Owen Salusbury Brereton
Encyclopedia
Owen Salusbury Brereton, born Owen Brereton FRS
(1715–1798), was an antiquary.
, by his first wife, Miss Trelawney. The father came to own Shotwick Park
, Cheshire
, and other property through his second marriage with Catherine, daughter of Mr. Salusbury Lloyd, M.P. for Liverpool
1724 till his death in 1756. Lloyd altered his surname to Salusbury. Owen Brereton added that name on succeeding to estates in the counties of Chester
, Denbigh
, and Flint
on his father's death.
Brereton was admitted a scholar of Westminster School
in 1729, and entered Trinity College, Cambridge
, in 1734. He was called to the bar from Lincoln's Inn
in 1738, and in that year held the post of a lottery commissioner.
In September 1742 Brereton was appointed recorder of Liverpool, an office he retained till his death, a period of fifty-six years. When he proposed to resign in 1796, he was requested by the corporation to retain the situation, and they appointed a deputy to relieve him of the pressure of its duties. He became a member of the Society of Arts in 1762, and was vice-president from 1765 to 1798, in which capacity he rendered great service to the society. He was also a member of the Royal Society
and of the Society of Antiquaries
(elected 1763), a bencher of Lincoln's Inn
, treasurer of that body, and keeper of the Black Book
. He was member of parliament for Ilchester
in Somerset
from 1775 to 1780, and constable of Flint Castle
from 1775.
He died at his residence at Windsor
, on 8 September 1798, in his eighty-fourth year, and was buried in St. George's Chapel, Windsor, on 22 September.
to the Philosophical Transactions of 1781, and sent several papers to the Archæologia:
In vols. viii. x. xi. and xii. of the same work are particulars of various objects of antiquity exhibited by him. The paper on Brereton Church contains several unaccountable inaccuracies, which have been commented upon by George Ormerod
in his History of Cheshire.
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
(1715–1798), was an antiquary.
Life
Brereton was born in 1715, the son of Thomas BreretonThomas Brereton
Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Brereton was an Irish soldier who led the dragoons against the rioters during the Bristol Riots and was subsequently court-martialled for his leniency.He was the governor of Senegal by the time of the Méduse tragedy....
, by his first wife, Miss Trelawney. The father came to own Shotwick Park
Shotwick Park
Shotwick Park is a civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. Located near the village of Shotwick, it is four miles north west of Chester and close to the Welsh border....
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, and other property through his second marriage with Catherine, daughter of Mr. Salusbury Lloyd, M.P. for Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
1724 till his death in 1756. Lloyd altered his surname to Salusbury. Owen Brereton added that name on succeeding to estates in the counties of Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, Denbigh
Denbigh
Denbigh is a market town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. Before 1888, it was the county town of Denbighshire. Denbigh lies 8 miles to the north west of Ruthin and to the south of St Asaph. It is about 13 miles from the seaside resort of Rhyl. The town grew around the glove-making industry...
, and Flint
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
on his father's death.
Brereton was admitted a scholar of Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
in 1729, and entered Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, in 1734. He was called to the bar from Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
in 1738, and in that year held the post of a lottery commissioner.
In September 1742 Brereton was appointed recorder of Liverpool, an office he retained till his death, a period of fifty-six years. When he proposed to resign in 1796, he was requested by the corporation to retain the situation, and they appointed a deputy to relieve him of the pressure of its duties. He became a member of the Society of Arts in 1762, and was vice-president from 1765 to 1798, in which capacity he rendered great service to the society. He was also a member of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
and of the Society of Antiquaries
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
(elected 1763), a bencher of Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
, treasurer of that body, and keeper of the Black Book
Black Book
The Black Book: The Ruthless Murder of Jews by German-Fascist Invaders Throughout the Temporarily-Occupied Regions of the Soviet Union and in the Death Camps of Poland during the War 1941–1945 alternatively The Black Book of the Holocaust, or simply The Black Book, was a result of the...
. He was member of parliament for Ilchester
Ilchester
Ilchester is a village and civil parish, situated on the River Yeo or Ivel, five miles north of Yeovil, in the English county of Somerset. The parish, which includes the village of Sock Dennis and the old parish of Northover, has a population of 2,021...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
from 1775 to 1780, and constable of Flint Castle
Flint Castle
Flint Castle located in Flint, Flintshire, was the first of a series of castles built during King Edward I's campaign to conquer Wales.The site was chosen for its strategic position in North East Wales...
from 1775.
He died at his residence at Windsor
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
, on 8 September 1798, in his eighty-fourth year, and was buried in St. George's Chapel, Windsor, on 22 September.
Works
He contributed an account of a storm at EastbourneEastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
to the Philosophical Transactions of 1781, and sent several papers to the Archæologia:
- 'Round Towers in Ireland,' ii. 80.
- 'Observations in a Tour through North Wales, Shropshire, &c.,' iii. 111.
- 'Extracts from a MS. relating to the Household of Henry VIII,' iii. 145.
- 'Particulars of a Discovery of Gold Coins at Fenwick Castle,' v. 166.
- 'Description of third unpublished Seal of Henrietta Maria, daughter of Henry IV of FranceHenry IV of FranceHenry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
,' v. 280. - 'Brereton Church Window,' ix. 368.
- 'Silver Coin of Philip of France,' x. 465.
In vols. viii. x. xi. and xii. of the same work are particulars of various objects of antiquity exhibited by him. The paper on Brereton Church contains several unaccountable inaccuracies, which have been commented upon by George Ormerod
George Ormerod
George Ormerod was an English antiquary and historian. Amongst his writings was a major account of the history of Cheshire, a county in northwestern England.-Biography:...
in his History of Cheshire.