20 Facts About Elhanan Bicknell

Elhanan Bicknell was a successful London businessman and shipowner.

Elhanan Bicknell used his wealth as a patron of the arts, becoming one of the leading collectors of contemporary British art.

Elhanan Bicknell's father had attended John Wesley's school at Kingswood, Bristol, and entertained Wesley in Blackman Street when he came to preach at Snow's Fields in Southwark.

William Bicknell bought the copyright of this work in the year of his son Elhanan's birth, and on finding that he had made money on the deal, gave it back to the author in 1789.

Elhanan Bicknell was educated by his father, who, having established a school at Ponder's End in 1789, when Elhanan was an infant, removed it to Tooting Common in 1804; and there among Elhanan's schoolfellows, was Thomas Wilde, afterwards Lord Chancellor Truro.

In 1808 Elhanan Bicknell was sent to Caus Castle, near Shrewsbury, to learn farming; but at the end of a year this project was abandoned.

Elhanan Bicknell returned to London late in 1809 and soon after he joined a business run by his uncle, John Walter Langton.

Elhanan Bicknell became a partner in the business about 1809 and the following year he married his cousin, Langton's daughter Hannah.

Elhanan Bicknell was the first of his four wives with whom he had a total of thirteen children.

Elhanan Bicknell was part-owner of a number of South Sea whaling ships.

About 1835 Elhanan Bicknell anticipated agitation for the repeal of the navigation laws would injure his business interests, yet he magnanimously supported the movement, together with the abolition of all protection; and when the crippling of his undertakings and his income came, he accepted it.

Elhanan Bicknell occupied a large house at Herne Hill, Surrey, from 1819.

Elhanan Bicknell became personally acquainted with most of the artists, entertained them in his home and paid them well.

The house did not have a Long gallery, so Elhanan Bicknell placed these works, with pieces of sculpture such as Edward Hodges Baily's Eve at the Fountain, throughout the rooms, and opened his house to art connoisseurs.

Elhanan Bicknell bought many of Turner's finest works before Ruskin's advocacy brought the artist to public prominence.

In politics and in theology Elhanan Bicknell was an advanced liberal.

Elhanan Bicknell supported Unitarianism, was a principal contributor to the building of the Unitarian chapel at Brixton, and gave to the British and Foreign Unitarian Association.

Elhanan Bicknell was a member of the Worshipful Company of Vintners, one of the oldest Livery Companies in London, serving at various times as Warden and Master.

Elhanan Bicknell passed the rest of his time at Herne Hill, where he died 27 November 1861, aged 72.

In 1829 Elhanan Bicknell married Lucinda Browne, a sister of Hablot Knight Browne.