OpenLLM-France/wikimedia huggingface dataset:
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Harrison, Benjamin (1771-1856)

​HARRISON, BENJAMIN (1771–1856), treasurer of Guy's Hospital, fourth son of Benjamin Harrison (1734–1797), also treasurer of Guy's Hospital (who was second son of Sir Thomas Harrison (1700–1765), chamberlain of the city of London, see Gent. Mag. 1765, p. 46), was born at West Ham on 29 July 1771, lived for twelve years with his father at Guy's, and succeeded him in the treasurership in 1797. For fifty years he governed the hospital and managed its estates despotically without salary. One of Cruickshanks' caricatures depicts him as a king sitting on a throne with his subjects prostrating themselves abjectly before him. He introduced many improvements. In concert with Sir Astley Cooper [q. v.] he, in 1825, established Guy's as a complete medical school separate from St. Thomas's, with which it had always been allied. Harrison greatly resented an inquiry into the hospital administration which was made by the charity commissioners in 1837, but no abuses were discovered. He was F.R.S. and F.S.A., deputy-governor of the Hudson's Bay and South Sea Companies, and chairman of the Exchequer Loan Board. He was selected as one of the three appeal commissioners for the city of London on the first imposition of an income tax. He lived latterly at Clapham Common, being closely connected with the ‘Clapham sect,’ and died there on 18 May 1856, aged 84. He married in 1797 Mary, daughter of H. H. Le Pelly of Upton and Aveley, Essex, by whom he had three sons (the eldest, Benjamin [q. v.], becoming archdeacon of Maidstone), and six daughters, the eldest married to W. Cripps, M.P. for Cirencester 1841–8, sometime a lord of the treasury.
[Report of Charity Commissioners, 1837; Pedigree of Family of Harrison, edited by Wilfred J. Cripps, F.S.A., privately printed, 1881; information from Sir William Gull; Bettany and Wilks's forthcoming Biog. Hist. of Guy's Hospital.]
G. T. B.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Gurney, Joseph (1744-1815)

​GURNEY, JOSEPH (1744–1815), short-hand writer. [See under Gurney, Thomas.]
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Gurney, Edmund (d.1648)

​GURNEY or GURNAY, EDMUND (d. 1648), divine, was son of Henry Gurney of West Barsham and Ellingham, Norfolk, by his wife Ellen, daughter of John Blennerhasset of Barsham, Suffolk. He matriculated at Queens' College, Cambridge, on 30 Oct. 1594, and graduated B.A. in 1600. He was elected Norfolk fellow of Corpus Christi College in 1601, proceeded M.A. in 1602, and B.D. in 1609. In 1607 he was suspended from his fellowship for not being in orders, but was reinstated by the vice-chancellor. In 1614 he left Cambridge, on being presented to the rectory of Edgefield, Norfolk, which he held till 1620, when he received that of Harpley in the same county. Gurney was inclined to puritanism, as appears from his writings. On one occasion he was cited to appear before the bishop for not using a surplice, and on being told he was expected to always wear it, ‘came home, and rode a journey with it on.’ He further made his citation the occasion for publishing his tract vindicating the Second Commandment. Fuller, who was personally acquainted with him, says: ‘He was an excellent scholar, could be humourous, and would be serious as he was himself disposed. His humours were never prophane towards God or injurious towards his neighbours.’ Gurney died in 1648, and was buried at St. Peter's Mancroft, Norwich, on 14 May in that year. His successor at Harpley was instituted on the following day. It is therefore plain that Gurney conformed to the covenant, and that the Dr. Gurney whom Walker mentions as a sequestered clergyman living in 1650 was another person (Sufferings, pt. ii. p. 260). Gurney was married, and apparently had a son called Protestant (d. 1624—monument at Harpley). His wife's name was Ellen. Gurney wrote:
* ‘Corpus Christi,’ Cambridge, 1619, 12mo. This is a treatise against Transubstantiation, in the form of a homily on Matt. xxvi. 26.
* ‘The Romish Chain,’ London, 1624.
* ‘The Demonstration of Antichrist,’ London, 1631, 18mo.
* ‘Toward the Vindication of Second Commandment,’ Cambridge, 1639, 24mo, a homily on Exod. xxxiv. 14, answering eight arguments commonly alleged in favour of image worship.
* A continuation of the preceding appeared in 1641, and was republished in 1661 as ‘Gurnay Redivivus, or an Appendix unto the Homily against Images in Churches,’ London, 24mo.
On the title-pages of his books Gurney spells his name Gurnay, but members of his family are usually described as Gurney.
[Fuller's Worthies, p. 258, ed. 1652; Masters's Hist. of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, p. 338, ed. 1831; Gurney's Record of the House of Gournay, pp. 463–7, 1012; Blomefield's Norfolk, viii. 458, ix. 389; Brit. Mus. Cat.]
C. L. K.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Gurney, Joseph (1804-1879)

​GURNEY, JOSEPH (1804–1879), shorthand writer and biblical scholar, eldest son of William Brodie Gurney [q. v.], was born in London on 15 Oct. 1804. He first attended an important committee of the House of Commons in 1822, and continued to take notes till 1872. On his father's resignation in 1849, he was appointed shorthand writer to the houses of parliament. Like his father, he manifested a great interest in religious and philanthropic movements. He was for more than fifty years a member of the committee of the Religious Tract Society, and latterly its treasurer. He was also treasurer of the baptist college in Regent's Park. He was well versed in biblical criticism and devoted much time to bringing out popular commentaries on the Bible. The best known of these was ‘The Annotated Paragraph Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments according to the authorised version, with explanatory Notes, Prefaces to the several Books, and an entirely new selection of references to parallel and illustrative Passages,’ two vols., London, 1850–60, 8vo, published by the Religious Tract Society. It was very successful, and received high praise from scholars of repute. The notes were prepared by competent men under Gurney's supervision. Besides two or three other bibles, he brought out ‘The Revised English Bible,’ London, 1877, 4to, on the same lines as, and closely resembling, the later official revised version. The profits of his literary works he gave to the Religious Tract Society. On his retirement from the office of shorthand writer to the houses of parliament in 1872, the office was conferred on his nephew, Mr. William Henry Gurney Salter. Gurney died at Tyndale Lodge, Wimbledon Common, on 12 Aug. 1879, and was interred at the Norwood cemetery. He married first Emma, daughter of E. Rawlings, esq., and secondly, Harriet, daughter of J. Tritton, esq., of Lombard Street.
[Private information; Athenæum, 23 Aug. 1879, p. 241; Sunday at Home, 1879, p. 810, with portrait.]
T. C.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Gurney, John (1768-1845)

​GURNEY, Sir JOHN (1768–1845), judge, son of Joseph Gurney of Walworth, government shorthand writer [see under his father Gurney, Thomas], his mother being a daughter of William Brodie of Mansfield, was born in London on 14 Feb. 1768. He was educated partly at St. Paul's School, partly by the Rev. Mr. Smith of Bottesdale, Suffolk, and, ​through attending debating societies and accompanying his father in his duties in court, decided to take to the law, and was called to the bar at the Inner Temple on 3 May 1793. Having at first applied himself to Old Bailey practice and joined the home circuit, he distinguished himself on 24 Feb. 1794, during the absence of his leader, in defending an action for libel against a person named Eaton. He was chosen in consequence junior counsel for the defence in the state trials of Hardy, Horne Tooke, and Thelwall in the same year, and in 1796 defended Crossfield, who was charged with complicity in the ‘Popgun Plot.’ In 1798 he appeared for Arthur O'Connor and others on the charge of high treason, and summed up their defence. Being now leader of the Middlesex sessions, and having a good practice at Westminster Hall, he applied for a patent of precedence as a king's counsel, but it was refused him, nor did he obtain this honour until in 1816 it was won for him by his great skill in conducting the prosecution of Lord Cochrane and Cochrane Johnstone, accused of spreading false rumours for stockjobbing purposes. Against rivals so great as Scarlett and Copley he held the first place in the king's bench, and was also leader of the home circuit. In 1820 he conducted the prosecution of two of the Cato Street conspirators, and procured their conviction. On 13 Feb. 1832 he was appointed a baron of the exchequer and was knighted, and in January 1845 was compelled by failing health to retire. He died on the 1st of the following March at his house in Lincoln's Inn Fields. Both in his private and public life he was much esteemed. He was a good criminal lawyer, though not deeply learned, and was an independent and acute, but severe and somewhat harsh judge. In his early years he was a dissenter, but latterly he attended the services of the church of England. He married Maria, daughter of William Hawes, M.D., by whom he had several children, including Russell Gurney [q. v.] and John Hampden Gurney [q. v.]
[Foss's Judges of England; State Trials, xxii. 22, 27, xxx. 711, 1341; Law Magazine, 1845, p. 278; Ballantine's Experiences, i. 262; Campbell's Life, i. 221; Annual Register, 1845.]
J. A. H.
John Gurney (judge)
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Gurney, John (1688-1741)

​GURNEY, JOHN (1688–1741), quaker, was the son of John Gurney (1655–1721), a merchant of Norwich, and a Friend, who had been imprisoned from 1683 to 1685 for refusing the oath of allegiance, and who brought up his family strictly in his own faith. He married Elizabeth Swanton and had four sons. John, the eldest, was born in St. Gregory's parish, Norwich, 16 July 1688, was educated at Norwich and followed mercantile pursuits. Early in his life he became an active quaker, and when twenty-two was accepted as a minister. He devoted himself chiefly to the discipline of the society. In 1719 he attended the yearly meeting in London to propose to the government a further modification in the form of legal affirmation for the relief of conscientious friends, which was granted in 1721. He appears to have travelled with Thomas Story, but his ministrations were chiefly confined to the neighbourhood of Norwich. In 1720 he defended the Norwich wool trade before a committee of parliament from proposed encroachment with such success and ability that Sir Robert Walpole, his personal friend, offered him a government borough. He held, however, that as the law then stood a quaker could not conscientiously sit in parliament. In 1733 he visited London, and preached before the Gracechurch Street meeting. He died, after a long and painful illness, on 23 Jan. 1741 (O.S.), aged 52, and was buried at Norwich. He married, 9 Aug. 1709, Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph Hadduck of Little Barningham; she died 4 Jan. 1757. His two sons, John and Henry, were the founders of Gurney's bank; his descendants in the male line became extinct on the death of Bartlett Gurney of Cottishall in 1802; his brother Joseph was ancestor of the Gurneys of Keswick. Story describes him as a man of fine natural parts and of considerable eloquence. He was particularly esteemed as an arbitrator in cases of dispute owing to his impartiality and acuteness. His only writings are: 1. ‘A Sermon preached at Gracechurch Meeting,’ 1733. 2. ‘Sermons preached by Thomas Story and John Gurney in the Meetings of the People called Quakers,’ 1785. The popularity gained by his defence of the wool trade caused his portrait to be engraved in 1720 in a broadside; underneath the portrait are verses to the ‘Norwich Quaker.’ It is reproduced in the ‘Record of the House of Gournay.’
[Story's Journal, ed. 1747; Collection of Testimonies (London), 1760; J. B. Braithwaite's Memoirs of J. J. Gurney, 1854; Smith's Cat. of Friends' Books; Gough's Hist. of Quakers, iv. 217; Hist. of Norfolk (anon.), 1829, ii. 1264; Gurney's Record of the House of Gurney, pp. 551–5; Burke's Landed Gentry.]
A. C. B.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Cane, Robert

​CANE, ROBERT, M.D. (1807–1858), Irish naturalist, was born at Kilkenny in 1807. After acting for some time as a pharmaceutical assistant, he found the means of attending the College of Surgeons, Dublin, and during a severe cholera epidemic distinguished himself by his devoted attendance on the patients in the cholera hospitals. He was also equally known for his patriotic real, and acted as chairman at democratic meetings of the medical students and alumni of Trinity College. He graduated M.D. in 1836, and, ​ having settled in his native city, soon acquired a lucrative practice. He took a prominent part in public and political matters. He organised a banquet for O'Connell in Kilkenny in 1840, acted as steward on the occasion, and also was the chief promoter of the repeal movement in the city. In 1844 he was elected mayor of Kilkenny. He never altogether sympathised with the aims of the Young Ireland party. He had no share in the insurrection of 1848, but was arrested on 29 July, and for some time remained in prison. In 1853 he originated the Celtic Union, a semi-political and semiliterary society, one of the purposes of which was the publication of works relating to the history of Ireland. In connection with the society he edited a magazine, the ' Celt,' the first number of which appeared on 1 Aug. 1857. He also wrote in the series of works published by the society, 'History of the Williamite and Jacobite Wars of Ireland from their origin to the capture of Athlone,' 1859. He died of consumption on 16 Aug. 1858.
T. F. H.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Canicus

​CANICUS or KENNY, Saint. [See Cainnech.]
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Cannera

Canir in the ODNB.
​CANNERA or CAINNER, Saint (d. 530?), appears in the martyrology of Tamlacht and other ancient lists of Irish saints on 28 Jan. (O'Hanlon, Lives of Irish Saints, i. 464). According to Colgan she was born of noble parents in the district of Bentraighe (Bantry) in S. Munster. Her father's name was Cruithnechan (Martyr. Taml., quoted by Colgan), her mother's, Cumania. Refusing all offers of marriage, she lived many years in a solitary cell, till seized with a sudden desire to form one of the company gathered round St. Senan in his island home of Inis-cathey, in the mouth of the Shannon, off the coast of Clare. The saint, however, was obdurate to her prayers, and refused to admit a woman to his monastic settlement. However, it was in vain that he urged her to go back into the world. Repulsed in her first entreaties she at last persuaded St. Senan to promise that he would administer the sacrament to her as she lay dying, and grant her the privilege of burial in his island. Her tomb there was still pointed out when the ancient life of this saint was drawn up, and sailors were wont to visit it to offer up vows for a prosperous voyage (Vita S. Senani, ap. Colgan, c. 30). This story of St. Cannera and St. Senan forms the groundwork of one of Moore's Irish melodies. As St. Senan seems to have flourished in the sixth century, a similar date must be assigned to St. Cannera, who died about 530, according to Colgan. The last-mentioned authority tells us that she was venerated at Kill-chuilinn, in Carberry (Leinster), and at other churches in Ireland.
For the Scotch saint Kennera or Cainner (29 Oct.), whose name is preserved in the parish of Kirk-kinner, opposite Wigton, and elsewhere in Galloway, see ‘Bollandi Acta SS.’ 12 Oct., 904–5, and Forbes's ‘Calendar of Scottish Saints,’ 361. This saint is said to have been confused in later martyrologies with St. Cunnera, the Batavian martyr, one of the legendary followers of St. Ursula.
T. A. A.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Cann, Abraham

​CANN, ABRAHAM (1794–1864), wrestler, the son of Robert Cann, a farmer and a wrestler in Devonshire, and his wife, Mary, was baptised at Colebrooke, near Crediton, on 2 Dec. 1794, and, inheriting from his father a love of play, soon defeated John Jordan, Flower, Wreyford, Simon Webber, and the other best wrestlers in Devonshire, and carried off the prizes at all the places where he became a competitor. In these matches he wrestled in the Devonshire fashion, namely, wearing shoes and endeavouring to disable his adversary by violently kicking him on the legs. On 21 Sept. 1826, at the Eagle tavern, City Road, London, he contended without shoes for the first prize with James Warren of Redruth (conspicuous for his bravery at the time of the loss of the Kent, Indiaman, in 1825), and although the latter made a gallant struggle, Cann was declared the victor. He had long been known as the champion of Devonshire, and he now challenged James Polkinghorne, the champion of Cornwall. Polkinghorne was 6 ft. 2 in. high, weighed 320lbs., and had not wrestled for some years, being the landlord of the Red Lion inn at St. Columb Major. Cann was but 5 ft. 8½ in. in height, and weighed 175lbs. This match, which was for 200l. a side for the best of three back falls, took place at Tamar Green, Morice Town, near Devonport, on 23 Oct. 1826, in the presence of upwards of 12,000 spectators. After a long struggle the Cornishman won a fair back fall. Cann next threw Polkinghorne, but a dispute arising, a toss gave it in favour of the latter. After several other falls, Polkinghorne threw Cann, but the triers were divided in opinion as to the fall. Polkinghorne left the ring, and after much wrangling, the match was declared to be drawn. The Devonshire man, with the toes and heels of his shoes, kicked his adversary in the most frightful manner, while the Cornishman neither wore shoes nor practised kicking. In 1861 Lord Palmerston headed a subscription among the west-country gentlemen, by which the sum of 200l. was presented to the former champion of Devonshire.
Cann was for many years the proprietor of an inn, and died in his native place, Colebrooke, on 7 April 1864. He had four ​brothers, James, Robert, George, and William, all of whom were wrestlers. Messrs. Sparkes & Pope, solicitors, Crediton, are said to possess a manuscript biography of Cann.
[Times, 23 Sept. 1826, p. 3; Englishman, 29 Oct. 1826, p. 1, cols. 3–4; Sporting Mag. lxvii. 165 (1826), lxix. 55, 215, 314, 344 (1827); Cornwall Gazette, 28 Oct. 1826, pp. 2–3, and 4 Nov. p. 2; London Mag. 1 Oct. 1826, pp. 160–3; Annual Register, 1826, pp. 157–8; Hone's Everyday Book (1826), ii. 1009, 1337, and Table Book, ii. 415, 499; Illustrated Sporting News, 7 May 1864, pp. 100, 101, 111, with two portraits.]
G. C. B.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Gregory (d.1790?)

​GREGORY, Mrs. (d. 1790?). [See Mrs. Fitzhenry.]
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Gregory of Caergwent

​GREGORY of Caergwent or Winchester (fl. 1270), historian, entered the monastery of St. Peter's at Gloucester, according to his own account, on 29 Oct. 1237 (M.S. Cott. Vesp. A. v. f. 201 recto), and is stated to have lived there for sixty years. He wrote the annals of his monastery from 682 to 1290, a work which has only survived in an epitome made by Lawrence Noel, and now contained in Cotton MS. Vesp. A. v. ff. 198-203. It consists almost entirely of obits and of notices relating to events which concerned his own monastery or the town of Gloucester, but even in the early part it includes matter which is not contained in the `Historia S. Petri Gloucestriæ,' printed in the Rolls Series. A Gregory of Karewent was dean of the arches in 1279 (Prynne, Hist. of K. John, &c., 1219, and in Peckham's 'Register' (Rolls Ser. iii. 1014) for the same year the livings of Tetbury, Gloucestershire, and Blockley, Worcestershire, are mentioned as vacant through the death of Gregory de Kerewent. A Philip de Kayrwent was prior of Gloucester in 1284 (Hist. S. Pet. Glouc. iii. 23), and Richard de Kayrwent was infirmarer in 1275 and 1284 (ib. i. 171, iii. 23). Gregory has also been supposed to be the author of the 'Metrical Life of St. Hugh of Lincoln '(MSS. Reg. 13, A. iv., in Brit. Mus., and Laud. 515 in Bodleian); but this is scarcely probable, since that poem appears to have been written before 1235 (Dimock, preface to Metrical Life of St. Hugh of Lincoln). The Laudiau MS., however, seems to contain a later edition, and ascribes the poem to a Gregory who had dedicated it to a bishop of Winchester, and it is therefore possible that our writer may have been the reviser of the older poem.
C. L. K.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Gregory of Huntingdon

​GREGORY of Huntingdon (fl. 1290), monk of Ramsey, of which abbey he is said to have been prior for thirty-eight years, is described as a man of much learning, acquainted with Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. On the expulsion of the Jews from England in 1290 he purchased from them all the Hebrew books which he could procure, and presented them to his abbey. In the catalogue of books in the library of Ramsey— printed in 'Chr. Ramsey,' Rolls Ser., p. 365— a list of books of Gregory the prior is given, which includes several in Hebrew and Greek. From the books thus collected Laurence Holbench is said to heve compiled a Hebrew dictionary about 1410. According to Bale and Pits, Gregory wrote: 1. 'Ars intelligendi Græca.' 2. 'Grammaticæ summa.' 3. 'Explanationes Græcorum nominum.' 4. 'Attentarium.' 5. 'Epistolæ curiales.' 6. 'Expositio Donati.' 7. 'Notulæ in Priscianum,' 8. 'Imago mundi.' This work is commonly ascribed to Henry of Huntingdon, and sometimes to Bede; it is printed among St. Anselm's' Works,'ed. 1630, ii. 416. The manuscripts are very numerous, e.g. Bodl. 625 and E. Mus. 223 in the Bodleian (see also Coxe, Cat. Cod. MSS. Coll. Oxon.) 9. 'Rudimenta ​grammaticæ.' 10, ' Sententiæ per versus.' 11. 'Regulæ versificandi.'
C. L. K.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Gregson, Matthew

​GREGSON, MATTHEW (1749–1824), antiquary, son of Thomas Gregson, shipbuilder, of Liverpool, previously of Whalley, Lancashire, was born at Liverpool in 1749. He was many years in business as an upholsterer, and when he retired in 1814 had amassed considerable property. Although of deficient education he took a deep interest in literature and science, and especially devoted attention to the collection of documentary and pictorial illustrations of the history of Lancashire. These he used in compiling his ‘Portfolio of Fragments relative to the History and Antiquities of the County Palatine and Duchy of Lancaster,’ which he brought out in 1817 in three folio parts. The second and enlarged edition is dated 1824, and the third, edited and indexed by John Harland, came out in 1867. This work led to his election as a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and to his honorary membership of the Newcastle-on-Tyne Society of Antiquaries. He was offered knighthood by the prince regent on presenting a copy of the book, but declined ​the dignity. The ‘Portfolio of Fragments’ remains a standard work of reference for local history and genealogy. He wrote often on antiquarian subjects in the ‘Gentleman's Magazine.’
He played an energetic part in developing the public institutions of his native town, especially the Blue Coat School, the Liverpool Library, the Royal Institution, Botanic Gardens, and Academy of Art. He introduced the art of lithography into Liverpool, and used it in his ‘Fragments.’
He was elected in 1801 a member of the Society of Arts, and in 1803 received the gold medal of that society ‘for his very great attention to render useful the articles remaining after public fires.’ He had shown that paint, varnish, and printers' ink could be produced from burnt grain and sugar (Trans. of Soc. of Arts, xxii. 185).
He was a most charitable and hospitable man, and his house, ever open to his acquaintances, acquired the title of ‘Gregson's Hotel.’ He was twice married, first to Jane Foster; and secondly, to Anne Rimmer of Warrington, and he left several children. He died on 25 Sept. 1824, aged 75, after a fall from a ladder in his library. A monument to his memory was afterwards placed in St. John's churchyard, Liverpool.
C. W. S.