Early life

Amyot was born 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...

 on 7 January 1775, and was descended from one of the Huguenot

Huguenot

The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...

 families settled in that city. Intended for the profession of a country attorney, he was articled to a Norwich firm, and eventually spent a year in London before entering into the full practice of his profession.

Career

Having made the acquaintance of William Windham

William Windham

William Windham PC, PC was a British Whig statesman.-Early life:Windham was a member of an ancient Norfolk family and a great-great-grandson of Sir John Wyndham. He was the son of William Windham, Sr. of Felbrigg Hall and his second wife, Sarah Lukin...

, he became that gentleman's agent during the election contest which followed the dissolution of parliament in 1802, and a permanent friendship was established between them. In 1806, upon Windham becoming war and colonial minister, he appointed Amyot his private secretary, who thereupon threw up his Norwich practice, and came to London. On the death of Windham in 1810, Amyot collected his parliamentary speeches; and they were published, preceded by a memoir, in 1812, in octavo, three volumes.

By the influence of his political connections and the unbroken friendship of Windham, he obtained in succession several valuable appointments in the colonial department; 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

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"...

(1824) and the Society of Antiquaries of London

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...

, and, having become treasurer of the latter society in 1823, he very actively promoted its interests. He contributed fifteen valuable papers to the Transactions, which will be found in vols. xix., xx., xxi., xxii., xxiii., xxv.; and some time before his death he was appointed a vice-president of the society.

Amyot assisted in founding the Camden Society

Camden Society

The Camden Society, named after the English antiquary and historian William Camden, was founded in 1838 in London to publish early historical and literary materials, both unpublished manuscripts and new editions of rare printed books....

, 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

Tewkesbury Abbey

The Abbey of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Tewkesbury in the English county of Gloucestershire is the second largest parish church in the country and a former Benedictine monastery.-History:...

 contributed to Vetusta Monumenta

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 of London...

(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 on 28 September 1850.

Amyot married, about the year 1806, to Miss Colman of Norwich, who bore him eight children. She died in 1848.