Author: Grocott, James
Biography:
GROCOTT, James (1789-1852: ancestry.co.uk)
There is no record of his baptism but in his RLF application of 1843 he stated that he was 52, had been born in Castle Street, Liverpool, and had been educated at Hutton Academy, near Preston, with a view to entering the church. His father was almost certainly James Grocott and he often added “junior” to his name. He married Mary Billinge (1789-1826) on 27 Aug. 1812, at St. Anne’s, Liverpool. They had at least three children, with his occupation recorded as clerk. He later set up in business as a printer and stationer with John Green Billinge (1797-1875), who was possibly his brother-in-law. The partnership was dissolved in August 1817 although Billinge printed Grocott’s first poem, Almedo (1819), and continued as a printer and compositor for many years. Around 1818, Grocott spent some time in prison (probably for debt) and lost his library. He was indignant about the experience, recording it in “A Prison Scene from Personal Observation,” and “On Parting with my Library” (Juvenile Poems). His wife died in Belfast on 28 July 1826, aged 37. He then married Matilda Louisa Howard (1788-1876) on 30 Nov. 1826, at St. Thomas’s, Liverpool. They had a daughter in 1830 and were living in Haworth Street, Everton, with him recorded as accountant. Although he acquired a literary reputation in Liverpool and Manchester for the works listed here and his editorship of the Manchester Iris, the Liverpool Magazine, and the Liverpool Cabinet, he applied to the Royal Literary Fund for assistance in September 1830 and was awarded £10. Further approaches in 1843 and 1847 were rejected. He was probably the James Grocott, gentleman, who died on 13 Dec. 1852, aged 63, in the Mount Pleasant Workhouse, Liverpool. His wife, Matilda Louisa, is recorded as a widow and retired governess in the 1861 census. She died, aged 90, at her daughter’s house in Liverpool and was buried at Toxteth on 16 Nov. 1876. Two works listed in his RLF application have not been located: The Family Instructor, or Lectures for Youth (Liverpool 1835), and Book of Poems (Liverpool 1836). (ancestry.co.uk 22 Dec. 2022; RLF, 1/ 687; Lancaster Gazette 29 Aug. 1812, 9 Dec. 1826; Liverpool Mercury 11 Aug. 1826; Liverpool Mail 18 Dec. 1852; Liverpool Albion 18 Nov. 1876; London Gazette 19 Aug. 1817) AA