Modern English Biography (volume 1 of 4) A-H

BEECHAM, Rev. John. b. Barnoldby-le-Beck near Great Grimsby 1787; became a Wesleyan preacher 1815; general secretary of Wesleyan Missionary Society 1831 to death; pres. of Wesleyan conference 1850; author of An essay on the constitution of Wesleyan Methodism 1829, 3 ed. 1851; Ashantee and the Gold Coast 1841. d. Canonbury, London 22 April 1856. Wesleyan Meth. Mag. lxxix, pt. 2, 577–605 (1856).

BEECHEY, Frederick William (2 son of Sir Wm. Beechey R.A. 1753–1839). b. 17 Feb. 1796; entered the navy 7 July 1806; went with Sir John Franklin to Spitzbergen on his first expedition 1818; with Edward Parry in the Hecla 1819; helped to survey north coast of Africa Nov. 1821 to July 1822; commanded the Blossom in the Pacific 1825–28; captain 8 May 1827; surveyed coast of Ireland 1837–47; superintendent marine department of Board of Trade 1850 to death; aide de camp to the Queen 18 July 1851 to 11 Sep. 1854; R.A. 11 Sep. 1854; F.R.G.S. 1833, pres. 1855 to death; F.R.S. 23 Dec. 1824, vice pres. 1854; author of Narrative of a voyage to the Pacific and Behring’s Strait 2 vols. 1831; A voyage of discovery towards the north pole 1843. d. 8 Westbourne crescent, Hyde Park, London 29 Nov. 1856. Proceedings of Royal Society viii, 283–87 (1856).

BEECHEY, George D. (brother of the preceding). Portrait painter; exhibited 24 portraits at the R.A. 1817 to 1832; went to Calcutta about 1830; court painter and controller of the household to King of Oudh. (m. an Indian Lady called Hinda, whose portrait he sent to the R.A. 1822). Supposed to have died in India 1856.

BEECHEY, Henry William (brother of the preceding). travelled with Belzoni in Egypt 1816–17; examined and reported on antiquities of the Cyrenaica for Colonial Office 1821–22; F.S.A. 1825; exhibited a picture at the R.A. 1829, and another at British Institution 1838; emigrated to New Zealand 1855; wrote a memoir of Sir Joshua Reynolds prefixed to his Literary works published in 2 vols. 1835 and reprinted 1852. Supposed to have died in New Zealand in or about 1870.

BEECHING, James. b. Bexhill near Hastings 1788; apprenticed to a boat builder; boat builder at Great Yarmouth; introduced the handsome build of fishing vessel now used there; invented the self righting lifeboat for which he gained the prize of £105, 13 Aug. 1851 when 280 models were sent in from all parts of the world, his boat slightly modified has served as the model for all the boats of the Royal National Lifeboat institution. d. 7 June 1858. Rev. John Gilmore’s Storm warriors (1874) 32–47.

BEECROFT, George Skirrow. b. Outwood house, Horsforth near Leeds 16 Nov. 1809; proprietor of Kirkstall forge near Leeds; M.P. for Leeds 5 June 1857 to 11 Nov. 1868; seconded address of House of Commons in reply to speech from the throne 3 Feb. 1859. d. 4 Gloucester terrace, Regent’s park, London 18 March 1869. I.L.N. xxxiv, 189 (1859), portrait.

BEECROFT, John. Explored the Niger and other rivers falling into the Gulf of Guinea 1832 to death; governor of Fernando Po; consul general for West Africa 1850. d. Clarence, West coast of Africa 10 June 1854.

BEER, John (eld. son of John Beer of Devonport, coal merchant), b. Devonport about Dec. 1806; solicitor at Devonport 1827 to death; clerk to the Devonport comrs. 1838–82; an able advocate, engaged in all the chief local trials; member of Devonport town council many years and mayor 1849 and 1850; recorder of Saltash 1871 to death, d. 2 Albemarle villas, Stoke 14 April 1883.

BEER, Julius. b. Frankfort 1836; proprietor of The Observer London weekly paper 1870 to death; F.R.G.S. 1870. d. Mentone 29 Feb. 1880 in 44 year. bur. Highgate cemetery 8 March. Personalty sworn under £400,000 March 1880.

BEETE, Robert Crosby. First puisne judge British Guiana 1853 to Jany. 1869 when he retired on a pension. d. Charing Cross hospital London 2 Nov. 1878 aged 68.

BEETON, Samuel Orchart. Bookseller and publisher at 148 Fleet st. London; published the first English edition of Uncle Tom’s Cabin 1852; went a voyage to America to present Mrs. Stowe with a voluntary payment of £500; published Beeton’s Christmas Annuals 1860–65; sold his stock and copyrights for £1,900 to Ward, Lock and Tyler Sep. 1866; a publisher again 1877 to death; author with Doughty and Emerson of The coming K. 1872; The Siliad 1873 and Jon Duan 1874. d. Sudbrook park, Richmond, Surrey 6 June 1877 aged 46. The law reports Equity cases xix, 207–22 (1875).

BEEVOR, Sir Thomas Branthwayt, 3 Baronet, b. Old Buckenham, Norfolk 7 April 1798; succeeded 10 Dec. 1820. d. Yarmouth 6 April 1879.

BEEVOR, Sir Thomas, 4 Baronet. b. Hargham Norfolk 23 Aug. 1823; ed. at Univ. coll. London; barrister L.I. 29 Jany. 1850; chairman of Norwich Union life assurance society; succeeded 6 April 1879. d. Hingham, Attleborough, Norfolk 18 Aug. 1885.

BEGBIE, James, b. Edinburgh 18 Dec. 1799; ed. at high school and Univ. of Edin.; M.D. 1821; F.R.C.S. Edin. 1822; F.R.C.P. Edin. 1847, pres. 1854–50; pres. of Medico Chirurgical Society 1850–52; one of Her Majesty’s physicians in ordinary in Scotland 6 June 1853; author of Contributions to practical medicine 1862, and of many papers in medical journals. d. 10 Charlotte sq. Edinburgh 26 Aug. 1869. Proc. of Royal Society of Edin. vii, 2–6 (1872).

BEGBIE, James Warburton (2 son of the preceding). b. 19 Nov. 1826; ed. at Edinburgh academy and univ., M.D. 1847, LLD. Aug. 1875; pres. of Royal Medical Society 1847–49; practised at Edinburgh 1852; F.R.C.P. Edin. 1852; phys. to the Cholera hospital 1854; phys. to Royal Infirmary 1855–65, lectured on practice of physic there 10 winter sessions 1855–65; had the largest consulting physician’s practice in Scotland 1869 to death; author of A handy book of medical information and advice by a physician 1860, 2 ed. 1872; wrote 13 articles in J. R. Reynolds’s System of medicine 3 vols. 1871 and many reviews and notices in Edinburgh Medical Journal. d. 16 Great Stuart st. Edinburgh 25 Feb. 1876. Selections from the works of the late J. W. Begbie, edited by Dyce Duckworth, The New Sydenham Society London 1882, portrait.

BEGG, Rev. James. b. Manse of New Monkland, Lanarkshire 31 Oct. 1808; ed. at Univ. of Glasgow, M.A.; licensed as a preacher June 1829; minister at Maxwelltown, Dumfries 18 May 1830; minister of Middle parish church Paisley 1831, and of Liberton near Edin. 25 June 1835 to 5 July 1843 when he was declared no longer a minister having joined in the Free Secession; minister of Newington Free church near Edin. 1843 to death; sent by his church to Canada on public duty 1844–45; moderator of Free general assembly 18 May 1865; a sum of £4,600 was presented to him by his friends 1875; author of Are you prepared to die 1845; How to promote and preserve the beauty of Edinburgh 1849; A handbook of Popery 1852; The art of preaching 1863. d. George sq. Edinburgh 29 Sep. 1883. Memoirs by Professor Thomas Smith (1885); John Smith’s Our Scottish clergy, 3 series (1851) 127–33.

BEHAN, Thomas Lawrence. Connected with the Hampshire Independent; on the staff of the Observer and other London newspapers; editor, manager, and publisher of the London Gazette 1 Oct 1854 to death, d. Southampton 27 Aug. 1860 aged 66.

BEHNES, William. b. London 1794; learnt drawing in Dublin; gained 3 silver medals at Royal Academy; a portrait draughtsman in London, afterwards a sculptor; executed busts of many of the most eminent men of his time; executed statues of Lady Godiva 1844, Europa 1848 and The startled nymph 1849; exhibited 215 sculptures at the R.A. 1815–63; bankrupt on his own petition 25 Nov. 1861. d. Middlesex hospital London 8 Jany. 1864. Cornhill Mag. ix, 688–701 (1864); Lectures on art by Henry Weeks (1880) 294–317; W. B. Scott’s British school of sculpture (1871) 99–102.

BEHRENS, Louis. b. Hamburg 1801; joined his brother Jacob in business as merchants at Bradford 1836; founded a business in Manchester 1840; established it as a separate concern 1870. d. Southport 1 June 1884.

BEKE, Charles Tilstone (son of James Beck, of Hackney, London, commissioner of sewers). b. Stepney, London 10 Oct. 1800; student at Lincoln’s Inn; changed spelling of his name from Beck to Beke 1834; acting consul at Leipzig 1837–38; Ph. Doc. Univ. of Tubingen 6 Aug. 1837; travelled in Abyssinia 1840–43 and 1865–66; received gold medals of Royal Geographical Societies of London and Paris 1845 and 1846; sec. to National Association for protection of industry and capital throughout British empire 1849–53, when association was dissolved; granted a civil list pension of £100 14 Dec. 1870; went to Palestine to determine position of Mount Sinai Dec. 1873; F.S.A. 1835; author of Origines Biblicæ 1834; The sources of the Nile 1860; The British captives in Abyssinia 1865; The idol in Horeb 1871 and other books. d. Bromley, Kent 31 July 1874. Summary of the late Dr. Beke’s published works and of his inadequately requited public services By his widow 1876; Dictionary of national biography iv, 138–41 (1885); I.L.N. lxv, 140 (1874), portrait; Graphic x, 174 (1874), portrait.

BELCHER, Sir Edward (2 son of Andrew Belcher, of Clarence lodge, Roehampton, Surrey). b. Nova Scotia 1799; entered navy 9 April 1812; one of original fellows of Royal Geog. Soc. 1830; sailed round the world in H.M.S. Sulphur 1836–42; captain 6 May 1841; engaged surveying in East Indies 1842–47; C.B. 14 Oct. 1841, K.C.B. 13 March 1867; knighted by patent for his services in China 21 Jany. 1843; granted pension for wounds 13 March 1847; commanded expedition in search of Sir John Franklin 10 Feb. 1852 to Oct. 1854; admiral 20 Oct. 1872; F.R.A.S. Dec. 1837; claimed to be the inventor of water-tight bulkheads and compartments; granted a Greenwich hospital pension of £150 per annum 7 Dec. 1874; author of A treatise on nautical surveying 1835; Narrative of a voyage round the world 2 vols. 1843; Narrative of the voyage of H.M.S. Samarang 2 vols. 1848; Horatio Howard Brenton a naval novel 3 vols. 1856; The last of the Arctic voyages 2 vols. 1855. (m. 11 Sep. 1830 Diana dau. of George Jolliffe, captain H.E.I.C.S.) d. 6 Melcombe place, Dorset sq. London 18 March 1877. Army and Navy mag. iv, 1–5 (1882), portrait; I.L.N. xxi, 321 (1852), portrait, lxx, 299 (1878), portrait; Journal of Royal Geog. Soc. xlvii, 136–42 (1877); Monthly notices of Royal Astron. Soc. xxxviii, 141–43 (1878); Transactions of Instit. of naval architects xi, 12–19, 197–211 (1870).

BELCHER, Rev. Joseph. b. Birmingham 5 April 1794; Baptist divine; went to United States 1844; author of Pastoral recollections 1837; The clergy of America 1849; George Whitfield, a biography 1860; said to have written more religious works than any other author of the century. d. Philadelphia 10 July 1859.

BELCHER, Thomas. b. St. James’s churchyard Bristol 14 April 1783; went to London 1803; fought and beat Jack Ware in Tothill Fields, Westminster 26 June 1804; beaten by Wm. Ryan at Willesden Green 30 Nov. 1804, but beat him near Chertsey 4 June 1805; beat Jack O’Donnell at Shepperton 27 April 1805; fought Dutch Sam (Elias Samuels) for 100 guineas at Moulsey Hurst 8 Feb. 1806, when beaten; fought him again 20 July 1807, when fight was declared drawn; beaten by him 21 Aug. 1807; beat Dogherty 14 April 1808, Cropley 25 Oct. 1808, Farnborough 1 Feb. 1809, Silverthorne 6 June 1811; fought Dogherty again for 100 guineas on the Curragh of Kildare 23 April 1813, when he won again; landlord of the Castle Tavern Holborn 1814–28; one of the 18 pugilists selected by Jackson to act with him as pages at coronation of George IV. in Westminster Abbey 19 July 1821, one gold coronation medal was given to the boxers which they raffled for, when Belcher won it and held the trophy until his death. d. Peckham, d. of apoplexy at 19 Trafalgar sq. Peckham, Surrey 9 Dec. 1854. Pugilistica by H. D. Miles i, 153–66 (1880), portrait; The Fancy by An Operator i, 297–300 (1826), portrait; Every night book (1827) 37–44; Boxiana by P. Egan ii, 28–45 (1818).

BELDAM, Joseph (3 son of Wm. Beldam of Royston, Herts who d. 20 June 1827 aged 64). b. 26 Dec. 1795; ed. at St Peter’s coll. Cam.; barrister M.T. 12 May 1825; standing counsel for Anti slavery party; F.S.A. 1 May 1856; author of Il pastore incantato, a drama; Pompeii and other poems by a student of the Middle Temple 1823; A summary of the laws peculiarly affecting Protestant dissenters 1827; Recollections of scenes and institutions in Italy and the East 2 vols. 1851. d. Royston 6 June 1866.

BELDHAM, William. b. Wrecclesham near Farnham, Surrey 5 Feb. 1766; professional cricketer; the “crack” batsman of England many years, excelled also in bowling, fielding, wicket keeping and single wicket playing; played in the Gentlemen versus Players match 1787 to 1821; the last surviving member of the once far famed Hambledon cricket club; had 39 children, 28 by his first wife, all of whom died young leaving no issue. d. Tilford near Farnham 20 Feb. 1862. Nyren’s Cricketer’s Tutor (1833) 93–96.

BELFORD, William Rowles. b. Easton near Bristol Dec. 1824; made his début in London at Sadler’s Wells theatre 22 Dec. 1851 as Sir Charles Cropland in The poor Gentleman; played prominent parts in 32 Shakespearian revivals at same house 1852–63; acted with S. Phelps in Germany 1859; played at Strand theatre about 1863–69; created leading role in W.S. Gilbert’s comedy Randall’s Thumb at Court theatre 25 Jany. 1871; played Henry the 8th in the provinces 1876; last appeared on the stage at Imperial theatre London April 1879 in comic drama of A rough diamond; acted at nearly every west-end theatre in London; sum of £1,100 was raised for him Dec. 1879. d. 43 Grand parade, Brighton 3 June 1881. Pascoe’s Dramatic list (1880) 42.

BELFOUR, Edmund. Secretary of Royal college of surgeons 1814 to death, d. 37 Lincoln’s Inn Fields 30 Jany. 1865 in 76 year.

BELHAVEN and STENTON, Robert Montgomery Hamilton, 8 Baron (eld. child of Wm. Hamilton, 7 Baron Belhaven and Stenton 1765–1814.) b. Wishaw house, Lanarkshire 1793; succeeded 29 Oct. 1814; created Baron Hamilton of Wishaw in peerage of U.K. 10 Sep. 1831; lord high comr. to general assembly of Church of Scotland 1831–41, 1847–51, 1853–57 and 1860–66; lieut. col. commandant 1 Lanarkshire militia 21 Nov. 1833 to death; lord lieut. of Lanarkshire 10 Aug. 1863 to death. d. Wishaw house 22 Dec. 1868.

BELL, Alexander. b. Cupar Fife 1775; ed. at Univ. of Edin.; pupil of Sir Astley Cooper in London, M.R.C.S.; served in Ireland as surgeon of 1st Regiment of Dundee Volunteers (Loyal Tay Fencibles) during rebellion of 1798 until May 1802 when regiment was disbanded; practised in village of Errol 1802–1807, and at Dundee 1807–50 surgeon to Dundee infirmary 30 years; performed operation of lithotomy many times with great success. d. Dundee 28 March 1852.

BELL, Alexander. Professor of elocution in London; author of Practical elocutionist 1835; The tongue, a poem 1846; The Bride, a play 1847; Stammering and other impediments of speech 1849. d. Harrington sq. London 23 April 1865.

BELL, Alexander Montgomerie (son of John Bell of Paisley, manufacturer). b. Paisley 4 Dec. 1809; ed. at Paisley gr. sch. and Univ. of Glasgow; a writer to the Signet 1835; partner of Messrs. Dundas and Wilson; professor of conveyancing in the Univ. of Edin. 1856 to death; author of Lectures on conveyancing 1867, 3 ed. 2 vols. 1882. d. East Morningside house, Edinburgh 19 Jany. 1866.

BELL, Archibald. b. 1775; member of faculty of advocates 1798; sheriff depute of Ayrshire 18 Feb. 1815; author of The Cabinet, a series of essays moral and literary [anon.] 2 vols. 1835; Count Clermont, a tragedy, Caius Toranius, a tragedy with other poems 1841; Melodies of Scotland 1849. d. Edinburgh 6 Oct. 1854.

BELL, Benjamin (son of Joseph Bell of Edinburgh, surgeon 1786–1848). b. Edinburgh 13 April 1810; ed. in Edin. and London; L.R.C.S. Edin. 1832, F.R.C.S. 1835, pres. 1864; M.R.C.S. 1833; founded with Robert Hamilton the Eye infirmary Edin. 1834; vice pres. of Medico-Chirurgical society of Edin. 1856, pres. 1859–61; author of A probationary essay on injuries of the male urethra 1835; The life of Benjamin Bell by his grandson 1868. d. Coates crescent, Edinburgh 13 June 1883. Edinburgh Medical Journal xxix, 91–95 (1884).

BELL, Catherine Douglas. Author of Arnold Lee, or rich children and poor children by cousin Kate 1852; Help in time of need 1856, 2 ed. 1866; Self mastery 1857; Home sunshine 1859, 2 ed. 1866; Hope Campbell, or know thyself 1866 and other books for children. d. Edinburgh 15 Nov. 1861. Last hours with cousin Kate [C. D. Bell] 1862, portrait.

BELL, Charles. b. London 1805; partner in firm of Thomson, Bonar & Co. of London and St. Petersburg, merchants; M.P. for City of London 16 Nov. 1868 to death. d. Terrace house, Richmond, Surrey 9 Feb. 1869. Personalty sworn under £300,000 April 1869.

BELL, Christopher. Entered navy June 1796; captain 7 Feb. 1812, retired R.A. 1 Oct. 1846; C.B. 4 July 1840. d. Aigburth Ash near Liverpool 16 Oct. 1853 aged 70.

BELL, Edward Wells. Lieutenant 7 Foot 16 May 1811; major 19 Dec. 1826 to 29 June 1830 when placed on h.p.; colonel 66 Foot 26 Dec. 1859 to death; general 12 July 1868. d. Kempsey, Worcester 9 Oct. 1870.

BELL, Edward William Derrington. b. 1824; 2 lieut. 23 Foot 15 April 1842; lieut. col. 8 Jany. 1858 to 1 Sep. 1869; served in Russian war 1854–55 and in Sepoy mutiny 1857–58; personally captured and secured the first gun taken at battle of the Alma; M.G. 6 March 1868; commanded Belfast district 28 Feb. 1875 to death; C.B. 13 March 1867; V.C. 26 June 1856. d. Fort William park, Belfast 10 Nov. 1879.

BELL, Sir George (son of George Bell of Belle Vue on Lough Erin Fermanagh). b. Belle Vue 17 March 1794; ed. at Dublin; ensign 34 Foot 11 March 1811; served in the Peninsula 1811–14; lieut. col. 1 Foot 5 Dec. 1843 to 1 May 1855; commanded 1 brigade of third division in Crimean war 1854–55; inspecting field officer at Liverpool 1 May 1855 to 4 April 1859; colonel 104 Foot 23 Oct. 1863, of 32 Foot 2 Feb. 1867 and of 1 Foot 3 Aug. 1868 to death; general 8 March 1875; C.B. 5 July 1855, K.C.B. 13 March 1867. d. 156 Westbourne terrace, London 10 July 1877. Rough notes by an old soldier Sir G. Bell 2 vols. 1867, portrait.

BELL, Henry Glassford (eld. son of James Bell, Town clerk of Greenock). b. Glasgow 8 Nov. 1805; ed. at Glasgow high school and Univ. of Edin.; admitted advocate 20 Nov. 1832; sheriff substitute of Lanarkshire 1 July 1838; sheriff principal 8 June 1867 to death; started Edinburgh Literary Journal 1828, edited it to 14 Jany. 1832 when it was merged in Edinburgh Weekly Chronicle; he is sketched under name of Tallboys in Noctes Ambrosianæ; author of Life of Mary Queen of Scots 2 vols. 1828; Summer and winter hours 1831; Romances and minor poems 1866. d. Glasgow 7 Jany. 1874. Journal of jurisprudence xviii, 92–103 (1874).

BELL, Jacob (son of John Bell of 338 Oxford st. London, chemist who d. 14 Jany. 1849 aged 74). b. 338 Oxford St. 5 March 1810; apprenticed to his father 1827–32; chemist in Oxford st. 1832 to death, his drugs earned a European reputation; founder of Pharmaceutical Society 1841, on which he spent a large sum; edited Pharmaceutical Journal July 1841 to death; M.P. for St. Albans 24 Dec. 1850 to 1 July 1852; contested Great Malvern 1852 and Marylebone 1854; collected at his house 15 Langham place, London a gallery of pictures many by Sir Edwin Landseer, the 13 best of which he bequeathed to the nation; F.L.S. 6 March 1832; author of Chemical and pharmaceutical processes and products 1852. d. Tunbridge Wells 12 June 1859. J. Bell and T. Redwood’s Historical sketch of progress of pharmacy (1880) 280–92; I.L.N. xviii, 299 (1851), portrait, xxxi, 4, 24 (1859), portrait.

BELL, James Spencer. b. 1818; M.P. for Guildford 7 July 1852 to 21 March 1857. d. 1 Devonshire place, Portland place, London 22 Feb. 1872.

BELL, John (only son of John Bell of Thirsk). b. 1809; M.P. for Thirsk 1 July 1841 to death; declared insane by a commission July 1849. d. Thirsk 5 March 1851.

BELL, Rev. John. b. Snaith, Yorkshire; ed. at Douay, France; ordained priest at Crook hall, co. Durham 23 Dec. 1794; prefect general of Douay college Durham and professor of rhetoric and poetry 1794–1817, the college was moved from Crook hall to Ushaw 1808; appointed to mission of Samlesbury near Preston 1817 and to Kippax park Yorkshire 1828; author of The wanderings of the human intellect, or a new dictionary of sects 1814, 2 ed. 1838. d. Selby 31 May 1854 aged 87.

BELL, John. Lived in Abyssinia 1842 to death; general in army of Ras Ali the ruler of Abyssinia 1848 who gave him the province of Diddim; taken prisoner by Kasai 1853 who deposed Ali and took title of Theodorus; minister and general in chief to Theodorus 1853 to death; killed in a battle fought against Garred at Waldabba near the western bank of the Taccazy river 31 Oct. 1860 after he had himself killed Garred.

BELL, John. b. Newcastle 1782; Bookseller at Newcastle; land surveyor at Gateshead; one of founders of Society of antiquaries of Newcastle on Tyne, treasurer 6 Feb. 1813; author of Rhymes of northern bards 1812; contributed to Gent. Mag. d. Bentinck crescent, Newcastle 30 Oct. 1864.

BELL, John. b. Ireland 1796; went to the United States 1810; author of On baths and mineral waters 1831; Practical dictionary of materia medica 1841; On regimen and longevity 1842; Dietetical and medical hydrology 1850. d. Philadelphia 1872.

BELL, Sir John (son of David Bell of Bonytoun, Fifeshire). b. Bonytoun 1 Jany. 1782; ensign 52 Foot 15 Aug. 1805; served in Peninsular war; permanent assistant quartermaster general to 10 Nov. 1814; chief sec. of government at Cape of Good Hope 1828–41; aide de camp to the sovereign 6 May 1831 to 23 Nov. 1841; lieut. governor of Guernsey 24 Jany. 1848 to 30 June 1854; col. of 95 Foot 25 June 1850 and of 4 Foot 26 Dec. 1853 to death; general 15 June 1860; C.B. 4 June 1815, K.C.B. 6 April 1852, G.C.B. 18 May 1860. d. 55 Cadogan place, London 20 Nov. 1876. I.L.N. lxix, 541 (1876), portrait.

BELL, John David (youngest son of George Joseph Bell, professor of law at Univ. of Aberdeen). b. 1823 or 1824; barrister M.T. 12 May 1848; practised at Calcutta 1850–58; founder and chairman of Positive Life Assurance Company 1870; standing counsel to government of India at Calcutta 1878 to death. d. Calcutta 15 Aug. 1880 in 57 year.

BELL, John Gray (son of Thomas Bell of Newcastle 1785–1860). b. Newcastle 21 Sep. 1823; a bookseller in London 1848–54 and in Manchester 1854 to death; published a valuable series of Tracts on the topography history and dialects of the counties of Great Britain 1850; author of A descriptive and critical catalogue of works illustrated by Thomas and John Bell 1851; privately printed A genealogical account of the descendants of John of Gaunt 1855. d. Manchester 21 Feb. 1866.