Scruton, William

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Scruton, William

Portrait of William Scruton, historian, 1842-1924, by John Sowden, 1909.

Biographical note in Sowden's notebook:
William Scruton was born in 1842 at Horton Green, Bfd. His schooling was a dame's school in the Green and at the evening classes at the Mechanics' Institute, which he attended for 5 years, and his first start in life was whilst a boy, at the warehouse of Mr Robt. Milligan, Mr Scruton's earliest attempt at authorship was an article contributed to the "Bradford Observer" on the "Old Inns & Hoteliers of Bradford". From that starting point he became a contributor to the Leeds & Bradford press, chiefly on subjects of local history & topography. In the days when the "Yorkshireman" was a literary journal of some repute & with a large circulation he was one of its frequent contributors & felt proud to be ranked with such colleagues as Edwin Waugh, Ben Preston, Abrm Holyroyd, James Burnley, Wm. Cudworth & others. In 1884 Mr Scruton issued a small work entitled "The Birthplace of Charlotte Bronte". It ran through 3 editions and has long been out of print. He is most ambitious & most successful works was the one entitled "Pen & Pencil Pictures of Old Bradford" a volume of 250 pages, well illustrated. The first edition of 1000 copies was rapidly sold and a second edition of the same quantity and the ????? of 150 copies at a guinea each were disposed of. Mr Scruton issued a book (entitled "Bradford Fifty Years Ago") which appeared in 1897, the jubilee year & was well illustrated. It is never out of print. "Thornton and the Brontes" was Mr Scrutons recent literary effort, issued in 1898. Mr Scruton as been for many years closely identified with the Bfd Literary Club, the Bradford ???????? Literary Club & the Bradford Historical & Antiquarian Society. He was one of the founders of the last named institutions and to its journal "The Bradford Antiquary" he has been a regular contributor. Mr Scruton has been a collector of historical material relating to Bradford and the district and there have been acquired by the Bradford Free Library Committee. Mr Scruton has been in the office of a Bradford firm of solicitors of which Mr H. J. Jeffries is the president ??????????? for 50 years and upon the occasion was presented with a silver ???? bowl. Mr Scruton was married, but is now a widower.
[in pencil and different hand] Died January 31st, 1924.

Year

1909

Creator

John Sowden

Image filename

sowden-290