Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Waddington, Samuel Ferrand

by Edward Irving Carlyle

WADDINGTON, SAMUEL FERRAND (fl. 1790–1812), politician, born in 1759 at Walkeringham in Nottinghamshire, was educated at a German university and bred to commerce. He engaged in the hop trade, and resided near Tunbridge in Kent. On the outbreak of the French revolution he strongly espoused the cause of the republicans, and in 1795 was chairman of several meetings in London held for the purpose of petitioning the crown and parliament to make peace with France. In consequence of his views he was expelled from the Surrey troop of light horse. In 1706 he attacked Burke in a pamphlet entitled 'Remarks on Mr. Burke's Two Letters "on the Proposals for Peace with the Regicide Directory of France,"' London, 12mo, censuring him for applying the term 'regicide' to the directory. In 1800 he was brought to trial for forestalling hops, having purchased a large number of hop-grounds with a view to controlling the price of their produce. He was found guilty, fined 500l., and sentenced to one month's imprisonment. He continued to reside in Kent, and in the borough of Southwark, until 1812. The date of his death is uncertain.

Besides the pamphlet mentioned and 'The Metaphysic of Man,' a translation from the German of J. C. Goldbeck (London, 1806, 8vo), Waddington was the author of:

1. 'Letter to Thomas Erskine on the Subject of Forestalling Hops,' London, 1799, 8vo.
2. 'An Appeal to British Hop Planters,' London, 1805, 8vo.
3. 'The Critical Moment,' London, 1805, 8vo.
4. 'Three Letters to that Greatest of Political Apostates George Tierney,' London, 1806, 8vo.
5. 'A Letter to the Lord Mayor on Matters of the highest Importance to a Free People,' London, 1810, 8vo.
6. 'The Oriental Exposition, presenting to the United Kingdom an open Trade to India and China,' London, 1811, 8vo.
7. 'A Key to a Delicate Investigation,' London, 1812, 8vo, published under the name of 'Esculapius.'
8. 'An Address to the People of the United Kingdom,' London, 1812, 8vo, published under the name of 'Algernon Sydney.'

[Dictionary of Living Authors, 1816; Trial of Samuel Ferrand Waddington, 1800; Pantheon of the Age, 1825, iii. 572; Ann. Register 1797 ii. 35, 1798 ii. 1, 1800 ii. 25, 1801 ii. 2, 5.]

E. I. C.