#10177 early 19th century despatch box john wilson croker.

An Early 19th C the bevelled top, with a central brass swing handle, is embossed 'The Rt. Hon. John Wilson Croker' above the word Private. The lock, stamped Davis's Patent with GR, retains its originally key. The horizontal diamond brass escutcheon plate is a replacement, and exactly matches the original pattern. The green velvet lined interior is original to the box.
Condition: Some bruising and small areas of missing leather, particularly at the corners. From the Encyclopaedia Britannica
John Wilson Croker, (born Dec. 20, 1780, Galway, Ire.—died Aug. 10, 1857, Hampton, Middlesex, Eng.), British politician and writer noted for his critical severity as a reviewer and for his rigid Tory principles.
After graduating from Trinity College, Dublin, and studying law at Lincoln’s Inn, London, Croker was called to the Irish bar in 1802. He entered Parliament in 1807 and from 1810 to 1830 was secretary of the Admiralty during the long Tory predominance. From the first he had the backing of Arthur Wellesley, lst Duke of Wellingson, and the friendship continued between them until the duke’s death. Strongly opposed to the Reform Bill of 1832, Croker resigned from Parliament when it was passed (though he continued thereafter his close contacts with Tory leaders). From about this period there began the lifelong antagonism between Croker and Lord Macaulay, a major champion of the Reform Bill and Whiggism.
From 1831 to 1854 Croker was one of the chief writers for the Quarterly Review, to which he contributed about 270 articles on a variety of subjects. His literary tastes were largely those of the 18th century, as may be seen from his severe criticism of John Keats’s Endymion, Alfred Tennyson’s Poems of 1832, and of course the first two volumes of Macaulay’s History of England (1849). For some years before his death he accumulated material for an annotated edition of Alexander Pope’s works; this passed to Whitwell Elwin, who began the edition later completed by W.J. Courthope. Croker also edited the collected letters or memoirs of various 18th-century figures.
For a more detailed biography please copy and paste this link to your browser. :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wilson_Croker

Antiques.co.uk Ref: AV75RAFUG

Width (cm):

40

Height (cm):

14

Depth (cm):

26

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Gerald Mathias Fine Antique Boxes

Gerald Mathias Fine Antique Boxes. I have been a dealer at Antiquarius in the Kings Road for more than twenty five years until 2006 when I moved to The Old Cinema in Chiswick and continued specialising in Fine Georgian, Victorian & Edwardianhttps://www.antiques.co.uk/antique/10121-A-Victorian-Black-Leather-Despatch-Box-The-Private-Secretary  & antique leather boxes. My stock includes Country House Post Letter Boxes, Writing Boxes, Despatch Boxes, antique jewellery, Victorian office, & Desk & antique Library accessories.

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