Notable natives

All those listed below were born or brought up in or around Wellington. For profiles of past literary residents of the town including the likes of Patrick Bronte and Philip Larkin, see 'Literary Heritage' in the menu on the left.

Richard Baxter (1615 – 1691): English Puritan church leader and scholar

Born at Rowton, north of Wellington, he grew up in Eaton Constantine on the southern side of The Wrekin. A school master at Dudley and Bridgnorth, he became minister at Kidderminster aged 26, and was a chaplain to Cromwell's army during the Civil War. He wrote a number of sermons and theological books, some of which seemed dangerously subversive at this time of religious and political turmoil. In 1685, aged 70, he appeared before the notorious Judge Jeffries on the unjust charge of ‘libelling the church’ in a recent publication. He refused to pay the fine and remained in gaol until the government relented and let him go free 18 months later. In his last six years, he wrote a mammoth 168 books, and after a busy and controversial life, his days ended peacefully.

Sir George Downing (1684 – 1749): Founder of Downing College, Cambridge University

Nephew of local gent Sir William Forester, George Downing was raised at Dothill Park near Wellington from the age of four. An undistinguished member of parliament and a high-living rake into old age, Downing only warrants a mention here because his fortune provided for the foundation of a Cambridge college after his death. His grandfather, with whom the fortune originated, had more impressively served as a diplomat under both Cromwell and Charles II, and was responsible for building Downing Street in London.

[Illustration: Lady Mary Downing, nee Forester, Sir George's estranged wife]

William Withering (1741 – 1799): Physician and botanist

William Withering was born over his father’s apothecary shop in the Market Square. He must have learnt a few things from the family business, for he took up medicine at Edinburgh University and went on to become the highest earning physician outside London. His greatest legacy was as a botanist, publishing the seminal ‘Botanical Arrangement’ in 1776 whilst working in Birmingham. Analysing the potion of a Shropshire wise woman ten years later, he discovered the medical properties of the foxglove and perfected the medicine Digitalis as a result. A prominent figure in the Midlands of the late 18th century, he joined other great inventors and industrialists in the Lunar Society and, with them, campaigned for the abolition of the slave trade.

Andrew Plimer (c.1763 – 1837): Minaturist painter

Not content with following their father as a clock-makers in Wellington, the young Andrew and his brother Nathaniel joined a band of gypsies whom they travelled with until they reached London. Once there, Andrew presented himself to the great artist Mrs Cosway. Detecting his talent, she had him taught drawing and took him into her studio where he remained until setting up his own business in 1785. Exhibiting at the Royal Academy on many occasions, he became a sought after miniaturist and his work is highly coveted by collectors today.

[Illustration: Lord Torrington, painted by A. Plimer]

Henry Gauntlett (1805 – 1876): Composer, organist and organ designer

Born whilst his father was curate at Wellington’s parish church, the young Henry learnt to play the church organ at his father’s next posting and during adolescence made a name for himself as an accomplished musician. Despite being offered the post of sub-organist at St Paul’s Cathedral as a young man, his father discouraged him from a musical career and he became a solicitor in London. He still made plenty of time for his music, however, and as well as playing the organ he wrote hymn tunes for it, wrote essays about it and even worked on changing the way it was designed. He was greatly respected by Mendelssohn, who invited him to play in the premier of his famous work Elijah in 1855. By 1870, Gauntlett reckoned to have written 10,000 hymn tunes. His most famous was ‘Irby’ – the tune to Once in Royal David City.

Hesba Stretton (1832 – 1911): Author

The daughter of a printer and bookseller, Hesba (real name Sarah Smith) grew up surrounded by books. Her own short stories were first published in Charles Dickens’ Household Words magazine in the 1850s. She wrote sixty books in all, and it was the best-selling ‘Jessica’s First Prayer’ that made her name – one and a half million copies sold in dozens of languages around the world. Living near London from 1870, she was instrumental in founding what would become the NSPCC.

Thomas Campbell Eyton (1809 – 1880): Naturalist

The Eytons of Eyton, near Wellington, were a prominent local family in the 18th and 19th centuries. Thomas’s uncle was the vicar at Wellington for many years and his cousin Robert one of the first great county antiquarians. Thomas studied at Cambridge with Shropshire friend Charles Darwin, and shared his interest in the natural world. Eyton published a ‘History of the Rarer British Birds’ in 1836 and other books subsequently. After inheriting his birthplace Eyton Hall in 1855, he turned it into an extensive natural history museum. His collection, alas, has long since disappeared.

Cecil Gordon Lawson (1851 – 1882): Landscape painter

The son of a Scottish portrait painter, Cecil followed in his footsteps as a landscape artist. Although born in Wellington, his family moved to London shortly after he was born and from the age of twelve, Cecil would roam Hampstead making sketches. Aged 19, his work appeared at the Royal Academy, where he was a regular contributor for the rest of his short life.