Literature

Dr. Samuel Johnson was born on the 18th September 1709 in Breadmarket Street. Clearly his father was not impoverished as he had only just completed the building of the family home and bookshop a couple of months before little Sam was born. The house is now a Dr. Samuel Johnson museum.
Website link for Dr Sam Johnson
 http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Johnson/

Elias Ashmole (1617-1692)

Elias, the antiquary, was also born born in Breadmarket Street 92 years before Sam. The records show that he was the son of a saddler and ‘a lady of good family’ –  how quaint! He is primarily remembered for the his collection now housed in the building now known as the Old Ashmolean.

A staunch Royalist during the English Civil War he was rewarded for his services by Charles II, after the Restoration, by being made Windsor Herald. This enabled him to continue his research into the Order of the Garter. In 1672 he published his most famous work 'The Institutions, Laws and Ceremonies of the Most Noble Order of the Garter'.

Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802)

Erasmus came to Lichfield in 1756 and lived in Beacon Street. He was a doctor, scientist, inventor and literary man.

Along with James Watt, and Josiah Wedgwood he was a member of the Lunar Society, one of the intellectual forces behind the Industrial Revolution. He had many interests and the botanical research he carried out in his gardens led to his ideas on evolution well before his grandson, Charles.

Visit the Erasmus Darwin House Foundation site at
www.erasmus-darwin.org

David Garrick  - Actor and theatre manager (1717-1779)

David Garrick was born in Hereford but lived in Bird Street, the house is long gone but a plaque now marks the site. His first appearance on the stage was at the Bishop’s Palace – a comedy called ‘The Recruiting Officer’. At the age of 20 he travelled to London with his friend Samuel Johnson making his London debut in ‘Richard III’. It was very well received and David quickly became the most celebrated actor of his day. 1749 saw him becoming the co-manager of Drury Lane Theatre where he introduced many changes.

He retired from the theatre in 1776 and died three years later and is buried in Westminster Abbey.

Anna Seward – Romantic poet and letter writer (1742-1809)

The Swan of Lichfield came to Lichfield when her father was appointed Canon Residentiary of Lichfield Cathedral, in 1750.

Anna first came to national prominence as a poet with her poem, the Elegy on Captain Cook, (1780). The work gained her the sobriquet ‘The Swan of Lichfield’ and there followed a number of literary works including the poetical novel, Louisa, Llangollen Vale and a collection of sonnets. As her stature increased she began to correspond Samuel Taylor Coleridge and other notables of the time.

Anna Seward  also worked with Dr. Darwin and wrote the introduction on his work, The Botanic Garden. Upon his death in in 1802 she published his biography, Memoirs of the Life of Dr. Darwin.

Her early relationship with Honora Sneyd and subsequent painful parting when Honora married in 1773 gave rise to some of Anna’s finest work.

Anna never married despite many offers and spent her time caring for her sick father and supporting young, talented writers. 

 Walter Scott  published much of her poetic works after Anna died in 1809. There is a monument to Anna Seward, the Swan of Lichfield, in Lichfield cathedral.