Thomas Rossell Potter
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Thomas Rossell Potter (7 January 1799 – 19 April 1873) was a British
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 ...
. He started a school in Leicestershire, but he is known for his publications about the history and
geology Geology (). is a branch of natural science concerned with the Earth and other astronomical objects, the rocks of which they are composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Earth ...
of
Leicestershire Leicestershire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It is bordered by Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire to the north, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire to the south-east, Warw ...
. He was the editor of a number of local newspapers.


Biography

Born at
West Hallam West Hallam is a large village and civil parish west of Ilkeston in the county of Derbyshire in the East Midlands region of England. West Hallam has had its own parish council since 1894 and, since 1974, has been part of the Erewash borough. Th ...
,
Derbyshire Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It borders Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire to the north, Nottinghamshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south-east, Staffordshire to the south a ...
to John and Mary Potter, he went to Risley grammar school, and later to the grammar school at
Wirksworth Wirksworth is a market town and civil parish in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England. Its population was 4,902 in the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census.Area E04002820 (Wirksworth parish) in Table PP002 - Sex, from Wirkswor ...
. When he was fifteen his parents removed to
Wymeswold Wymeswold () is a village and civil parish in the Charnwood (borough), Charnwood district of Leicestershire, England. It is in the north of Leicestershire, and north-east of Loughborough. The village has a population of about 1,000, measured ...
in
Leicestershire Leicestershire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It is bordered by Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire to the north, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire to the south-east, Warw ...
, and there he resided until his death. Potter's intention of entering the church was frustrated by his father's death, and Potter accordingly started a school on Elm Street in Wymeswold called "The Hermitage" (pictured)."A Boy's Life", by Carl Harrison
accessed 4 November 2007
The school proved successful, and, with the exception of a few years devoted entirely to literary work, he spent the remainder of his days in tuition. The account below is taken from a schoolbook by Thomas Wamer Lacey which was rediscovered in a record office in 1999. He wrote:
"... I then came to Mr Potters of Wymeswould, he is a very kind master, and Mrs Potter is a kind mistress, and was like a mother to us all, and will always be remembered by us. Mr Potter takes us a fishing, and bathing, and we have delightful walks, a pleasant playground, pretty little gardens, rabbithouses, &c. furnish amusements for us in the Summer evenings. In Winter we have a Library of Books to run to, a
magic lantern The magic lantern, also known by its Latin name , is an early type of image projector that uses pictures—paintings, prints, or photographs—on transparent plates (usually made of glass), one or more lens (optics), lenses, and a light source. ...
to amuse us, and many a long hour do we spend in listening to Mr P~s tales round the cheerful fire..."
A notable student of his was the antiquarian
John Joseph Briggs John Joseph Briggs (6 March 1819 – 23 March 1876), naturalist and topographer, was born in the village of Kings Newton (or King's Newton), Derbyshire on 6 March 1819. His father, John Briggs, who married his cousin, Mary Briggs, was born and r ...
.John Joseph Briggs in ''
Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...
'', now in the public domain
Potter had developed a taste for literature, and especially for antiquities and geology. In 1841/42, he temporarily removed from Wymeswold to a house in
Charnwood Forest Charnwood Forest is a hilly tract in north-western Leicestershire, England, bounded by Leicester, Loughborough and Coalville. The area is undulating, rocky and picturesque, with barren areas. It also has some extensive tracts of woodland, ...
, and while there he collected notes about the history, antiquities, natural history, and geology of the area. This became ''The History and Antiquities of Charnwood Forest''. Potter attempted a reissue of the ''History of Leicestershire'' by John Nichols, but his effort proved abortive, and, though much was written, only the ''Physical Geography and Geology of Leicestershire'' was printed (in 1866). Potter was fond of field sports, was a regular attender at meets of the
Quorn Hunt The Quorn Hunt, usually called the Quorn, established in 1696, is one of the world's oldest fox hunting packs and claims to be the United Kingdom's most famous hunt. Its country is mostly in Leicestershire, together with some smaller areas of ...
, and contributed a series of papers and poems for the ''
Sporting Magazine ''The Sporting Magazine'' (1792–1870) was the first English sporting periodical to devote itself to every type of sport. Its subtitle was "Monthly Calendar of the Transactions of the Turf, the Chase and Every Other Diversion Interesting to the ...
'' from 1827 until 1840, under the
pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...
of ''Old Grey''. He afterwards wrote for the ''Sporting Review''. He became editor of the ''Leicester Advertiser'' in 1849, of the ''Ilkeston Pioneer'' in 1856, and of the ''Leicester Guardian'' in 1858. In 1865, he was editor of the ''Loughborough Monitor'' (later the ''Loughborough Monitor and News''). Potter married, on 14 January 1836, Frances Sarah Fosbrooke of Shardlow Hall, Derbyshire. They had five sons (Henry Rossell, Edmund Fosbrooke, Charles Neville, Herbert Edward and Arthur Evelyn) and four daughters (Fanny Elizabeth, Mary Constance, Ada Mary and Frances Sibella). Potter predeceased his wife, dying in Wymeswold. Besides the works mentioned, he published: # '' Walks round
Loughborough Loughborough ( ) is a market town in the Charnwood (borough), Charnwood Borough of Leicestershire, England; it is the administrative centre of Charnwood Borough Council. At the United Kingdom 2021 census, the town's built-up area had a popula ...
'', 1840. # '' The Genius of
Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated ''Notts.'') is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. The county is bordered by South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. Th ...
'', 1849. # '' Rambles round Loughborough,'' reprinted from ''The Loughborough News'', 1868. # ''Poems'', 1881Some lyrical ballads, in which local legends were incorporated, were collected after his death by his son, Charles Neville Potter


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Potter, Thomas Rossell 1799 births 1873 deaths 19th-century antiquarians 19th-century English educators 19th-century English historians 19th-century English poets People from the Borough of Erewash English naturalists People from Wymeswold English newspaper editors