Famous bostonians
Written on Tuesday 16th March 2010
The Boston effect has rippled throughout the world with many notable individuals having either been born, lived or been active in the borough during its long history. Read on to discover who made Boston great, and how...
John Foxe, author and reformist, 1516 – 1587.jpg)
Foxe was born in a house in the Market Place, Boston, in 1516, and was the author of the second most widely-read book in the English language after the Bible at the end of the 16th century.
He wrote the Book of Martyrs, the English edition of which was published in March, 1563.
Foxe’s writings were to have a tremendous influence on the development of the English Reformation. He had the courage and conviction to stand up and question the established religion of his time.
He died in 1587 and was buried in the chancel of St Giles Church, Cripplegate, in the City of London.
Pishey Thompson, author, 1785 – 1862
Pishey Thompson was born in Freiston in 1785 and is best known for his writings on the history and architecture of Boston.
He emigrated to America in 1819 and the following year saw publication of his book “A Topographical and Historical History of Boston”. His primary work, “The History and Antiquities of Boston” was published in 1856.
Herbert Ingram, founder of the Illustrated London News, 1811 – 1860
Born in Boston on May 27, 1811, pictorial journalism was the brainchild of Ingram who went on to found the Illustrated London News in 1842, from which he became wealthy.
He was MP for Boston from 1856 until he drowned in 1860 in Lake Michigan, USA.
His statue, which appears in the Market Place, was designed by Alexander Munro and was unveiled in October, 1862. The allegorical figure, at the base of the monument, is a reference to Ingram’s efforts to bring the first piped water to the town.
Jean Ingelow, poet, 1820 – 1897
Born in Boston on March 13, 1820, Jean Ingelow wrote poetry, novels and children’s stories and is best remembered for writing the poem, The High Tide on the Coast of Lincolnshire.
She lived in the town until she was 14 and her family home was situated off South Square. She died in 1897 and was buried in Brompton Cemetery, London.
Chris Woods, footballer, 1959 – 
Born on November 14, 1959, Chris Woods had a notable career as a footballer, gaining 43 caps for England in a career that included spells at Norwich City, Glasgow Rangers and Sheffield Wednesday. He was part of the Nottingham Forest team managed by Brian Clough which beat Liverpool to win the Football League Cup in 1978. After retiring as a player he took up the role of goalkeeping coach at Everton.
Melanie Marshall, swimmer, 1982 –
Born in Boston on January 12, 1982, Melanie’s first major success in the sporting field came in 1995 when she won four gold medals at the European Youth 0lympic Festival in Bath.
In the 2003 World Championships she won a silver medal as part of the 4x100m relay squad, and in 2004 she swam in the Olympic Games in Athens. At the time she was the number one ranked swimmer in the world and was holder of the British 200 metre freestyle record.
In 2006 she competed in the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne with great success, winning six medals – more than any other female athlete has ever achieved at one Commonwealth Games.
She retired from competitive swimming career after taking part in the 2008 Olympic Games at Beijing.
Boston Connections
Lord John Hussey, nobleman. c1466 – 1537
The leading nobleman in the county, he became a pivotal figure during the time of the Reformation when there was a great deal of civil unrest over the closure of the monasteries.
Having incurred the anger of Henry VIII for failing to oppose the pro-Catholic uprising, which led to the Pilgrimage of Grace the previous year, he was beheaded for high treason in 1537.
His house, Hussey Tower, is located close to South End and Skirbeck Road in Boston.
John Taverner, composer, c1490 - 1545
John Taverner was born in or near Tattershall, South Lincolnshire, and was the leading composer of church music of the Tudor era, best known for his large-scale sacred choral music.
He was organist of Boston Parish Church from 1500 to 1525, when he was appointed master of the choristers at Cardinal College, Oxford, by Cardinal Wolsey.
In 1528 he was, for a time, imprisoned on suspicion of heresy. However he was pardoned by Wolsey, as in his words he was “but a musician”.
In 1533 he retired to Boston where he was a member of the Guild of Corpus Christi. John Taverner was elected to become an Alderman on the newly formed Corporation of Boston in 1545, shortly before his death.
He is reputedly buried beneath the tower of St.Botolph’s Church.
John Cotton, first vicar of Boston Massachusetts, 1585 - 1652
Born in Derby on December 4, 1585, he was appointed vicar of St. Botolph’s church, Boston, in 1612 and held in high esteem by his parishioners.
A non-conformist, he initiated a resurgence in religious enthusiasm among the townspeople who were now mainly Puritan.
Compelled by ill-health to leave Boston in 1631 he sailed to America in July, 1633, to escape the rigid disciplines of existing church practices.
He was ordained as the first vicar of Boston, Massachusetts, on October 15 that year and continued until the time of his death.
John Leverett, magistrate, soldier and Governor of Massachusetts, 1616 - 1679
Thought to have been educated at Boston Grammar School he emigrated with his family to New England in 1633, at the same time as John Cotton.
At the outbreak of the English Civil War he returned to fight for the Parliamentary forces against the king. Returning again to New England he became Governor of Massachusetts between 1673 and 1678.
Sir Joseph Banks, naturalist, botanist and explorer, 1743 – 1820
Coming from a wealthy Lincolnshire family he succeeded to the family estate at the age of 18 becoming the fourth Joseph Banks of Revesby Abbey.
He became Recorder of Boston (similar to a town clerk) and was partly responsible for the founding of Kew Gardens.
Banks was part of Captain James Cook’s first voyage of discovery and, as a result, introduced such plants as eucalyptus and acacia to the west. Many plants are named after him including the Banksia rose.
George Bass, naval surgeon and explorer, 1771 – c1803
Born at Aswarby he moved with his family to Skirbeck as a child.
He was a surgeon on board the ship the Reliance with Matthew Flinders.
Bass explored the east coast of Australia and, together with Flinders, proved that Tasmania was an island.
He is credited with discovering Bass Strait, the stretch of water separating Australia from the island of Tasmania.
He disappeared in 1803 after he sailed into the Pacific Ocean with a cargo that he wanted to sell in South America and there is much speculation about his ultimate fate.
Catherine Mumford, co-founder of The Salvation Army, 1829 - 1890
Coming from a Boston family Catherine Mumford was born in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, on January 17, 1829.
At 12 years old she became secretary of the Boston Juvenile Temperance Society and later founded the Christian Mission in Whitechapel, London. This was the forerunner to the Salvation Army which she formed with her husband William Booth.
Such was the depth of feeling for her that when she died 50,000 people turned out for her funeral. Her biographer, Lord Hattersley, stated: "She was probably the most extraordinary woman in Victorian England".
Arthur Lucan, actor – “Old Mother Riley”, 1885 – 1954
It was at Shodfriars Hall in 1899 that Sibsey-born Arthur Towle, then a boy of 14, first got to know the smell of greasepaint. He later adopted the stage name of Lucan and toured the halls with his wife, Kitty McShane.
He gained fame as Old Mother Riley on stage, radio and also screen, with a series of comedy films between the late 1930s and early 1950s.
Julian Joachim, footballer 1974 -
He played for England Under-21s, Aston Villa (including FA Cup Final in 2000), Coventry City, Leeds United, Leicester City and Boston United. Born in Peterborough, but lives in Boston.
courtesy of: http://www.thehavengallery.org.uk/
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