Page:Dictionary of National Biography. Sup. Vol I (1901).djvu/322

 Boers during the great Boer war in their second invasion of Cape Colony in January 1901.

 BRANDRAM, SAMUEL (1824–1892), reciter, born in London on 8 Oct. 1824, was the only son of William Caldwell Brandram. He was educated at Merchant Taylors', King's College School, and Trinity College, Oxford, whence he graduated B.A. in 1846, and M.A. three years later. At the university he was best known as an athlete. After leaving Oxford he became a student at Lincoln's Inn, and was called to the bar on 22 Nov. 1850. He practised as a barrister till 1876, when, under stress of financial difficulties, he came before the public as a professional reciter, and obtained wide popularity.

From his university days, when he took part with Frank Talfourd in founding the first Oxford Dramatic Society, Brandram had shown great aptitude for the stage, and was also well known for his singing of ballads. Henry Crabb Robinson [q. v.] records in his diary how on 24 Jan. 1848, at Mr. Justice Talfourd 's house in Russell Square, 'one Brandreth (sic) played the King very well indeed' in a performance of his host's play of 'Ion.' Afterwards, when a Macbeth travesty was performed at Talfourd's house, 'the same Brandreth played Macbeth, and made good fun of the character.' Brandram was accustomed during his vacations to act with the Canterbury Old Stagers and the Windsor Strollers, in company with Albert Smith, Joe Robins, Edmund Yates, and others. He played harlequin in A. Smith's amateur pantomime in 1856.

Brandram first appeared as a reciter at Richmond, and very soon met with success. He had been a student of Shakespeare from his schooldays, and, although his miscellaneous programmes were excellent, he was seen at his best when he gave a whole play of Shakespeare or Sheridan. Of the first he was wont to recite in an almost complete form some dozen plays, among which 'Macbeth' was his favourite.

In 1881 he published 'Selected Plays of Shakspeare, abridged for the use of the Young;' it reached a fourth edition in 1892. The more important passages are printed in full, while short narratives supply the place of the others. In 1885 appeared 'Brandram's Speaker: a Set of Pieces in Prose and Verse suitable for Recitation, with an Introductory Essay on Elocution,' and a portrait. This was reprinted without the essay in 1893. In the same year he issued a further volume of 'Selections from Shakespeare.' Brandram died at 6 Bentinck Street, Cavendish Square, London, on 7 Nov. 1892. He was buried three days later in Richmond cemetery. He married Miss Julia Murray an actress in Charles Kean's company, and left three sons and three daughters.

 BRANTINGHAM, THOMAS (d. 1394), lord treasurer and bishop of Exeter, probably came from Biantingham, near Barnard Castle, Durham, and was doubtless related to the Ralph de Brantingham, king's clerk in the reigns of Edward II and Edward III. He does not appear to have been educated at any university, and even when bishop is credited with no degrees. He early entered Edward Ill's service as a clerk in the treasury. Before 1361 he was granted the rectory of Ashby David in the diocese of Lincoln, and in December of that year the king requested the pope to give him in addition a canonry and prebend in St. Paul's. The request was granted, but Brantingham's name does not appear in Le Neve's list (Cal. Papal Petitions, 1342-1419, pp. 381, 415). From 1361 to 1368 Brantingham was treasurer of Calais and Guisnes; he was also receiver of the mint at Calais, and was employed in various negotiations with the Duke of Burgundy and other business connected with the defence of the English Pale (, Fœdera, Record edit. in. ii. 612 et passim). In 1363 he held a prebend in Hereford Cathedral, and in July 1367 he was treasurer of Bath and Wells Cathedral (, ed. Hardy, i. 173); he also held the rectory of Morthoe in the diocese of Exeter.

Brantingham seems to have attached himself to William of Wykeham [q. v.] and on 27 June 1369, a year after Wykeham 's appointment as chancellor, Brantingham became lord treasurer. On 4 March 1370 he was appointed by papal provision to the bishopric of Exeter; he was consecrated on 12 May following, and received back the temporalities on the 16th. His political and official duties prevented him from 