Life

Branwhite was son of Rowland Branwhite and Sarah (Brooke) his wife, and was baptised at Lavenham

Lavenham

Lavenham is a village and civil parish in Suffolk, England. It is noted for its 15th century church, half-timbered medieval cottages and circular walk. In the medieval period it was among the 20 wealthiest settlements in England...

, Suffolk on 22 July 1745. He was brought up to the bombazine

Bombazine

Bombazine, or bombasine, is a fabric originally made of silk or silk and wool, and now also made of cotton and wool or of wool alone. Quality bombazine is made with a silk warp and a worsted weft. It is twilled or corded and used for dress-material...

 trade, which he carried on for some time at Norwich

Norwich

Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...

. He was not very successful, however, as he seems to have paid more attention to books than to the shop. He afterwards established a branch of the St. Anne's School (London) at Lavenham, and conducted it personally for some years. A year or two before his death he moved to Hackney

Hackney

-Places:* London Borough of Hackney, formed in 1965** Metropolitan Borough of Hackney, formed in 1900 and abolished in 1965** Hackney Central** Hackney Central , a political division of the Council** Hackney Central railway station** Hackney College...

, and died, in or about 1795, at 32 Primrose Street, Bishopsgate Street, London.

In 1783, a new edtion of Phineas Fletcher

Phineas Fletcher

Phineas Fletcher was an English poet, elder son of Dr Giles Fletcher, and brother of Giles the younger. He was born at Cranbrook, Kent, and was baptized on 8 April 1582.-Life:...

's allegorical poem The Purple Island, or the Isle of Man was published, edited, with a preface and notes, by Branwhite.

The miniature painter and engraver Nathan Cooper Branwhite

Nathan Cooper Branwhite

-External links:*...

was his son.

Writings

• Thoughts on the Death of Mr. Woodmason's children, destroyed by fire 18 Jan. 1782 (anon.)
• An Elegy on the lamented Death of Mrs. Hickman, wife of the Rev. Thomas Hickman of Bildeston, Suffolk, who died 7 Sept, 1789, when but just turned of 19 (Bury St. Edmunds 1790)
• Astronomy, or a description of the Solar System (Sudbury, 1791)
• The Lottery, or the Effects of Sudden Affluence (manuscript)