John Britton in West Norwood Cemetery, Thomas Britton in Clerkenwell: London #11

This 10 foot block of millstone grit is not at all difficult to find in West Norwood Cemetery. It marks the grave of the antiquary and topographer John Britton (1771–1857),  the author of a large number of books and the editor of the architectural journal The Builder. This is a Grade II* listed monument sculpted by George Godwin.

There is also a window in the parish church at Kingston St Michael, Wiltshire, dedicated to Britton and John Aubrey (1625–97).

There is no known relation between John Britton and Lionel Britton.

 

This monument is much smaller than John Britton's, but is just a few yards from his and shares the same basic shape. A series of photos on ceramics are of rock formations and are on two sides of it, although there appears to be no inscription, so this one defeats me.

 

'HERE STOOD

THE HOUSE OF

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THOMAS BRITTON

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1644–1714

THE MUSICAL

COALMAN'

 

This is on the corner of Artichoke Passage and Aylesbury Street, and is the kind of plaque that surely begs anyone who reads it for more information. Again, no relation to Lionel Britton as far as I know, and although Lionel hated music, Thomas seems to have a similar mixture of working-class credentials and intellectual curiosity. Perhaps one of the most informative articles about him is in the Cheapside Standard website, which I link below.

 

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Thomas Britton – Music Pioneer

John Britton (1771–1857): Father of John James Britton (1832–1913)?

The image above gives a rough profile sketch of the antiquary John Britton, who may well have been the father of the poet John James Britton and the paternal great-grandfather of the working-class writer Lionel Britton. The link in this sentence is to three rather more substantial sketches of John Britton from the National Portrait Gallery (NPG).

The NPG gives a passing mention to John Britton's apparently prominent role in the 'neo-Gothic revival' (surely a tautology?), and to his collaboration with Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin 'on several books', although the names of them are not given.

As ever, my sincere thanks to the restless Robert Hughes, a great-nephew of Lionel Britton, for this information.