John Bayley (historian)
John Whitcomb Bayley (* before 1790 in Hempsted , † March 25, 1869 in Paris ) was an English historian . He published several books on the history of the English kings , including his standard work on the Tower of London , The History and Antiquities of the Tower of London , London 1821-1825. Bailey was a Fellow of the Royal Society and the Society of Antiquaries of London .
Bayley was born the second son of a farmer in Hempsted , Gloucestershire . In his youth he began working as a clerk in the Tower Record Office, a forerunner of the Public Record Office . Since August 28, 1815 he was a member of the Inner Temple and as such authorized to appear as a lawyer in court. In the Tower Record Office he rose to the position of chief secretary. In this function he published the Antiquities from 1821 . The Dictionary of National Biography praised this work for its clarity of judgment, precision, and outstanding style.
As Sub Commissioner for the Public Records , Bayley published Chancery in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth in three volumes from 1827 to 1832 . He faced violent hostility for the excessive fees he charged, as well as for the quality of the work. A commission of inquiry began in London, as well as in Liverpool , where there were similar allegations for another book. In 1834 Bayley retired from public life and lived first in Cheltenham and later in Paris . Bayley had a daughter.
He did not complete works on the history of London and the history of parliamentarism in England. The manuscripts for this are in the British Library with a number of other documents .
Web links
- Entry in Les marques de collections de dessins & d'estampes
- Entry in the Dictionary of National Biography at Wikisource
- Full text of the History and Antiquities of the Tower of London at archive.org
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Bayley, John |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Bayley, John Whitcomb |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | English historian |
| DATE OF BIRTH | before 1790 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Hempsted |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 25, 1869 |
| Place of death | Paris |