John Brand

‘A colourful character’

In a previous article (Issue 101) about distinguished Old Novos who had featured in The School Song, I wrote of Henry Bourne (unknown-1709), Folklorist and Historian and I included reference to John Brand (1750s and 1778-1784), who drew upon Bourne’s work. Brand hailed from Washington where his father was the Parish Clerk. After his mother’s early death and his father’s remarriage, he lived with his maternal aunt and uncle, Anne and Anthony Wheatley in Gateshead, remaining devoted to them throughout his life. By Alan Castree (53-61).

History and Antiquities of the Town and County of Newcastle upon Tyne by John Brand, 1789 B rand’s education at RGS was under the headship of the formidable Hugh Moises (1749-87) who took an interest in him, recognising outstanding talent and an exceptional grasp of the Classics. Moises found support for him to enter Lincoln College, Oxford.

After graduation and ordination he accepted a curacy at Cramlington, which he retained until his death despite the fact that he spent most of his later life in London. He also enjoyed spells as Under-usher, then Usher at RGS.

A significant early patron, thanks to the assistance of Moises, was the Duke of Northumberland. Could one ask for greater support? The Duke granted Brand the rectory of the united parishes of St Mary at Hill and St Mary Hubbard, London, just off Cheapside. He appointed Brand as one of his domestic chaplains. Brand also assumed the role of Secretary and Librarian to the Duke.

Already a member of the Society of Antiquaries while in Newcastle, when he arrived in London (1780s) Brand was elected Secretary to that body, for which he received a stipend and accommodation; he held the post until his death.

His early ventures into publication were through poetry, including poetical essays and a singular work, On Illicit Love Written Among the Ruins of Godstow Nunnery, 1775 (the location refers to the burial place of Rosamund Clifford, a favourite mistress of Henry II). Mackenzie, in his History of Newcastle (1827), describes the poem as, ‘beautiful, pathetic and moral’; it focuses on the exposure of the criminality of unlawful passion, a subject that concerned Brand throughout his life.

In 1777, basing his work on that of Henry Bourne, he published his Observations on Popular Antiquities. There is little doubt that the scarcity of, and demand for, Bourne’s earlier book, stimulated interest in Brand’s expanded version. Brand thereafter amassed additional material for a second edition but his collection overwhelmed him; not a tidy scholar, his storage of documents lacked system.

‘He was a fine scholar, politically astute and a live wire. He seems to have become unmethodical in his later life but whatever his flaws he made an impact upon 18th Century society.’

Sir Henry Ellis based his work on folklore (1813) on the unpublished papers of Brand. Ellis, a later Secretary to the Society of Antiquaries for 40 years, edited Brand’s work with, ‘footnote upon footnote’. The result is a fascinating compendium; there is recognition today of this publication by Ellis as a standard work, with the caveat that it is difficult to distinguish among Bourne, Brand and Ellis as to who was the originator of much of the material, making dating of references problematic.

In 1789 Brand published History and Antiquities of the Town and County of Newcastle upon Tyne, again drawing on Bourne. The fine engravings therein, by James Fittler, an engraver to George III, made this an attractive and expensive book. Volume 2 opens with a quotation from the poetry of another former student of the early 1730s, about whom I have written in the past (Issue 97), Physician Mark Akenside (RGS 1730s).

Brand acknowledged in his introduction to the history the debt that he owed to the Duke of Northumberland in being able to peruse and extract, ‘…whatever I found to my purpose from many of the valuable records of his illustrious house’. His reference to Bourne’s work on Newcastle was not so complimentary. Brand described it as, ‘a thin folio’, with remarks about contradictions therein, ‘I have selected whatever I thought authentic and interesting to my subject.’

Commentators considered Brand’s work as dull. There were even remarks that it lacked the freshness and style of Bourne. Worse still, Brand had added no index (later remedied by William Dodd, Newcastle antiquarian, in 1881). Brand ploughed on with his gathering of diverse material but as a hoarder rather than as a researcher.

His storing of personal papers was so chaotic that, after his death in post as Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries, it was necessary to appoint a committee to remedy the confusion in which he had left the Society’s affairs. Mackenzie (1827) saw Brand as, ‘able, attentive and indefatigable …attending to [his business] not only as a duty but also as a pleasure’. Not so complimentary was Joan Evans (1956), who described Brand as, ‘an amiable muddler’. His lack of concern for detail, in her opinion, was reflected in how he left his and the Society’s accounts.

Print from a drawing by Edward Edwards, was published in 1789 in John Brand’s History and Antiquities of the Town and County of Newcastle upon Tyne (1789)showing The Guildhall

There was a jumble of financial records that presented an impenetrable mix of fees received at his church, subscriptions to the Society, personal living expenses and other affairs.

Records at the Society showed that he either did not respond to correspondents or, if they were persistent, rebuked them for harassing him. Verbal exchanges with members could be lively too and he often engaged in personal attacks on anyone who challenged his work as Secretary. Taking advantage of accommodation at Somerset House, he unlawfully sub-let his rectory address. This led to prosecutions of him, but he survived. He had, of course, powerful patronage.

After his death, auction of his vast library lasted a month and raised the considerable sum of £17,000. His aunt, now living in Hanover Square, Newcastle, benefitted from the estate.

Brand was a ‘colourful character’. He was a fine scholar, politically astute and a live wire. He seems to have become unmethodical in his later life but whatever his flaws he made an impact upon 18th Century society. His work still commands respect today as a significant record of his time.