decided that the new statutes should stand, and censured the opponents for going from college to college to solicit subscriptions against the same. Becon resigned the oratorship in 1573. The following year he was installed a canon of Norwich, and in 1575 he became chancellor of that diocese. He took the degree of LL.D. in 1576.
On 16 Feb. 1579-80 Becon was collated to the precentorship of the church of Chichester, and in 1581 was admitted to a prebend in the church of Lichfield. In 1582 a great contest took place between him and William Overton, bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, about the chancellorship of that diocese. The bishop, who had in the first instance granted it to Becon only, subsequently granted the office to him and one Babington, and to the longer liver of them. This occasioned a great disturbance and riot in the cathedral. The case came successively before the Star-chamber, the privy council, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, who remitted it to four visitors, and they finally induced the contending parties to compromise the matter. Becon was buried at St. Giles's, Cripplegate, on 4 Sept. 1587.
Various documents written by Becon in reference to the disputes in which he was engaged have been printed, and are enumerated in Cooper's 'Athenæ Cantabrigienses.'
[Addit. MS. 5863 f. 47; Baker's Hist. of St. John's Coll. Camb., ed. Mayor; Cooper's Athenæ Cantab. ii. 16, 542; Le Neve's Fasti Eccl. Anglic., ed. Hardy, i. 266, 592, ii. 496, 498, iii. 619; Strype's Works.]
T. C.