William Borlase
Encyclopedia
William Borlase Cornish
antiquary, geologist and naturalist
, was born at Pendeen
in Cornwall
, of an ancient family (originating at St Wenn). From 1722 he was Rector of Ludgvan and died there in 1772.
from 1713 and in 1719 he was ordained. In 1722 he was presented to the rectory of Ludgvan
, and in 1732 he obtained in addition the vicarage of St Just
, his native parish. In the parish of Ludgvan were rich copper
works, abounding with mineral and metallic fossil
s, of which he made a collection, and thus was led to study somewhat minutely the natural history of the county. He married Anne Smith in 1724: she died in 1769.
Between 1744 and 1746 Borlase was active against the Methodist preachers in his capacity of magistrate. Various Methodist preachers were seized on warrants issued by him and press-ganged to serve on ships abroad. In John Wesley's Diary there is an account of how he personally laid hands on Wesley, "to serve his majesty", but withdrew when he realised that Wesley was a gentleman.
In 1750 he was admitted a fellow of the Royal Society; and, in 1754, he published, at Oxford, his Antiquities of Cornwall (2nd ed., London, 1769). His next publication was Observations on the Ancient and Present State of the Islands of Scilly, and their Importance to the Trade of Great Britain (Oxford, 1756). In 1758 appeared his Natural History of Cornwall. The Natural History includes a chapter on the inhabitants and their native language
(about one ninth of the whole).
He presented to the Ashmolean Museum
, Oxford, a variety of fossils and antiquities, which he had described in his works, and received the thanks of the university and the degree of Doctor of Civil Law
Borlase was well acquainted with most of the leading literary men of the time, particularly with Alexander Pope
, with whom he kept up a long correspondence, and for whose grotto at Twickenham
he furnished the greater part of the fossil
s and mineral
s. He also sent collections of mineral and fossil specimens to Dr William Oliver and to a number of natural historians in Europe.
, also served as mayor of Penzance) and six sons were born to William and Anne Borlase though only four survived infancy (three of these became churchmen).
Borlase was a conscientious minister to his parishioners, politically conservative, and an amateur painter. Some of his papers are preserved in Penzance at the Morrab Gardens Library.
William Copeland Borlase
was a great great grandson of William Borlase and he was influenced by the archaeological work of his great great grandfather.
Cornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
antiquary, geologist and naturalist
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
, was born at Pendeen
Pendeen
Pendeen is a village on the Penwith peninsula in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is north-northeast of St Just and west of Penzance.The village has a community centre, a shop, a post office, a primary school, and a few small businesses. Community activities include an art club, silver marching band...
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, of an ancient family (originating at St Wenn). From 1722 he was Rector of Ludgvan and died there in 1772.
Life and works
He was educated at Exeter College, OxfordExeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
from 1713 and in 1719 he was ordained. In 1722 he was presented to the rectory of Ludgvan
Ludgvan
Ludgvan is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, England, UK. The village is situated 2½ miles northeast of Penzance.The parish includes the villages of Ludgvan, Crowlas, Canon's Town and Long Rock...
, and in 1732 he obtained in addition the vicarage of St Just
St Just in Penwith
St Just is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The parish encompasses the town of St Just and the nearby settlements of Trewellard, Pendeen and Kelynack: it is bounded by the parishes of Morvah to the north-east, Sancreed and Madron to the east, St Buryan and Sennen to...
, his native parish. In the parish of Ludgvan were rich copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
works, abounding with mineral and metallic fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s, of which he made a collection, and thus was led to study somewhat minutely the natural history of the county. He married Anne Smith in 1724: she died in 1769.
Between 1744 and 1746 Borlase was active against the Methodist preachers in his capacity of magistrate. Various Methodist preachers were seized on warrants issued by him and press-ganged to serve on ships abroad. In John Wesley's Diary there is an account of how he personally laid hands on Wesley, "to serve his majesty", but withdrew when he realised that Wesley was a gentleman.
In 1750 he was admitted a fellow of the Royal Society; and, in 1754, he published, at Oxford, his Antiquities of Cornwall (2nd ed., London, 1769). His next publication was Observations on the Ancient and Present State of the Islands of Scilly, and their Importance to the Trade of Great Britain (Oxford, 1756). In 1758 appeared his Natural History of Cornwall. The Natural History includes a chapter on the inhabitants and their native language
Cornish language
Cornish is a Brythonic Celtic language and a recognised minority language of the United Kingdom. Along with Welsh and Breton, it is directly descended from the ancient British language spoken throughout much of Britain before the English language came to dominate...
(about one ninth of the whole).
He presented to the Ashmolean Museum
Ashmolean Museum
The Ashmolean Museum on Beaumont Street, Oxford, England, is the world's first university museum...
, Oxford, a variety of fossils and antiquities, which he had described in his works, and received the thanks of the university and the degree of Doctor of Civil Law
Doctor of Civil Law
Doctor of Civil Law is a degree offered by some universities, such as the University of Oxford, instead of the more common Doctor of Laws degrees....
Borlase was well acquainted with most of the leading literary men of the time, particularly with Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope was an 18th-century English poet, best known for his satirical verse and for his translation of Homer. He is the third-most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, after Shakespeare and Tennyson...
, with whom he kept up a long correspondence, and for whose grotto at Twickenham
Twickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
he furnished the greater part of the fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s and mineral
Mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
s. He also sent collections of mineral and fossil specimens to Dr William Oliver and to a number of natural historians in Europe.
Family and character
His elder brother was Walter Borlase (Vicar of MadronMadron
Madron is a civil parish and village in west Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is a large rural parish on the Penwith peninsula north of Penzance.Madron village is situated approximately two miles northwest of Penzance town centre....
, also served as mayor of Penzance) and six sons were born to William and Anne Borlase though only four survived infancy (three of these became churchmen).
Borlase was a conscientious minister to his parishioners, politically conservative, and an amateur painter. Some of his papers are preserved in Penzance at the Morrab Gardens Library.
William Copeland Borlase
William Copeland Borlase
William Copeland Borlase FSA was an antiquarian and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1880 until 1887 when he was ruined by bankruptcy and scandal....
was a great great grandson of William Borlase and he was influenced by the archaeological work of his great great grandfather.
Publications
- Borlase, William (1769) The Antiquities of Cornwall. London: E & W Books, 1973; reprint of the 2d ed., printed in 1769 by W. Bowyer and J. Nichols, for S. Baker & G. Leigh, T. Payne, B. White, London. (First ed. published in 1754 under title: Observations on the Antiquities of Cornwall.) ISBN 0-85409-852-6
- Borlase, William (1756) Observations on the Islands of Scilly
- Borlase, William (1758) Natural History of Cornwall ... Oxford: printed for the author; by W. Jackson: sold by W. Sandby, at the Ship in Fleet-Street London; and the booksellers of Oxford
External links
- DNB article