Person    | Male  Born 20/4/1798  Died 25/2/1868

Chauncy Hare Townshend

Collector, dilettante, ordained clergyman, mesmerist, and hypochondriac (list from Wikipedia). Born Godalming into a wealthy family.

Famous for his 1821 meeting with the poet John Clare (whom he initially mistook for a highwayman), reported in 'The life of John Clare' by Martin Frederick, 1865. Friend of Charles Dickens.

Due to health concerns he spent much of his time living in Lausanne or travelling and collecting. Died Norfolk Street, now Dunraven Street W1. He had no children and was separated from his wife in 1843. Under his will his collections went to what is now the V&A Museum and the Wisbech museum, and to found the school with the plaque.

We puzzled over Wikipedia's judgemental designation of him as a hypochondriac, but then we found that in 1840 in his 'Descriptive Tour of Scotland' he cheerfully applies that term to himself: "The secret which I have to tell you, is this (come a little closer, if you please): I am a decided hypochondriac." For anyone interested in CHT, or in Scotland, this looks like an entertaining read.

Note: the OxfordDNB has him born on the 20th; Wikipedia, the 10th.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Chauncy Hare Townshend

Commemorated ati

Chauncy Hare Townshend Schools

The Chauncy Hare Townshend Schools The Baroness Burdett-Coutts, the Revd. Tho...

Read More

Other Subjects

British Library

British Library

16 years between the laying of the foundation stone in 1982 and the opening in 1998.  The Independent explains the delay: "The reason it has taken so long to build ... has relatively little to do w...

Building, Museums / Libraries

3 memorials
William Alfred Westropp Foyle

William Alfred Westropp Foyle

Founded Foyles Bookshop in 1903.  Born Shoreditch, the 7th child of a 7th child of a 7th child.  William and brother Gilbert opened their first bookshop in Islington, moved to Peckham and then Ceci...

Person, Commerce, Museums / Libraries

1 memorial
Cecil Sharp

Cecil Sharp

Collector of English folk-songs and dances. Born Denmark Hill. Spent 1882 - 92 in Australia. Developed an interest in English folk-music in 1899 and began his prolific collection which later expand...

Person, Dance, Museums / Libraries, Music / songs, Australia

1 memorial
University of Ulster Trans-Gender Archive

University of Ulster Trans-Gender Archive

Founded by Richard Ekins at the University of Ulster. The Archive ceased its connection with the University of Ulster in July 2010, when Richard Ekins became Emeritus Professor of Sociology and Cul...

Group, Gender Issues, Museums / Libraries

1 memorial
Public Record Office

Public Record Office

Known as ‘The Strong Box of the Empire’, the Public Record Office was created as a repository for parliamentary records after the 1834 fire which destroyed much of the Palace of Westminster, where ...

Group, Museums / Libraries, Politics & Administration

1 memorial