Author: West, Benjamin
Biography:
WEST, Benjamin (1740-91: ancestry.co.uk)
He was baptised on 22 June 1740 at Little Bowden, Northamptonshire, the son of Benjamin West and Elizabeth Hunt, who had married at Langton, Leicestershire, in 1736. Nothing is known of his education. Despite his lament in the preface to Miscellaneous Poems (1780) that he had not received a classical education and needed help in translating classical authors, he early displayed musical ability and published Sacra Concerto: or the Voice of Melody (1760) and later The British Youth’s Musical Grammar (1771). In 1774 he was appointed schoolmaster to the Free School, Weedon Bec, Northamptonshire, attached to the church of St. Peter and St. Paul and in the gift of Eton College. He was not educated at Eton, however, and may have become clergy through literacy rather than graduation but the CCEd does not give details other than his post at the school--the dates of which (1774-77) are probably incorrect. In late 1779 he announced the publication by subscription of Miscellaneous Poems (1780). He collected almost 700 mostly local subscribers, a remarkable achievement for a volume of fairly minor poetry. He married Ann Gardner (1746-95) on 12 June 1769 at her parish of Litchborough, Northamptonshire. They had ten children: four daughters and six sons. He died on 17 Aug. 1791 at Weedon Bec and was buried on 2 September at St. Peter and St. Paul, with his occupation still listed as schoolmaster. His wife, Ann, died in Nov. 1795 and was also buried at Weedon Bec. (ancestry.co.uk 26 Oct. 2023; findmypast.co.uk 26 Oct. 2023; CCEd 26 Oct. 2023; Oxford Journal 9 Feb. 1760; Northampton Mercury 3 June 1771, 15 Nov. 1779, 21 Feb. and 18 Dec. 1780) AA