Prominent British Martins, Past Generations

The following data is extracted from The Martin Genealogy .

REV. FRANCISCAN MARTIN: D.D.; (d. 1336); mem. Minorite Convent at Oxford, 1300; Regent master of Franciscan schools, 1500—1310.
ANTHONY: (d. 1597); miscellaneous writer; about 1570 was gentleman server of queen’s chamber; in 1591, being cup-bearer to the queen, was em­powered to license all merchants to purchase and export tin, they paying him four pence on every hundredweight exported.
BENJAMIN: (1704—1782); mathematician, instrument maker, and general compiler. A legacy of £500 left him by a relative equipped him with books and philosophical instruments, with which he traveled the country and gave lectures on natural philosophy; he obtained a wide circle of friends and his list of subscribers filled twenty-six columns of his “Bibliotheca Technologiea, 1737; kept a school in Chichester and began to invent and make optical instruments; produced pocket reflection microscope, with a micrometer, also made spectacles.
DAVID: (1737—1798); painter and engraver; it in Fife; became pupil of Allan Ramsay, the portrait-painter, and accompanied him to Rome; was principal painter to Prince of Wales for Scotland; treas. incorporated Society of Artists, contributing to their exhibitions and those of Free Society of Artists. Painted his own portrait for Ramsay.
REV. EDWARD: M.A., B.D., D.D.; (d. 1662); dean of Ely; a native of Cambridgeshire; chaplain to Archbishop Laud; one of managers of Savoy conference. By patent 1661—2 was nominated to deanery of Ely.
REV. FRANCIS: (1652—1722); Augustinian divine; sprung from one of fourteen tribes of Galway; joined in exodus caused by Cromwell’s policy in Ireland, and entered univ. Louvain; Canon 0f St. Peters collegiate church of Louvain. Befriended his exiled countrymen and gave liberally to the poor.
Prof. GEORGE \VILLIAM: (1828—1881); musical composer; in 1864 organ­ized a choir of 1000 voices for “Macbeth” music at 300th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth. In 1856, the Times said, “No composer since the days of Dr. Callcott has obtained so many prizes a~ Mr. Martin.”
REV. GREGORY: BA., MA.; (d. 1582); biblical translator, a native of Sussex; was nominated one of original scholars 0f St. John’s Coil., Oxford, by founder, Sir Thomas White, 1557; upon establishment of English College at Rome, was sent there, 1577, with first of scholars transplanted to neweminary for purpose of organization, owing to civil commotions in Flanders on returning to Donay, he removed with the English College to Rheims.
REV. HUGH: MA., D.D.; (1822—1885); minister of free church of Scot­land; had a distinguished career in univ. classes, obtaining, among numerous prizes, the Gray bursary, the highest mathematical reward at Marischal College; was called to important charge of Free Greyfriars in Edinburgh.
JAMES: M.A.; (B. 1577); philosophical writer, a native of Dunkeld, Perth shire; educated at Oxford; professor of philosophy at Paris, and subsequently professor at Turin; wrote a treatise in refutation of some of Aristotle’s dogmas entitled “De prima simplicium.... generatione.... disputatio”, Turin, 1577.
SIR JAMES: (1815—1886); chief justice of New South Wales; b. in Ireland; emigrated to New South Wales; educated at Sydney College, and admitted a solicitor of supreme court; mem. for Cork and Westmoreland, first sat in Legislative Council, 1848. Became premier for second time in 1866—68, during which period Prince Alfred, now Duke of Edinburgh, visited Australia, and in commemoration of this event he was created a knight by patent,1869.
SIR JAMES RANALD: CS.; (1793—1874); surgeon; began civil practice in Calcutta; was made surgeon to general hospital there; in 1860 was made C.B. and knighted; one of first surgeons to use injections of iodine for cure of hydrocele.
REV. JOHN: BA., MA.; (1619—1693); divine; in 1668 appointed to prebend of Yatesbury, by Bishop Ward, and later to that of Preston in church of Salis­bury; subsequently was dean of Chalk in same diocese; and in 1675 was made chaplain to Earl of Nottingham
John: (1789—1854); historical and landscape painter; ranked among greatest geniuses of all time. Lord Lytton declared he was “more original than Raphael or Michel Angelo”. Among his landscapes were scenes on the Thames, and about London; drawn when wandering around London devising schemes for supplying metropolis with water, and improving docks and sewers; last contribution to Royal Academy included “The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah”; several pictures were “The Last Judgment”, “The Great Day of His Wrath”, and “The Plains of Heaven
JOHN: (1791—1855); bibliographer; secretary to Artists’ Benevolent Fund; librarian to Duke of Bedford at Woburn Abbey; visited nearly every church in Bedfordshire, and wrote a description of each in Bedford Times, and North­ampton Mercury. In 1834 he published, as result of years of labor and re­search, a “Bibliographical Catalogue of Books Privately Printed”, 1854.
JOHN: M.D.; (1789—1869); meteorologist; practicing physician in London and edited “An Account of Natives of the Tonga Islands, in the South Pacific Ocean, with an original Grammar and Vocabulary of their language, compiled and arranged from the extensive communications of Mr. William Mariner, several years resident in those Islands”, 1817; this -work has always been held in high esteem.
JOHN: BA.; (1812—1875); Irish nationalist; his popularity in Ireland was great; known as “Honest John Martin”, sent to parliament as a home ruler for Co. Meath, 1871; honorary secretary to the Home Rule LeaguePROF. JONATHAN: (1715—1737); organist; chorister of Chapel Royal under Dr. Croft; shortly before his death gave concert at Stationers’ Hall, where was present nearly every person in London that pretended to any skill in music, and where, though he had scarcely strength to sit upright, he played two voluntaries on the organ, showing fine invention and masterly hand (Hawkins).
JOSIAH: (1685—1747); Quaker; a man who is esteemed and remembered for “learning, humility and fervent piety”; left 4000 volumes of his library to nephews and nieces.
LEOPOLD CHARLES: (1817—1889); miscellaneous writer; s. John (painter) and godson of Leopold (afterwards first king of Belgians)); an authority on costume and numismatics. Lord Melbourne presented him to a clerkship in stationery offices. With elder bro. Charles he published, 1842, two quarto volumes, entitled, respectively, “Civil Costumes of England, from the Con­quest to Charles III” and “Dresses worn at her Majesty’s Bal Costume”.
MARTIN: (d. 1719); author; became factor to Laird of Machod and, mainly at request of Sir Robert Sibbald, the antiquary, traveled over the western islands of Scotland, collecting information regarding the condition and habits of the islanders; in 1697 contributed a short paper on the subject to the Royal Society’s “Philosophical Proceedings”.
MARY LETITIA: (1815—1850); novelist; generally called Mrs. Bell Martin, and also “Princess of Connemara.” When seeking better fortune in New World, she died only ten days after reaching New York. Her literary work “Julia Howard, a Romance”, 1850, gives her own experiences.
PETER JOHN: M.R.C.S.; (1786—1860); geologist; native of Scotland; joined his father in medical practice; was a musician and enthusiastic gardener, under signature of “P. P., writing in Gardener’s Chronicle.
SIR RICHARD: (1534—1617); master of the mint and lord mayor of London; adopted business of goldsmith; in 1594 was one of the goldsmiths to Queen Elizabeth; 1580—1617 was master of the mint; served in London as alderman, sheriff and lord mayor; knighted by Queen Elizabeth. A fine silver medal in British Museum, cast and chased by Stephen of Holland, 1562, bears portraits of him and his wife.
RICHARD: (1570—1618); recorder of London, 1618; in 1601 was M. P. for Barnstaple, and later for Christ-church; was Lent reader of the Temple in 13th year of James I.
RICHARD: (1754—1854); known as “Humanity Martin”. The family claimed to have settled in Galway in 15th century; his property stretched thirty Irish miles from his house door, his territorial influence giving him a seat in parliament. Was one of the founders of Royal Society for the Preven­tion of Cruelty to Animals.
ROBERT MONTGOMERY: (1803?—1868); historical writer and statistician; treasurer of newly acquired island of Hongkong, 1844; mem. of legislative council. Among his chief works was “Sovereigns of the Covey”, 1867.
REV. SAMUEL: (1817—1878); congregational minister; in 1862 was chair­man of Congregational Union; pastor of a new chapel in Westminster with a congregations of 3000 people.
SIR SAMUEL, B.A., M.A., LL.D.; (1801—1883); baron of the exchequer; in1845 was queen’s counsel; in 1847 was returned to parliament in liberal interest for Pontefract, and made his maiden speech on the Crown and Govern­ment Security Bill of 1848.
SARAH: (1791—1843); prison visitor; devoted her whole time to philan­thropic work; systematically visited Yarmouth Gaol, instructing and con­ducting services. Bishop Stanley, in giving his contribution to the Sarah Martin memorial window, said, “I would canonize Sarah Martin if I could.”
THOMAS: (1697—1771); antiquary, known as “Honest Tom Martin of Palgrave”; zealous student of topography and antiquities; mem. of Gentle­men’s Society at Spalding; a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.
SIR THOMAS BYAM: K.C.B.G.C.B.; (1773—1854); admiral of the fleet; s. Sir Henry, bart; (d. 1794); for many years naval com’er, at Portsmouth and comptroller of the navy; in 1808 commanded the “Implacable” in the Baltic; king of Sweden conferred on him the cross of the order of the Sword; 1818—1831 he sat in parliament as mem. from Plymouth.
ADMIRAL WILLIAM: (1696?—1756); admiral; s. Commodore George: (d.1724); and kinsman of Admiral Sir John Norris. With his father he served on board Dragon as “king’s letter boy”, 1708. In Dec., 1745, was sent into North Sea under Admiral Vernon and later succeeded to command; in 1747 promoted to be admiral of the blue; spoke several languages and always maintained his rank in “the highest style”. Sir George, admiral of the fleet, was his grand-nephew, grandson of brother Dr. Bennet.
WILLIAM: (1767—1810); naturalist; b. Marsfleld, Nottinghamshire. His mother acted on stage for 26 years, and he sang on stage when only five years old, accompanied by a flute; at nine years of age, delivered a lecture on “Hearts” to several audiences at Buxton. Shared in theatre ownership and was drawing-master to grammar school at Macclesfield; author of “Outlines of an Attempt to establish a Knowledge of extraneous Fossils on Scientific Principles”, 1809.
WILLIAM: (fl. 1765—1821); painter, pupil and assistant to G. B. Cipriani, R.A., residing with him for 20 years; awarded a gold palette for an historical painting, by Society of Arts; engaged on decorative paintings at Windsor Castle and exhibited at Royal Academy several years; in 1810 he was “Histori­cal Painter to His Majesty”.
WILLIAM: (1772—1851); natural philosopher and poet; in 1814 was pre­sented with Isis silver medal by Society of Arts for invention of a spring weighing machine with circular dial and index; among his chief works was “Light and Truth,-proving the Orangoutang or monkey, the most unlikely thing under the Sun to he the Serpent that Beguiled our First Parents”, 1858.
SIR WILLIAM: MA., DCL.; (1807—1880); scholar and first chief justice of New Zealand; passed winter 1856—7 in Italy resigning above office in June, 1857, the New Zealand government granting him a pension by special act and in three years he was knighted.
WILLIAM CHARLES LINNAEUS: (1798—1864); writer on natural history;
s. William (the naturalist); supt. of museum of Zoological Society of London;
earlier works were followed by a series on poultry and cattle as well as ornitho­logical works, including “An Introduction to the Study of Birds ... men­tioned in Scripture”, forty-five papers read before the Zoological Society appeared in their “Proceedings”.

Source: The Martin Genealogy

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