Elizabeth Bland
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Bland was an Englishwoman celebrated for her knowledge of Hebrew.
Bland was the daughter and heiress of Robert Fisher, of Long Acre
, and was born about the time of the Restoration
. Her Hebrew teacher is said to have been Francis van Helmont, commonly known as Baron van Helmont. She was married on 26 April 1681 at St. Mary-le-Savoy to Mr. Nathaniel Bland, then a merchant of London and freeman of the Glovers' Company, but who in 1692 succeeded his father, Richard Bland, as lord of the manor of Beeston
, near Leeds, Yorkshire, where he thenceforward resided.
Of their six children all but two, Joseph and Martha, died in infancy. It appears from Ralph Thoresby
's 'Ducatus Leodiensis' that Mrs. Bland was alive in 1712. She is known only by a phylactery in Hebrew written at Thoresby's request for his 'Musæum Thoresbianum,' to which she also presented a 'Turkish Commission.' Dr. Nathaniel Grew describes the phylactery as a scroll of parchment ¼in. broad and 15 in. long, with four sentences of the law (Exod. xiii. 7-11, 13-17; Deut. vi. 3-10; and Deut. xi. 13-19) 'most curiously written upon it in Hebrew.' She taught Hebrew to her son and daughter.
Bland was the daughter and heiress of Robert Fisher, of Long Acre
Long Acre
Long Acre is a street in central London, England. Starting from St. Martin's Lane it runs from west to east just north of Covent Garden piazza, one block north of Floral Street. The street was completed in the early 17th century. It was once known for its coach-makers, and later for its car dealers...
, and was born about the time of the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
. Her Hebrew teacher is said to have been Francis van Helmont, commonly known as Baron van Helmont. She was married on 26 April 1681 at St. Mary-le-Savoy to Mr. Nathaniel Bland, then a merchant of London and freeman of the Glovers' Company, but who in 1692 succeeded his father, Richard Bland, as lord of the manor of Beeston
Beeston, Leeds
Beeston is a suburb Leeds, West Yorkshire, England located about 2 miles south of the city centre. The area is separated from surrounding areas to the north, east and west by the M621 motorway....
, near Leeds, Yorkshire, where he thenceforward resided.
Of their six children all but two, Joseph and Martha, died in infancy. It appears from Ralph Thoresby
Ralph Thoresby
Ralph Thoresby , born in Leeds and is widely credited with being the first historian of that city. He was besides a merchant, non-conformist, fellow of the Royal Society, diarist, author, common-councilman in the Corporation of Leeds, and museum keeper.-Upbringing:Ralph Thoresby was the son of John...
's 'Ducatus Leodiensis' that Mrs. Bland was alive in 1712. She is known only by a phylactery in Hebrew written at Thoresby's request for his 'Musæum Thoresbianum,' to which she also presented a 'Turkish Commission.' Dr. Nathaniel Grew describes the phylactery as a scroll of parchment ¼in. broad and 15 in. long, with four sentences of the law (Exod. xiii. 7-11, 13-17; Deut. vi. 3-10; and Deut. xi. 13-19) 'most curiously written upon it in Hebrew.' She taught Hebrew to her son and daughter.