Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Pitman, John Rogers

by Edward George Hawke

PITMAN, JOHN ROGERS (1782–1861), divine and author, was born in 1782, and educated at Pembroke College, Cambridge. He was admitted B.A. in 1804, and proceeded M.A. in 1815. Taking holy orders, he was appointed perpetual curate of Berden or Beardon and vicar of Ugley, Essex, 18 Feb. 1817 (Foster, Index Eccl. p. 141). He became well known as a preacher in London, at Berkeley and Belgrave Chapels, and at the Foundling and Magdalene Hospitals before 1830. In 1833 he was presented to the perpetual curacy of St. Barnabas, Kensington, by the vicar, J. H. Pott. He resigned his Essex livings in 1846, and Kensington in 1848, becoming domestic chaplain to the Duchess of Kent. He died at Bath on 27 Aug. 1861, a few months after his royal patroness (Gent. Mag. 1861, ii. 452).

He was a prolific writer, compiler, and editor, producing annotated editions of the works of Jeremy Taylor (1820–2), Lightfoot (1822–5), Reynolds (1826), of Hooke's ‘Roman History’ (1821), of Patrick's and Lowth's Commentaries (1822), and of Bingham's ‘Origines Ecclesiasticæ’ (1840). Besides numerous sermons, he also published:

1. ‘Excerpta ex variis Romanis poetis,’ London, 1808, 8vo.
2. ‘Practical Lectures upon the Ten First Chapters of the Gospel of St. John,’ London, 1821, 8vo; with a supplement, 1822.
3. ‘The School Shakespeare,’ with notes, London, 1822, 8vo.
4. ‘Sophoclis Ajax,’ Greek and Latin, with notes, London, 1830, 8vo.
5. ‘Practical Commentary on our Lord's Sermon on the Mount,’ London, 1852, 8vo.

Luard's Grad. Cantabr.; Foster's Index Eccl.; Clergy List; Gent. Mag. 1861, pt. ii. p. 452; Allbone's Dict. of Engl. Lit.; Lowndes's Bibl. Man.; Brit. Mus. Cat.]

E. G. H.