Joseph Hunter (antiquarian)
Encyclopedia
Joseph Hunter was a Unitarian
Minister and antiquarian
best known for his publications Hallamshire. The History and Topography of the Parish of Sheffield in the County of York and the two-volume South Yorkshire (a history of the Deanery of Doncaster), still considered among the best works written on the history of Sheffield
and South Yorkshire
.
The Hunter Archaeological Society, which was formed in 1912 "to study and report on the archaeology, history and architecture of South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire", was named in his honour.
). Following the death of his mother in 1787 he was placed under the guardianship of Joseph Evans, a minister at Upper Chapel
. He went to school in Attercliffe
and then studied theology at Manchester College
in York
. In 1809 he moved to Bath to take up a post as a Unitarian Minister at Trim Street
Chapel, there he met and married Mary Hayward, with whom he would have six children., one of whom, Sylvester Joseph Hunter
, converted to Catholicism and became a Jesuit priest. In 1833 he moved to London
to work at the Records Commission as Assistant Keeper of Public Records. He died in 1861 and is buried at Ecclesfield Parish Church in Sheffield.
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
Minister and antiquarian
Antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
best known for his publications Hallamshire. The History and Topography of the Parish of Sheffield in the County of York and the two-volume South Yorkshire (a history of the Deanery of Doncaster), still considered among the best works written on the history of Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
and South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
.
The Hunter Archaeological Society, which was formed in 1912 "to study and report on the archaeology, history and architecture of South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire", was named in his honour.
Biography
Hunter was born in Sheffield on 6 February 1783 to cutler Michael Hunter (1759–1831) and Elizabeth Girdler (1761–1787) in a house on the north side of New Church Street (a site now occupied by the Town HallSheffield Town Hall
Sheffield Town Hall is a building in the City of Sheffield, England. The building is used by Sheffield City Council, and also contains a publicly displayed collection of silverware. The current building, Sheffield's fourth town hall, is located on Pinstone Street. It was designed by the...
). Following the death of his mother in 1787 he was placed under the guardianship of Joseph Evans, a minister at Upper Chapel
Upper Chapel
Upper Chapel is a Unitarian chapel lying on Norfolk Street in Sheffield City Centre. It is a member of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, the umbrella organisation for British Unitarians....
. He went to school in Attercliffe
Attercliffe
Attercliffe is an industrial suburb of northeast Sheffield, England on the south bank of the River Don.-History:The name Attercliffe can be traced back as far as an entry in the Domesday book -Ateclive- meaning at the cliffe, a small escarpment that lay alongside the River Don...
and then studied theology at Manchester College
Harris Manchester College, Oxford
Harris Manchester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Formerly known as Manchester College, it is listed in the University Statutes as Manchester Academy and Harris College, and at University ceremonies it is called Collegium de Harris et...
in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
. In 1809 he moved to Bath to take up a post as a Unitarian Minister at Trim Street
Trim Street, Bath
Trim Street in Bath, Somerset, England is a historic street, built in 1707, of shops and houses, many of which are listed buildings. It was named after George Trim who owned the land....
Chapel, there he met and married Mary Hayward, with whom he would have six children., one of whom, Sylvester Joseph Hunter
Sylvester Joseph Hunter
Sylvester Joseph Hunter was an English Jesuit and educator.-Life:His father Joseph Hunter was a Unitarian minister, better known as an antiquarian writer and Shakespeare critic...
, converted to Catholicism and became a Jesuit priest. In 1833 he moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to work at the Records Commission as Assistant Keeper of Public Records. He died in 1861 and is buried at Ecclesfield Parish Church in Sheffield.
List of publications
- Who wrote Cavendish's Life of Wolsey? (1814)
- Hallamshire. The History and Topography of the Parish of Sheffield in the County of York (1819)
- South Yorkshire (a history of the Deanery of Doncaster), Volume I (1828)
- The Hallamshire Glossary (1829)
- South Yorkshire (a history of the Deanery of Doncaster), Volume II (1831)
- Illustrations of the Life, Studies, and Writings of Shakespeare (1845)
- Familiae Minorum Gentium, transcribed and published in 1894-6 by The Harleian Society
- The Diary of Ralph ThoresbyRalph ThoresbyRalph 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...
, F.R.S