Francis Grose

GROSE, FRANCIS (c. 1730-1791), English antiquary, was born at Greenford, Middlesex. Grose early showed an interest in heraldry and antiquities, and his father procured him a position in the Heralds' college. In 1763, being then Richmond Herald, he sold his tabard, and shortly afterwards became adjutant and paymaster of the Hampshire militia. The fortune left him by his father being squandered, he began to turn to account his excellent education and his powers as a draughtsman. In 1757 he had been elected fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. In 1773 he began to publish his Antiquities of England and Wales, completed in 1787. In 1789 he set out on an antiquarian tour through Scot land, and in the course of this journey met Burns, who composed in his honour the famous song beginning "Ken ye aught o' Captain Grose," and in that other poem, still more famous, "Hear, land o' cakes, and brither Scots," warned all Scotsmen of this "chield among them taking notes." He died in Dublin on June 12, Grose was a sort of antiquarian Falstaff—at least he possessed in a striking degree the knight's physical peculiarities; but he was a man of true honour and charity, a valuable friend, an inimitable boon companion. His humour, his varied knowledge and his good nature all contributed to make him a favourite in society.

Grose's works include

The Antiquities of England and Wales (6 vols., 1773-87); Advice to the Officers of the British Army (1782), a satire in the manner of Swift's Directions to Servants; A Guide to Health, Beauty, Riches and Honour (1783), a col lection of advertisements of the period, with characteristic satiric preface; A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1785); A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons (1785-89) ; Darrell's History of Dover (1786) ; Military Antiquities (2 vols., 1786-88) ; A Provincial Glossary (178 7) ; Rules for Drawing Caricatures ; The Antiquities of Scotland (2 vols., 1789-91) ; Anti quities of Ireland (2 vols., 1791), edited and partly written by Ledwich. The Grumbler, 16 humorous essays, appeared in 1791 after his death; and in 1793 The Olio, a collection of essays, jests and bits of poetry, highly characteristic of Grose was printed.

A capital full-length portrait of Grose by N. Dance is in the first volume of the Antiquities of England and Wales, and another is among Kay's Portraits. A versified sketch of him appeared in the Gentleman's Magazine, lxi. 66o. See Gentleman's Magazine, lxi. 498, 582 ; Noble's Hist. of the College of Arms, p. 434 ; Notes and Queries, passim.