and principal keeper of the register of deeds). _b._ Edinburgh
1793; a writer to the signet 21 Nov. 1815; assistant to the
deputy clerk register in H.M.’s register house a long time,
one of the four official searchers of records for incumbrances
in the register house 1853 to death; employed in making an
Abridgment of the register of the great seal of Scotland
1824, for the Record commission; edited for the Abbotsford
club Historical memoirs of Mary, queen of Scots 1836; for the
Bannatyne club Criminal trials in Scotland 1833, and 3 other
works; for the Wodrow society The autobiography of J. Melvill
1842; he also edited Collections relating to the funeralls of
Mary, queen of Scots 1822; Historical account of the principal
families of Kennedy 1830. _d._ 9 Northumberland st. Edinburgh
16 July 1855. _Record commission, the case of Robert Pitcairn_
(1835).
PITCAIRN, THOMAS (son of Alexander Pitcairn, merchant). _b._
Edinburgh 6 Feb. 1800; educ. Edinb. divinity hall; assistant
presbyterian minister at Cockpen, Dalkeith 1828, then minister
1833–43; clerk to the synod of Lothian and Tweddale 1836; clerk
of Free church general assembly 1843; minister of Free church
at Bonnyrig, Dalkeith 1843 to death; edited Acts of the general
assembly of the church of Scotland 1843. _d._ Bonnyrig 21 Dec.
1854. _Wylie’s Disruption worthies_ (1881) 438–48 _portrait_;
_Scott’s Fasti Scoticanæ i_, _part_ 1, _p._ 274.
PITMAN, FREDERICK. _b._ Trowbridge, Wilts. 1828; bookseller,
phonetic shorthand writer and reporter at 1 Queen’s Head
passage, Paternoster row, London 1847, and at 20 Paternoster row
1850 to death; edited The shorthand magazine 1866 to his death;
The phonographic student 1867–76, ten volumes; The phonographic
pulpit 1869–76, seven volumes, and The phonographic lecturer
1871 etc.; and was the author of Second book in phonetic reading
for adults 1850; Pitman’s Reporters’ reading book 1867; Learning
to report 1883; How to get speed in shorthand 1884; Pitman’s
Shorthand library, Tom Brown’s school days 1884. _d._ Oak lawn,
Avenue road, Crouch End, Hornsey, Middlesex 21 Nov. 1886.
PITMAN, JOHN ROGERS. _b._ 1782; educ. Pemb. coll. Camb., B.A.
1804, M.A. 1815; P.C. of Berden and V. of Ugley, Essex 18 Feb.
1817, resigned 1846; preached at Berkeley and Belgrave chapels,
London, also at Foundling and Magdalene hospitals; P.C. of St.
Barnabas, Kensington 1833–48; domestic chaplain to duchess of
Kent 1848–61; author of Excerpta ex variis Romanis poetis 1808,
2 ed. 1817; Practical lectures upon the ten first chapters
of the gospel of St. John 1821, Supplement 1822; The school
Shakespeare with notes 1822, 2 ed. 1851; Sophoclis Ajax, Greek
and Latin, with notes 1830; A practical commentary on our Lord’s
sermon on the mount 1852. _d._ 8 Green park buildings, Bath 27
Aug. 1861.
PITMAN, JOSEPH (brother of sir Isaac Pitman, _b._ 1815). _b._
1818; engaged with Thomas Allen Reid in lecturing in Great
Britain on Pitman’s system of shorthand many years; lived in
retirement at Worthing 1885 to death. _d._ Worthing about 1
April 1895.
PITMAN, MRS. Became proprietor of The Sporting review on her
husband’s death in 1827, and conducted it with much skill until
the four sporting serials, The Sporting review, The Sporting
magazine, The New sporting magazine, and The Sportsman, were
united in July 1846. _d._ Feb. 1858. _Sporting Review xxxix_ 153
(1858).
PITMAN, SAMUEL (son of rev. Samuel Pitman of Oulton hall,
Norfolk, _d._ 1854). _b._ 1816; educ. Trin. coll. Camb.;
captain West Somerset yeomanry cavalry; master of the Taunton
harriers, hunting on alternate days with the Blackmoor vale
foxhounds; hunted his own harriers in the Langport and Martock
districts; master of South Berkshire fox hounds 1873, for 3
seasons he hunted both packs; at last his health gave way under
the strain of hunting five and even six days a week; with sir
T. Acland instrumental in reviving the Bath and west of England
agricultural society 1850; resided Bishop’s Hull manor, Taunton.
_d._ Tunbridge Wells 15 April 1886. _The Times 19 April 1886 p._
5.
PITMAN, THOMAS (2 son of Thomas Dix Pitman, solicitor, London).
_b._ 1801; educ. Wadham coll. Oxf., B.A. 1826, M.A. 1827; C. of
Brightwell, Oxfordshire 1826–8; V. of Eastbourne, Sussex 1828
to death; prebendary of Chichester 27 Aug. 1841 to death. _d._
Eastbourne 11 May 1890. _I.L.N. 24 May 1890 p._ 646 _portrait_.
PITTMAN, JOSIAH. _b._ 3 Sept. 1816; organist of Sydenham parish
church 1831; organist of Tooting parish church 1833–5; organist
at Ch. Ch. Spitalfields 1835–47; organist at Lincoln’s Inn
1852–64; accompanist at Her Majesty’s opera 1865–8 and at Covent
Garden 1868 to death; a regular frequenter of the Albion tavern,
Russell st. Covent garden, where he always sat in the same box;
author of The people in church 1858; The people in the cathedral
1859; author with Colin Brown of Songs of Scotland 1873; edited
Hymns and canticles 1858; Six easy preludes by J. S. Bach 1858;
The musical antiquarian magazine 1863–5, fifteen numbers; The
contralto album, 50 songs 1878; The prima donna’s album, 40
songs 1878; The tenor album, 50 songs 1878; The baritone album,
45 songs 1879; Songs from the operas, 2 vols. 1880; A series
of studies for pianoforte, organ, or harmonium 1882; Album of
40 duets 1885; Diversions for students, 2 books 1889; he also
edited a large number of single operas 1865–80; his name is
attached to upwards of 100 works. _d._ 228 Piccadilly, London 23
April 1886. _London Figaro 1 May 1886 p._ 12.
PITT, CHARLES DIBDIN (1 son of George Dibdin Pitt). _b._ 1819;
acted in the provinces; first appeared in London as Ferdinand in
the Tempest at Covent Garden 1843; acted in the provinces; with
his wife played in the United States and Canada, first appearing
at Park st. theatre, New York as Hamlet on 8 Nov. 1847, produced
The Cavalier or England in 1640 on 10 Nov.; last appeared in New
York 1851; appeared as Lear at City of London theatre 15 March
1852; in John Wilkins’ The Egyptian, March 1853; as Bottom in
Midsummer night’s dream 5 June 1854; in the Spanish girl March
1857; lessee of theatre royal, Sheffield at his death; _m._
1839 Ellen Coveney, actress. _d._ 87 Norfolk st. Sheffield 21
Feb. 1866. _bur._ Sheffield general cemetery 23 Feb. _Tallis’
Drawing-room table book_ 1851, _Part_ 20 _portrait_; _M.
Williams’ Some London theatres_ (1883) 61–9; _The Era 25 Feb.
1866 p._ 11, _4 March p._ 10; _Illust. Sporting News 16 March
1866 pp._ 129, 142; _Ireland’s New York stage ii_ 486 (1867).
PITT, GEORGE DEAN-. Lieut. Royal West India rangers as George
Dean 5 Dec. 1805, captain 10 Aug. 1809, placed on h.p. 1814;
took additional name of Pitt 1819; major 80 foot 19 Aug. 1819,
lieut. col. 18 April 1822 to 24 March 1837; superintendent of
recruiting department in London Jany. 1840 to 9 Nov. 1846; M.G.
9 Nov. 1846; commanded the troops in New Zealand Jany. 1847 to
death, granted distinguished service reward 1 June 1849; K.H.
1836. _d._ New Zealand 8 Jany. or 21 Feb. 1851. _G.M. Sept. 1851
p._ 328.
NOTE.--The monthly army list July 1851 says he died 8 Jany., but
according to Hart’s quarterly army list of July 1851 he died 21 Feb.
PITT, GEORGE DEAN- (eld. son of preceding). _b._ 14 June 1823;
ensign 48 foot 11 Oct. 1839; lieut. 80 foot 1844, captain 4
May 1849, placed on h.p. 30 Dec. 1864; A.D.C. to major general
in New Zealand 1848–51; captain instructor at Hythe 1855–8;
district inspector of musketry, Australia 1858–64; assistant
military secretary, New Zealand 1864–70; D.A. and Q.M.G. Cape of
Good Hope 1872–7; lieut. col. brigade depôt at Guildford 1877 to
1880; M.G. 7 June 1880; placed on retired list with hon. rank of
L.G. 30 Aug. 1882; C.B. 10 Aug. 1866; keeper of the Regalia in
Tower of London 25 Aug. 1882 to death. _d._ Tower of London 4
April 1883.
PITT, GEORGE DIBDIN. _b._ 1799; first appeared under R. W.
Elliston at the Surrey theatre as Sir Archy M’Sarcasm 1827, and
remained at the Surrey many years as a most successful actor;
acting and stage manager at the Pavilion, Coburg and Surrey
theatres, a severe malady obliged him to retire from the stage;
wrote the following dramas The whistler or the fate of the lily
of St. Leonard’s, Victoria theatre 18 Jany. 1833, Reprinted as
The lily of St. Leonard’s; The last man or the miser of Eltham,
Surrey theatre 20 June 1833; The Eddystone elf, Sadler’s Wells
1833; The prisoner of Rochelle, Surrey 23 Jany. 1834; Simon
Lee, City of London theatre 1 April 1839; Susan Hopley or the
vicissitudes of a servant girl, Victoria 31 May 1841; The
beggar’s petition, City theatre 18 Oct. 1841; Sweeney Todd, the
barber of Fleet street, Britannia 1842, founded on T. Prest’s
story The string of pearls, which he wrote in the Penny Sunday
Times 1841; The twins, Adelphi 1844; The Jersey girl, Surrey
theatre; Marianne or the child of charity, Victoria theatre;
Rookwood, Victoria 27 Oct. 1845; also The last nail; The lord
mayor’s fool; The maid, the mill, and the ferry; The devil’s
bridge; The bride of Aldgate; and The devil’s punch bowl; he
wrote upwards of 700 pieces for the stage; author of The wreck
of the heart or the story of Agnes Primrose 1842; The sea-fiend
or the abbot of St. Mark’s 1846. _d._ Bethnal green, London 16
Feb. 1855. _The Era 25 Feb. 1855 p._ 10.
PITT-BYRNE, JULIA CLARA (2 dau. of Hans Busk 1772–1862). _b._
about 1820; _m._ 28 April 1842 William Pitt-Byrne, proprietor
of Morning Post, _d._ 8 April 1861; contributed to Fraser’s
Magazine, Once a week, and other periodicals; author of A glance
behind the grilles of religious houses in France 1855; Flemish
interiors 1856; Realities of Paris life 1859; Undercurrents
overlooked 1860; Red, white, and blue 1862; Cosas de Espana
1866; The Beggynhoff 1869; Feudal castles of France 1869; Gheel
the city of the simple 1869; Pictures of Hungarian life 1869;
Curiosities of the search room 1880; Gossip of the century 1892.
_d._ 16 Montagu st. Montagu sq. London 29 March 1894. _Men of
the Time 1887 p._ 188.
PITTIS, SIR FRANCIS. _b._ Newport, Isle of Wight 1812; member of
first Newport school board; mayor of Newport 1852, and for the
eighth time 1887; presented with an address and a painting by
George Cole 14 March 1880; chief promoter and subscriber to the
Jubilee clock tower, Newport 1887; knighted at Osborne 12 Aug.
1887; received the jubilee decoration 1887. _d._ Newport house,
Newport 3 Nov. 1889. _bur._ St. Thomas’ churchyard 8 Nov. _The
Isle of Wight County press 9 Nov. 1889 p._ 5.
PLACE, FRANCIS (son of Simon Place, keeper of a sponging
house in Vinegar yard, Drury lane, London). _b._ 3 Nov. 1771;
apprenticed to a leather-breeches maker 1785–9; worked at his
trade from 1789; joined the London Corresponding society 1794;
opened a tailor’s shop with another man at 29 Charing Cross
1799; a tailor alone at 16 Charing Cross 1800 to 1833; resided
at 21 Brompton sq. 1833 to 1852; member of committee of British
and foreign school society to 1815; stayed some months with
Jeremy Bentham and James Mill at Ford Abbey 1817; collected
much of the materials for Joseph Hume’s parliamentary work
1812 etc.; issued from his shop James Mill’s Essays from the
supplement to the Encyclopædia Britannica, and many tracts by
himself and others; agitated against the sinking fund 1816–23;
got the laws against combinations of workmen repealed after ten
years’ work 1824, and prevented their being reenacted 1825;
made preparations for civil war during the crisis of May 1832,
when he drew up a placard with the words ‘Go for gold and stop
the Duke,’ which caused a run upon the bank of England; drafted
for Wm. Lovett the Peoples’ charter 1838; wrote history of the
Reform bill 1836–9, the manuscript of which is at the British
Museum; author of Illustrations and proofs of the principles
of population 1822; A letter to a minister of state respecting
taxes on knowledge 1831, 3 ed. 1835; kept and indexed his
political correspondence 1814 to death; 71 volumes of his
manuscripts are in the British Museum. _d._ at his daughter’s
house, Foxley terrace, Hammersmith 1 Jany. 1854. _W. Bates’s
Maclise portrait gallery_ (1883) 344–50 _portrait_; _Fortnightly
Review Dec. 1892 pp._ 767–79; _Fraser’s Mag. xiii_ 427 (1836)
_portrait_.
PLACE, LOUISA (dau. of Mr. Simeon). _b._ 16 Oct. 1797; first
appeared in London at Lyceum theatre as Harriet in Is he jealous
9 July 1816; played Julia in the Rivals at opening of the
Haymarket theatre 4 July 1821; played at Covent Garden as Miss
Hardcastle in She stoops to conquer Nov. 1821; retired from the
stage; played again at the Olympic and Adelphi theatres; acted
in Born to good luck at Adelphi 22 July 1856; and in Morton’s
French Lady’s maid 22 May 1858; _m._ (1) about 1816 William
Chatterly, comedian, _b._ 21 March 1787, _d._ 20 April 1821; she
_m._ secondly 13 Feb. 1830 Mr. Place, who _d._ before his wife;
she _d._ 37 Brompton square, London 4 Nov. 1866. _The Era 18
Nov. 1866 p._ 81; _E. L. Blanchard’s Life_ (1891) 161, 197–8,
331.
PLANCHÉ, JAMES ROBINSON (son of Jacques Planché, watchmaker
1734–1816). _b._ Old Burlington st. Piccadilly, London 27 Feb.
1796; articled to a bookseller 1810; wrote Amoroso, king of
Little Britain for Drury Lane 21 April 1818, and Rodolph the
wolf Olympic Pavilion 21 Dec. 1818; The Vampire or the bride of
the isles, English opera house 9 Aug. 1820, when the vampire
trap was first used; wrote ten pieces for Adelphi theatre
1820–1; his opera Maid Marian was produced at Covent Garden 3
Dec. 1822; present at coronation of Charles X in Paris 29 May
1825; wrote the libretto to Weber’s Oberon, Covent Garden 12
April 1826; managed the musical arrangements at Vauxhall gardens
1826–7; produced at Covent Garden Charles XIIth, a drama 11 Nov.
1828, and his version of Scribe and Auber’s opera Gustave Trois
13 Nov. 1833; managed the Adelphi theatre for S. J. Arnold 1830;
author with Charles Dance of Olympic Revels, Olympic 3 Jany.
1831, and Riquet with the tuft Dec. 1836; managed the Olympic
July to Dec. 1838; director of costume and reader of the plays
at Covent Garden 1839; wrote plays for the Haymarket 1843–7;
superintended the decorations at the Lyceum for Madame Vestris
Oct. 1847, and wrote for her The pride of the market 18 Oct.
1847, The island of jewels 26 Dec. 1849, and other burlesques;
his Mr. Buckstone’s Ascent of Mount Parnassus produced at
Haymarket 28 March 1853, and Love and fortune, a comedy,
Princess’s 24 Sept. 1859; My lord and my lady, Haymarket 12 July
1861 ran 50 nights; Orpheus in the Haymarket Dec. 1866 ran till
Easter 1867; King Christmas masque at Gallery of illustration
26 Dec. 1871; F.S.A. 24 Dec. 1829, resigned 1852; a founder
of British archæological association Dec. 1843; rouge croix
pursuivant of arms 13 Feb. 1854, and Somerset herald 7 June 1866
to death; arranged col. Augustus Meyrick’s collection of armour
for exhibition at Manchester 1857, and at South Kensington Dec.
1868; rearranged the armour at Tower of London 1869; granted
civil list pension of £100, 21 June 1871; author of The descent
of the Danube from Ratisbon to Vienna 1828; The history of
British costumes 1834, 3 ed. 1874; The pursuivant of arms or
heraldry founded upon facts 1852, 3 ed. 1874; The conqueror
and his companions, 2 vols. 1874; A cyclopædia of costumes,
2 vols. 1876–9; Extravaganzas, 5 vols. 1879, with portrait;
wrote 72 original pieces, also 96 translations and adaptations.
_d._ 10 St. Leonard’s terrace, Chelsea 30 May 1880. _Planché’s
Recollections and reflections_, 2 _vols._ (1872); _Biograph iii_
225–38 (1880); _Journal of British Archæol. Association xxxvi_
261–5 (1880); _C. R. Smith’s Retrospections i_ 257–76 (1883);
_Illustrated Review_, _ii_ 353–55 (1870); _Cartoon portraits_
(1873) 102–103; _Illust. news of the world vii_ 273 (1861)
_portrait_; _The Critic xix_ 444 (1859) _portrait_; _Theatre ii_
95–99 (1880) _portrait_.
PLANK, WILLIAM (son of James Plank). _b._ Wandsworth, Surrey 7
Nov. 1767; educ. under W. Franks at Clapham to 1781; apprenticed
to his brother James Plank, a calico printer, London 28 May
1782; took up his freedom in the Salters’ Co. 20 Oct. 1789, the
father of the Salters’ Co.; resided at Harrow from 1811; had
a dinner party on 7 Nov. 1867, and _d._ Harrow 19 Nov. 1867,
being 100 years and 12 days old. _W. J. Thom’s Longevity of man_
(1879) 252–5; _G.M. iv_ 783, 833 (1867).
PLANT, JAMES (son of Robert Fisher Plant, stationer, Leicester).
_b._ Leicester 1818; a well known geologist; F.G.S.; an
authority on questions respecting coal and water supply; a
frequent attendant at meetings of the British association. _d._
Leicester 8 Nov. 1892.
PLANT, JOHN (brother of the preceding). _b._ Leicester Oct.
1819; educ. at the national school and at the mechanics’
institution; articled to T. Paget, surgeon, Leicester; an
assistant in his father’s business; hon. sec. of Leicester
naturalists’ club 1844; curator of the Literary and
philosophical society’s museum; discovered fossiliferous keuper
sandstone near Leicester 1844; sec. and librarian of the
library, Leicester 1846, where he arranged and catalogued 10,000
books; librarian and curator of the Museum and public library,
Peel park, Salford Oct. 1849 to April 1892, it became one of the
chief attractions in Manchester and the most popular holiday
resort in Lancashire, the library containing 60,000 volumes;
F.G.S. 1864; lieut. 56 Salford rifle volunteers 12 April 1873,
captain 8 Jany. 1876 to April 1885; made a special study of the
coal measure fishes near Manchester, and of the Cambrian fossils
near Dolgelly; a selection of his fossils is in the British
museum, including the olenus planti named after him; author of
Guide to the general collections in the Salford museum 1860;
Catalogue of the library of the Manchester geological society
1875; Descriptive catalogue of pictures in the Salford art
gallery and museum 1883. _d._ Rhosnegir, near Holyhead 18 Jany.
1894, portrait placed on walls of Salford free library 1893.
_Geological magazine June 1892 pp._ 286–8 _portrait_; _The Times
10 Jany. 1894 p._ 5; _The Library vi_ 93 (1894).
PLANT, NATHANIEL (brother of the preceding). _b._ Leicester
1832; curator of museum of Leicester philosophical and literary
society 5 years; spent 16 years in Brazil mining and exploring
1851–67; F.G.S. 1867, F.R.G.S. _d._ London Aug. 1875.
PLANT, THOMAS LIVESLEY (son of George Halewood Plant, iron
merchant). _b._ Low Moor, Bradford, Yorkshire 1819; educ. St.
Cuthbert’s college, Ushaw, near Durham; representative in
Birmingham of W. H. Smith and Son, the advertising contractors
1849–81; kept systematic records of meteorology 1837 to
death, furnished meteorological information to The Times and
contributed to the local press; author of Meteorology: its study
important for our good, Birmingham 1862. _found dead_ in the
train at New st. station, Birmingham 31 Aug. 1883. _Athenæum 8
Sept. 1883 p._ 310.
PLATT, JAMES (son of Henry Platt of Dobcross, Saddleworth,
Yorkshire, maker of woollen machinery, removed to Oldham 1821,
_d._ 1842). _b._ 1823 or 1824; partner in Hibbert, Platt and
Sons, Oldham 1845; member of Oldham town council; M.P. Oldham 31
March 1857 to death; accidentally shot by Josiah Radcliffe when
shooting on the moors at Greenfield 27 Aug. 1857, _d._ Ashway
Gap, near Oldham 27 Aug. 1857. _Fortunes made in business iii_
426–7 (1887).
PLATT, JOHN T. (brother of James Platt, _d._ 1857). _b._
Dobcross 15 Sept. 1817; member of firm of Hibbert, Platt and
Sons of Oldham 1837, Joseph Platt _d._ 1845, Mr. Hibbert _d._
1846; firm employed 2,500 men, business converted into a limited
liability company 1 Jany. 1868, chairman of the company to his
death; sheriff of Carnarvon 1863; helped to obtain incorporation
of Oldham 1849; mayor 1854, 1855, and a third time; gave large
sums to the Oldham lyceum 1847–65; M.P. Oldham 13 July 1865 to
death. _d._ Hotel Maurice, Paris 18 May 1872. _bur._ Oldham,
statue unveiled at Oldham Sept. 1878. _I.L.N. lx_ 537 (1872)
_portrait_; _Fortunes made in business iii_ 419–85 (1887)
_portrait_.
NOTE.--The commercial prosperity of Oldham is mainly due to his
influence as an engineer and a large employer of labour and to his
untiring energy.
PLATT, THOMAS (4 son of Samuel Platt, clerk of the papers of
court of king’s bench). _b._ Blackfriars, London 14 Sept. 1800;
educ. St. Paul’s school 1812–16; barrister L.I. 9 June 1826;
author of A practical treatise on the law of covenants 1829;
A treatise on the law of leases, 2 vols. 1847. _d._ Brockley
lodge, Finchley, Middlesex 14 Dec. 1886.
PLATT, SIR THOMAS JOSHUA (eld. son of Thomas Platt of Brunswick
sq. London, solicitor). _b._ 1789; educ. Harrow and Trin. coll.
Camb., B.A. 1810, M.A. 1814; barrister I.T. 9 Feb. 1816, bencher
1835–45; became a leader on the home circuit; K.C. 27 Dec. 1834;
baron of court of exchequer 27 Jany. 1845, retired 2 Nov. 1856;
knighted at St. James’s palace 23 April 1845. _d._ 59 Portland
place, London 10 Feb. 1862. _bur._ Highgate cemet. _Ballantine’s
Some experiences_, _8 ed._ (1883) 46–47; _Foss’s Judges ix_
244–5 (1864).
PLATT, THOMAS PELL (son of Thomas Platt). _b._ London 1798;
pensioner of Trin. coll. Camb. 25 Nov. 1815, scholar 3 April
1818, minor fellow 2 Oct. 1820, major fellow 2 July 1823; B.A.
1820, M.A. 1823; librarian of the British and foreign bible
society some years and a defender of the society in 1827 from
an attack made on their publications in the Quarterly Review
June 1827 pp. 1–28; an early member of Royal Asiatic society and
acted as one of its oriental translation committee many years;
F.S.A.; author of A catalogue of the Æthiopic biblical MSS. in
the royal library of Paris and in the library of the British and
foreign bible society 1823; edited Evangelia sancta in linguam
Amharicam 1824; Evangelia sancta Æthiopice 1826; The Gospels in
Syriac 1829; The Ethiopic Didascalia 1834; The books of the Old
Testament in Amharic 1871; author of Facts respecting versions
of scripture published by the Bible Society in reply to the
Quarterly Review 1827, 3 ed. 1828; The literal interpretation
of scripture enforced 1831. _d._ Dulwich hill, Surrey 31 Oct.
1852. _T. H. Horne’s Introduction to critical study of the holy
scriptures_, _10 ed. iv_ 317–20, 733 (1856); _G.M. Dec. 1852 p._
660.
PLAYER, JOHN. _b._ Elberton, Gloucs. 1808; manager of Gwendraeth
iron works 1838; introduced anthracite as a fuel for blast
furnaces and steam boilers; a steamer called the Anthracite ran
for some time on the Thames below London bridge 1839, which
attracted much notice; built many blast furnaces; settled at
Philadelphia 1868; invented ‘mineral wool’ from iron slag. _d._
Philadelphia 11 March 1870.
PLAYFAIR, GEORGE RANKEN (son of George Playfair). Educ. at
Edinburgh univ.; M.D. 1838; surgeon in navy of H.E.I.C.S.
and saw service in the Phlegthan during the first China war
1840; assistant surgeon Bengal 3 Nov. 1844; civil surgeon at
Jaharunpore, where he gained experience as a lithotomist; on
the Agra circle, present at siege of Lucknow 1857; inspector
general 29 March 1871; retired surgeon general Bengal 31 March
1872; wrote on Continued fever. _d._ Longridge road, South
Kensington, London 4 Oct. 1881. _Lancet 8 Oct. 1881 p._ 651, _15
Oct. p._ 689.
PLAYFAIR, SIR HUGH LYON (3 son of James Playfair 1738–1819,
principal of St. Andrew’s univ.) _b._ Meigle, East Perthshire
17 Nov. 1786; educ. Dundee gr. sch. and St. Andrew’s univ.;
lieut. Bengal artillery 14 May 1805; adjutant and quartermaster
of the horse artillery 15 Nov. 1809, at siege of fortress of
Ralunga Nov. 1814, captain 5 Oct. 1815; granted freedom of city
of St. Andrew’s 1820; superintendent of the great military road,
telegraph towers and post office department between Calcutta
and Benares 1820–7; major in command of the fourth battalion
of artillery at Dum-Dum June 1827 to 4 July 1831, resigned the
service 10 Feb. 1834; provost of St. Andrew’s 1842 to death;
established a public library and revived the celebrated St.
Andrew’s golf club 1834; his portrait by sir J. W. Gordon placed
in the old town hall 1847; LL.D. St. Andrew’s 1856; knighted
at St. James’s palace 12 March 1856; author of First catechism
of the principles of religion 1853. _d._ St. Leonard’s, St.
Andrew’s 21 Jany. 1861. _D. Louden’s Biographical sketch of sir
H. L. Playfair_ (1874); _Memoirs of sir H. L. Playfair_ (1861)
_portrait_; _I.L.N. x_ 176 (1847) _portrait_, _xxxviii_ 103
(1861).