John Gurney
(1845?1887), a member of the renowned
Gurney banking family
of
Norfolk
, was mayor of
Norwich
.
Early life
[
edit
]
John Gurney was born on 11 December 1845 at
Earlham Hall
, Norfolk, son of Rev
John Gurney (1809?1856)
and Laura Elizabeth Pearse (1825-1899) of
Thorpe
, Norfolk. His father died when he was still young, and he was brought up by his widowed mother at Earlham.
[1]
He was educated at
Harrow School
,
[2]
whence he proceeded to
Trinity College, Cambridge
, where he took his B.A. degree in 1866.
[3]
Career
[
edit
]
John Gurney was a banker in
Norwich
, being involved in the family bank. He became a member of the firm of
Gurneys, Birkbecks, Barclay, and Buxton
.
He was a Justice of the Peace (JP).
Despite being blind, he was elected Mayor of Norwich in 1885.
Philanthropy
[
edit
]
He rebuilt
Sprowston
Hall in 1876.
He and his wife were deeply involved in many educational and philanthropic projects in Norwich, including the conversion of
Norwich Castle
into the city museum. After a hundred years as a jail in the 1880s and John Gurney put up the then considerable sum of £5,000 to help move the existing Norfolk and Norwich Museum into the building from its home on St Andrews Street.
[4]
In 1874 he gave a large contribution towards the purchase of Ham House and grounds (to which he had succeeded) by the Corporation of the City of London, to serve as a public open space, now known as
West Ham Park
.
[5]
Family
[
edit
]
John married Lady
Isabel Blake-Humfrey
in 1871. Isabel was born on 20 Dec 1851 in Wroxham House, Norfolk and died on 22 Feb 1932 aged 80.
John and Isabel had seven children:
- Sybil Gurney born 1873 and died 1944.
- John Nigel Gurney, born 1874 and died in October 1902, while he held the office of
High Sheriff of Norfolk
.
[6]
- Laura Gurney, born 1875 and died 1957. She was awarded the
MBE
[7]
- Sir Eustace Gurney, born 1876 and died 1927. He was awarded the
KBE
[8]
- Sir
Hugh Gurney
, born 1878 and died 1968. He was awarded the
MVO
[9]
and
KCMG
[10]
- Robert Gurney
, the zoologist born 1879 and died 1950.
[11]
- Samuel Gurney, born 1885 and died 1968.
[12]
On retiring from the position of mayor in 1886, Gurney's health was failing, so he and his wife sought relaxation on the shores of the
Mediterranean
at
Cannes
, France, where he died on 24 Feb 1887 aged 41.
[13]
An earthquake, which occurred at Cannes at the time of his visit, is supposed to have indirectly caused his death.
[14]
He was buried in the quiet churchyard of
Earlham
.
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Earlham by Percy Lubbock 1922
- ^
Harrow School
(1911).
The Harrow School Register, 1800-1911
. Longmans, Green, and Co. p. 334.
- ^
Venn, J. A., comp.. Alumni Cantabrigienses. London, England: Cambridge University Press, 1922-1954.
- ^
"Get a taste of Victorian prison life at Norwich Castle"
. 3 December 2010.
- ^
Venn, J. A., comp.. Alumni Cantabrigienses. London, England: Cambridge University Press, 1922-1954.
- ^
"Obituary".
The Times
. No. 36911. London. 29 October 1902. p. 9.
- ^
"Person Page"
.
- ^
Edward Walford. The county families of the United Kingdom
- ^
The London Gazette (1 January 1918)
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30451/supplement/82/data.pdf
- ^
The London Gazette (3 June 1935)
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34166/supplement/3598/data.pdf
- ^
"Person Page"
.
- ^
Barton, Allan.
"Back to Baroque, Martin Travers and St Swithun, Compton Beauchamp"
.
Liturgical Arts Journal
. Retrieved
4 June
2019
.
- ^
Descendants of Francis Gurney by Charles E. G. Pease - 14 May 2011
- ^
The Descendants of Anthony Gurney by Charles E. G. Pease 1 Aug 2013