Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Markland, James Heywood
MARKLAND, JAMES HEYWOOD, D.C.L. (1788–1864), antiquary, born at Ardwick Green, Manchester, 7 Dec. 1788, was fourth and youngest son of Robert Markland, check and fustian manufacturer at Manchester, who afterwards succeeded to the estate of Pemberton, near Wigan, and dying in 1828 was buried in the chancel of Cheadle Church, Cheshire. His mother was Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Hibbert of Manchester. In his twelfth year he was sent for his education to the house of the headmaster of Chester school, and from the associations of the cathedral buildings acquired his taste for antiquarian pursuits. He was trained for a solicitor at Manchester, but in 1808 removed to London and practised there. In 1814 he was appointed by the West India planters their parliamentary agent, and in the same year entered as a student at the Inner Temple. He remained in London in practice, being the head partner in the firm of Markland & Wright, until 1839, when he withdrew to Malvern, and there lived until 1841. He then removed to Bath and spent the rest of his days in that city. Neither in London nor in the country did he neglect his favourite studies. He was elected F.S.A. in 1809, and from 1827 to April 1829, when he resigned the post, acted as director of the society. He joined the Roxburghe Club at its second meeting (1813), when it was enlarged to twenty-four members, in 1816 became F.R.S., and on 21 June 1849 was created D.C.L. of the university of Oxford. Markland was a strong and constant supporter of all church societies; he was entrusted by Mrs. Ramsden with the foundation of mission sermons at Cambridge and Oxford, and while resident in Bath three ladies, the Misses Mitford of Somerset Place in that city, selected him for the distribution of 14,000l. in charitable works in England and the colonies. He died at his house, Lansdown Crescent, Bath, on 28 Dec. 1864, and was buried in the new Walcot cemetery on 3 Jan. 1866, the first window in Bath Abbey west of the transept being filled with glass to his memory. On 24 Sept. 1821 he married at Marylebone Church, Charlotte, eldest daughter of Sir Francis Freeling [q. v.], who died on 9 Oct. 1867. Their issue was one daughter, Elizabeth Jane, who married in 1853 the Rev. Charles R. Conybeare, vicar of Itchen Stoke, Hampshire. Markland wrote: 1. 'A Few Plain Reasons for Adhering to the Church' (anon.), 1807. 2. 'A Letter to Lord Aberdeen, President of the Society of Antiquaries, on the expediency of Establishing a Museum of Antiquities,' 1828. It was reprinted in the 'Gentleman's Magazine,' 1828, pt. i. pp. 61-64. 3. 'A Few Words on the Sin of Lying' (anon.), 1834. 4. 'Sketch of the Life and Character of George Hibbert' (anon.), printed for private distribution, 1837. 5. 'Remarks on Sepulchral Memorials, with Suggestions for Improving the Condition of our Churches,' 1840; an enlarged edition of this appeared as 6. 'Remarks on English Churches and on the expediency of rendering Sepulchral Memorials subservient to Pious and Christian Uses,' 1842; 3rd edit. 1843. 7. 'On the Reverence due to Holy Places. By the Author of "Remarks on English Churches"' 1845; 3rd edit, much enlarged and preface signed J. H. M., 1846. An abridgment was published in 1862 by the Rev. S. Fox of Morley Rectory, Derbyshire. 8. 'Prayers for Persons coming to the Baths of Bath. By Bishop Ken. With a Life of the Author,' 1848. Preface signed M.; 2nd edit., with a brief life of the author by J. H. Markland, 1849; another issue, 1863. 9. 'Diligence and Sloth. By a Layman,' 1858. Advertisement signed J. H. M. 10. 'The Offertory the best way of Contributing Money for Christian Purposes;' 2nd edit. 1862. Markland edited for the Roxburghe Club in 1818 a volume of 'Chester Mysteries, de deluvio Noe, de occisione innocentium;' furnished 'many valuable communications and much friendly assistance' to Ormerod's 'Cheshire' (vol. i. Preface, p. xx); aided Britton in his 'Beauties of England;' and contributed numerous articles to the 'Censura Literaria,' the chief of them being a notice of William Mason (1725-1797) [q. v.], v. 299-308, and to 'Notes and Queries,' His assistance is acknowledged in Nichols's 'Literary Anecdotes,' vol. i. p. xiv, vol. viii. p. iv; his paper on Abraham and Jeremiah Markland, with whom he claimed relationship, was inserted in that work, iv. 657-61, and he supplied Chalmers with some particulars of Jeremiah Markland's life (Biog. Dict. xxi. 329). His communication ' On the Rent-roll of Humphrey, Duke of Buckingham,' appeared in the 'Archæological Journal,' viii. 259-81, and at the Somerset congress in 1856 of the British Archaeological Association Markland read the opening address 'On the History and Antiquities of Bath,' which is printed in the 'Journal,' xiii. 81-97. For the 'Archæologia' he compiled the following papers: ' The Antiquity and Introduction of Surnames in England, xviii. 105-11, 'Early Use of Carriages in England,' xx. 443-76, 'On an Inscription in the Tower,' xxiii. 405-10, and 'Instructions to his son by Henry Percy, ninth Duke of Northumberland,' xxvii. 306-58. Letters by him are in T. F. Dibdin's 'Reminiscences, ii. 728, 857, and in 'Notes and Queries,' 4th ser. iii. 539. He had gradually formed a good library, but it was dispersed at his death.
[Gent. Mag. 1821 pt. ii. p. 278, 1865 pt. i. pp. 649-52 (by the Rev. C. R. Conybeare); Manchester School Reg. (Chetham 80c.), i. 66; Proceedings Soc. Antiquaries, 2nd ser. iii. 111-12; Foster's Alumni Oxon.; Notes and Queries, 3rd ser. vii. 27; Journ. Archæol. Assoc, xxi. 262-4 (by T. J. Pettigrew); T. F. Dibdin's Reminiscences, i. 376, 381-2; Peach's Historic Houses in Bath. pt. i. pp. 108-9; Britton's Bath Abbey, ed. Peach, 1887, p. 70; Tunstall's Bath, pp. 281-2.]