William Backhouse was a renowned English

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 Rosicrucian

Rosicrucian

Rosicrucianism is a philosophical secret society, said to have been founded in late medieval Germany by Christian Rosenkreuz. It holds a doctrine or theology "built on esoteric truths of the ancient past", which, "concealed from the average man, provide insight into nature, the physical universe...

 philosopher, alchemist

Alchemy

Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...

, and astrologer

Astrologer

An astrologer practices one or more forms of astrology. Typically an astrologer draws a horoscope for the time of an event, such as a person's birth, and interprets celestial points and their placements at the time of the event to better understand someone, determine the auspiciousness of an...

. He was born on 17 January 1593 at Swallowfield Park

Swallowfield Park

Swallowfield Park is a Grade II* listed stately home and estate in the English county of Berkshire. The house is situated near the village of Swallowfield, some 4 miles south of the town of Reading.-The House :...

, some 5 miles south of Reading

Reading, Berkshire

Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....

 in the county of Berkshire

Berkshire

Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...

, a younger son of Samuel Backhouse

Samuel Backhouse

-Life:He was the son of Nicholas Backhouse of Cheapside in Middlesex , an alderman and Sheriff of London, and his wife, Anne, daughter of Thomas Curzon of Croxall in Derbyshire....

. He entered Christ Church, Oxford

Christ Church, Oxford

Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...

, in 1610, but left the university without taking a degree.

Backhouse married Anne the daughter of Brian Richards of Hartley Wespall

Hartley Wespall

Hartley Wespall is a civil parish in the Basingstoke & Deane district of Hampshire, England. Its nearest town is Hook, which lies approximately 2.5 miles south-west from the hamlet....

 in Hampshire

Hampshire

Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...

, by whom he had two sons (who predeceased him) and a daughter, Flower. Backhouse also adopted Elias Ashmole

Elias Ashmole

Elias Ashmole was a celebrated English antiquary, politician, officer of arms, astrologer and student of alchemy. Ashmole supported the royalist side during the English Civil War, and at the restoration of Charles II he was rewarded with several lucrative offices.Ashmole was an antiquary with a...

, founder of the Ashmolean Museum

Ashmolean Museum

The Ashmolean Museum on Beaumont Street, Oxford, England, is the world's first university museum...

, as his son, encouraging him in his studies. Flower Backhouse married, firstly, William Bishop of South Warnborough

South Warnborough

South Warnborough is a small village and civil parish in the English county of Hampshire. In the 2001 census, the population was 542.South Warnborough is approximately south of the village of Odiham and north of the town of Alton...

; secondly, her father's kinsman, Sir William Backhouse, Bart.; and, thirdly, Henry Hyde, 2nd Earl of Clarendon

Henry Hyde, 2nd Earl of Clarendon

Henry Hyde 2nd Earl of Clarendon PC was an English aristocrat and politician. He held high office at the beginning of the reign of James II of England, who had married his sister.-Early life:...

.

Backhouse died at Swallowfield on 30 May 1662.