JOHN BRAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 June 1941, Page 6

JOHN BRAND

TASTE FOR CLASSICAL STUDIES. Born at Washington in Durham. John Brand was brought up by his uncle, and was educated at the Royal Grammar School, impressing the Rev. Hugh Moises, his master, by his taste for classical studies. Mr Moises persuaded wealthy friends to assist in sending John to Oxford. In 1774 he was appointed to the curacy of Cramlington, near Newcastle, and in 1777 was elected a fellow ot' the Society of Antiquaries. In 1784 he was presented by his early friend and patron, the Duke of Northumberland, to the rectory of the united parishes of St. Mary at Hill and St. Mary Hubbard in the City of London. and two years later he was appointed one of the duke's chaplains. We are told that his manners, somewhat repulsive to a stranger, became easy on closer acquaintance; and he loved tn tell men of literary and antiquarian taste the result of his researches on any subject in which they might require information. His works include Observations on Popular Antiquities; the Antiquities and History of the Town and County of Newcastle-upon-Tyne; and immense masses of manuscript collections of knowledge. The British Museum keeps a copy of an edition of his Observations on Popular Antiquities. In 1784 he was elected residentsecretary to the Society of Antiquaries. and was annually re-elected to that oil'iee till his death, which took place :suddenly in his rectory in 1806. He sleeps near the altar of St. Mary at Hill's Church.