Botfield, Beriah (1807 -1863)

Beriah Botfield, of Norton Hall, Daventry, in Northamptonshire, and Decker Hill in Shropshire, was the eldest son of Beriah Botfield, of Norton Hall, and Charlotte, daughter of William Withering Esq., M.D. of the Larches, Edgbaston, near Birmingham. His father, whom he succeeded 27 April 1813, was owner of a successful Shropshire ironworks. Educated at Harrow School and Christ Church, Oxford, he matriculated 9 December 1824, aged 17, and took his B.A. in 1828, and his M.A. in 1847, and incorporated at Cambridge in 1861. He was married in 1858 to Isabella Leighton (d. 7 April 1911) daughter of Sir Baldwin Leighton, 8th Baronet, Botfield was High Sheriff of Northamptonshire in 1831, Member of Parliament for Ludlow from 1840 to 1847 and from 1857 until his death. His other posts include Treasurer of the Roxburghe Club, a Chevalier of the Order of Albert the Brave of Saxony, and a Knight of the Order of Leopold of Belgium, a Fellow of the Royal Society, and of the Society of Antiquaries. He wrote much about books, and printed some of his works himself at his private press at Norton Hall, showing a fondness for very small editions and extra copies printed on coloured paper. His works include A tour in Scotland. 1829; Stemmata Botevilliana, 1843; Notes on the Cathedral libraries of England. 1849; and Prefaces of the first editions of the classics. 1861. A selection of his library was sold at Christie's on 30 March 1994.