Edward Jacob (1713–1788) was an English

antiquary An antiquarian or antiquary () is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient artefacts, archaeological and historic sit ...

naturalist Natural history is a domain of inquiry involving organisms, including animals, fungi, and plants, in their natural environment, leaning more towards observational than experimental methods of study. A person who studies natural history is cal ...

and

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

from

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

Life

He was the son of Edward Jacob, surgeon of

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...

, mayor of that city in 1727, who died in 1756. He was apprenticed to his father on a surgical apprenticeship in 1728. On completion of this in 1735 he was made a

freeman Freeman, free men, Freeman's or Freemans may refer to: Places United States * Freeman, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Freeman, Illinois, an unincorporated community * Freeman, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Freeman, South Dako ...

of the city of Canterbury and moved to

Faversham Faversham () is a market town in Kent, England, from Sittingbourne, from London and from Canterbury, next to the Swale, a strip of sea separating mainland Kent from the Isle of Sheppey in the Thames Estuary. It is close to the A2 road (Great ...

in Kent in that same year, where he practised as a surgeon. Jacob was an antiquary, bibliophile, scientist, botanist and fossil collector. He wrote a number of papers and books. 1774 saw his ''Plantae Favershemiensis'' appear, 1777 his '' History of the Town and Port of Faversham''. He also re-published the anonymous 16th century play ''

Arden of Faversham ''Arden of Faversham'' (original spelling: ''Arden of Feversham'') is an Elizabethan play, entered into the Register of the Stationers Company on 3 April 1592, and printed later that same year by Edward White. It depicts the real-life murder ...

'', and was the first person to suggest that

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

had a hand in writing it. He was elected to the Society of Antiquaries in 1755. He was mayor of Faversham on four occasions, namely, 1749, 1754, 1765 and 1775. His practice must have flourished, for he acquired three estates in Kent. #the manor of ''Nutts'' in Leysdown in the

Isle of Sheppey The Isle of Sheppey is an island off the northern coast of Kent, England, neighbouring the Thames Estuary, centred from central London. It has an area of . The island forms part of the districts of England, local government district of Borough ...

was bought in 1752, #the manor of ''Cades'' in

Ospringe Ospringe is a village and area of Faversham in the English county of Kent. It is also the name of a civil parish, which since 1935 has not included the village of Ospringe. The village lies on the Roman road Watling Street (nowadays the A2 ...

next Faversham in 1757 #the manor of ''Nackington alias Sextries'' in Canterbury in 1763.

Family

Jacob married twice. His first wife was Margaret Rigden, whom he married on 4 September 1739, she being the daughter of John Rigden of Canterbury. She was baptized on 23 September 1709 and buried on 20 January 1749. Edward married for his second wife Mary Long, the daughter and heiress of Captain Stephen Long of

Sandwich A sandwich is a Dish (food), dish typically consisting variously of meat, cheese, sauces, and vegetables used as a filling between slices of bread, or placed atop a slice of bread; or, more generally, any dish in which bread serves as a ''co ...

. They had eight children, five of whom survived infancy. His practice in Faversham was continued by his eldest son Edward. He was the ancestor of many noted people that include: *Brigadier General John Jacob of Jacobabad, *Major-General Sir George Le Grand Jacob, *

Edgar Jacob Edgar Jacob (16 November 1844 – 25 March 1920) was an English churchman, who became Bishop of Newcastle and then Bishop of St Albans. Early life and education He was born at the rectory in Crawley, Hampshire, on 16 November 1844. He was the ...

, the bishop successively of Newcastle and St Albans, *Field Marshal Sir Claud Jacob, *Lt-General Sir Ian Jacob, Director General of the BBC and a member of Churchill's war cabinet, *

Gordon Jacob Gordon Percival Septimus Jacob CBE (5 July 18958 June 1984) was an English composer and teacher. He was a professor at the Royal College of Music in London from 1924 until his retirement in 1966, and published four books and many articles about ...

, the composer, *

Ernest Fraser Jacob Ernest Fraser Jacob (12 September 1894 – 7 October 1971) was a British medievalist and scholar who was President of the Chetham Society, Lancashire Parish Register Society and Ecclesiastical History Society. Education He was educated at Tw ...

, the historian to name but a few.

References

* ''Edward Jacob (1713-1788)'' by

William H George William is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle Ages and into the modern era. It is ...

(2001), * ''Dictionary of National Biography'' * Pedigree Registered with the College of Arms, London (c. 1840) * ''A Victorian Pedagogue and his Circle'' by

Clive Jacob Clive is a name. People and fictional characters with the name include: People Given name * Clive Allen (born 1961), English football player * Clive Anderson (born 1952), British television, radio presenter, comedy writer and former barrister * ...

* ''Biographical Notes'' by

Kenneth W Jacob Kenneth is a given name of Gaelic origin. The name is an Anglicised form of two entirely different Gaelic personal names: ''Cainnech'' and '' Cináed''. The modern Gaelic form of ''Cainnech'' is ''Coinneach''; the name was derived from a byname m ...

, the Jacob Private Press 2002.

External links

Images of Edward Jacob
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jacob, Edward 1713 births 1788 deaths 18th-century English naturalists 18th-century English antiquarians People from Canterbury People from Faversham Mayors of Canterbury Fellows_of_the_Society_of_Antiquaries_of_London