Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 2.djvu/192

 soon after the publication of his first notable achievement—the beautiful plates illustrating Dr. Forbes Watson's 'Textile Manufactures and Customs of the People of India' (1866), which was followed by those illustrating ' Tree and Serpent Worship in India' (1868), by [q. v.]. He also reproduced some of the Prince Consort's drawings for Queen Victoria, and was thereafter chromo-lithographer to her Majesty and subsequently to King Edward VII. Though the contents of the India Museum were dispersed between South Kensington and elsewhere in 1878, he continued to serve the India office till Sept. 1885, thenceforth devoting himself exclusively to his own business.

In reproductions of old manuscripts and letterpress texts Griggs was as successful as in chromo-lithography. His production of fifty copies of the 'Mahabhasya' (the standard authority on Sanskrit grammar), consisting of 4674 pages (1871), was carried out for 6000l. less than the estimate for a tracing of the original MS. by hand. More widely known, however, are his Shakespeare quartos, with critical introducions by [q. v. Suppl. II] and others, in 43 vols. (1881-91), which were sold at 6s. each, while the hand- traced fac- similes by E. W. Ashbee, superintended by [q. v.], had been sold at five guineas each.

On the initiative of Sir George Birdwood, who gave him constant encouragement, Griggs secured in 1881 the patronage of the committee of council on education for a series of shilling 'Portfolios of Industrial Art,' 200 of which have been issued, chiefly selected from the Chinese, Persian, Arabian, Sicilian, Italian, Russian, and Spanish specimens at South Kensington. Under an arrangement with the government of India, also negotiated at Sir George's instance, he issued from Jan. 1884 the quarterly 'Journal of Indian Art and Industry,' in imperial quarto (25.), which is still carried on by his successors in business. A notable work in the same field, edited by Colonel T. H. Hindley, was his 'Asian Carpet Designs' (1905) of 150 coloured plates, sold at 18Z. a copy. Nor was he less successful in illustrating such works as Dr. James Burgess's reports on the archaeology of Western India through a long series of years, and his 'Ancient Monuments of India' (1897 to 1911); Colonel T. H. Hindley's many works on the art and history of Rajputana; facsimiles of illuminated MSS. at the British Museum (1889-1903), and other works for the trustees; Sir Richard Temple's 'Thirty-Seven Nats' in Burma (1906); and many scientific works, such as Dr. M. C. Cooke's 'Illustrations of British Fungi' (2nd edit. 6 vols. 1884-8) and his 'Handbook' thereof (2nd edit. 1887). The fullest, though by no means a complete, list of Griggs's works is given in the 'Journal of Indian Art,' Jan. 1912.

Griggs married in 1851 Elizabeth Jane Gill (d. 1903), and in his later years was assisted in business by his two sons. The firm of W. Griggs & Sons was formed into a public company on 20 Dec. 1906. He was for a time managing director, but owing to ill-health resigned all connection with the company in January 1910.

He died at Worthing on 7 Dec. 1911, being buried in the Forest Hill cemetery. His second son, Walter, carries on an independent business on his father's lines.



GRIMTHORPE, first. [See, 1816–1905.]

GROOME, FRANCIS HINDES (1851–1902), Romany scholar and miscellaneous writer, second son of [q. v.], archdeacon of Suffolk, was born at his father's rectory of Monk Soham on 30 Aug. 1851. Through his father's mother there was a family connection with East Dereham, and, there is some ground for believing, blood-relationship with [q. v.]. In 1861 he was at school at Wyke Regis, near Weymouth. From 1865 to 1869 he was at Ipswich grammar school under Dr. [q. v. Suppl. I], where he distinguished himself both in Latin prose and in Latin verse. There too he won several cups for rowing, and helped to found and edit a school magazine. He read for a year with Francis de Winton at Boughrood on the Wye, and went up to Corpus Christi College, Oxford, matriculating in October 1870; in 1871 he was elected postmaster of Merton College. Even in early boyhood gypsy life seen in glimpses had exercised a singular fascination over him; an assistant master at Ipswich had given him some real knowledge of Romany and of gypsy lore; and