Thomas Amyot (7 January 1775 – 28 September 1850) was an English antiquarian.

Early life

Amyot was born at

Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of the county of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. It lies by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. The population of the Norwich ...

on 7 January 1775, of

Huguenot The Huguenots ( , ; ) are a Religious denomination, religious group of French people, French Protestants who held to the Reformed (Calvinist) tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, ...

descent. Intended for the profession of a country attorney, he became an

articled clerk Articled clerk is a title used in Commonwealth countries for one who is studying to be an accountant or a lawyer. In doing so, they are put under the supervision of someone already in the profession, now usually for two years, but previously three ...

with a Norwich law firm, before spending a year in London to complete his legal education. He then returned to Norwich to begin practice as a solicitor.

Career

Having made the acquaintance of

William Windham William Windham (4 June 1810) was a British Whig politician. Elected to Parliament in 1784, Windham was attached to the remnants of the Rockinghamite faction of Whigs, whose members included his friends Charles James Fox and Edmund Burke. ...

, he became that gentleman's agent in the general election of 1802, and a permanent friendship was established between them. Windham lost his seat in Norwich, which he had held for eighteen years, but was impressed by Amyot's abilities, and when he became war and colonial minister in 1806, he appointed him his private secretary. Amyot thereupon gave up his Norwich practice, and moved to London. When Windham died in 1810, Amyot collected his parliamentary speeches; and they were published, preceded by a memoir, in three volumes, in 1812. By the influence of his political connections and the unbroken friendship of Windham, he obtained in succession several valuable appointments in the colonial department, including Registrar of Slaves, and Secretary and Registrar of Records in Upper Canada, a post in which he had permission to act by deputy. He thus acquired a position of independence, and he devoted the rest of his life to the illustration of English history through the medium of archaeology. He was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Society The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...

(1824) and the

Society of Antiquaries of London The Society of Antiquaries of London (SAL) is a learned society of historians and archaeologists in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1707, received its royal charter in 1751 and is a Charitable organization, registered charity. It is based ...

, and, having become treasurer of the latter society in 1823, he very actively promoted its interests. He contributed fifteen papers to the ''Transactions'', and some time before his death he was appointed a vice-president of the society. Amyot assisted in founding the

Camden Society The Camden Society was a text publication society founded in London in 1838 to publish early historical and literary materials, both unpublished manuscripts and new editions of rare printed books. It was named after the 16th-century antiquary ...

, and was one of its directors from 1839 until his death. He also largely aided the Percy, the Shakespeare, and other literary societies. Besides those above mentioned, his writings include a description of

Tewkesbury Abbey The Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin, Tewkesbury, commonly known as Tewkesbury Abbey, is located in the town of Tewkesbury in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, England. A former Benedictine monastery, it is now a parish church. Conside ...

contributed to ''

Vetusta Monumenta ''Vetusta Monumenta'' is the title of a published series of illustrated antiquarian papers on ancient buildings, sites and artefacts, mostly those of Britain, published at irregular intervals between 1718 and 1906 by the Society of Antiquaries o ...

'' (vol. v.), and an edition of ''The Old Taming of a Shrew, upon which Shakespeare founded his Comedy,'' for the Shakespeare Society, printed in 1844. Amyot was a favourite with all who knew him, well informed, accomplished, amiable, industrious. He collected a very fine library, and was always ready to give literary assistance. He died at his home at 13 James Street, Buckingham Gate, London, on 28 September 1850. Amyot married, about the year 1806, Miss Colman of Norwich, with whom he had eight children. She died in 1848.

References

Attribution * {{DEFAULTSORT:Amyot, Thomas 1775 births 1850 deaths Antiquarians from Norwich English antiquarians Fellows of the Royal Society