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 popularity, became the idol of the theatre-going public, and was known as the ‘York Garrick.’ Tate Wilkinson, with whom Frodsham acted more than once, considered his abilities unquestionable, and thought his Hamlet unequalled save by Garrick and Barry. Frodsham himself told Garrick, on whom he called as a brother genius, that he believed his own assumption of that character was almost equal to that of the better-known actors. With the exception of a fortnight, during which Frodsham paid a visit to London, because he thought he and Garrick ought to know one another, he rarely left York. He died 21 Oct. 1768 at Hull, his end being accelerated by drink. He had played at the theatre three nights before, and had announced that his next appearance would be in ‘What we shall all come to.’ Frodsham's too sympathetic friends put it about that his death was caused or hastened by ill-usage at the hands of Wilkinson, who was, however, exonerated by Frodsham's widow, Isabella.

[Wilson's Wonderful Characters, iii. 239; Wilkinson's Memoirs, iv. 33–48; Wilkinson's Wandering Patentee, i. 27–8, 58–9; Welch's Alumni Westmonasterienses; Forshall's Westminster School Past and Present, p. 241.] 

FROST, CHARLES (1781?–1862), antiquary, born at Kingston-upon-Hull, Yorkshire, in 1781 or 1782, was the son of Thomas Frost, solicitor, of that town. He followed the same profession, and, as his father had been before him, was solicitor to the Hull Dock Company, which appointment he held for upwards of thirty-three years. From his father he acquired a love for genealogical and historical research. While still in his articles he diligently applied himself to mastering the writing of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, and it was not long before he had gained for himself a reputation as an expert black-letter lawyer. On 2 May 1822 he was elected F.S.A. In 1827 he published by subscription a work of permanent value entitled ‘Notices relative to the Early History of the Town and Port of Hull; compiled from original records and unpublished manuscripts, and illustrated with engravings, etchings, and vignettes,’ 4to, London, 1827. He proves that Edward I was not the founder of the town as supposed by Leland and Camden, but that long previous to his visit to Cottingham in 1296 the ground on which Hull stands was the site of a populous and improving town called Wic or Wyke. The work was the subject of a long and flattering critique by Sir N. H. Nicolas in the ‘Retrospective Review’ for December 1827 (p. 203). Another publication, also of local value, was his ‘Address,’ 8vo, 1831, delivered to the Hull Literary and Philosophical Society at the opening of the seventh session on 5 Nov. 1830, in which he alludes to the various literary societies which had been promoted in the town during the preceding half-century, and gives brief biographical notices of most of the Hull authors, whether natives or residents. A subsequent presidential address, delivered by him in 1852, was likewise published. Frost was president of the above society ten times between 1830 and 1855, and altogether he served the same office in connection with the subscription library for twelve years, between 1827 and 1854, one of the laws of that institution being suspended that he might occupy the position for five successive years, 1850–4, to enable him to carry into effect his scheme for the amalgamation of the two societies in the building in Albion Street which they now occupy. In the reading-room of the library is a full-length portrait of him by Schmidt. Frost was also one of the vice-presidents of the Hull meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science in 1853. Besides the works already named, he published two legal pamphlets. One was on the ‘Propriety of making a remuneration to witnesses in civil actions for loss of time. … With some observations on the present system of taxing costs,’ 8vo, London, 1815. The other consisted of a letter to Thomas Thompson on the subject of ‘Equalising the poor rates of Hull by assessing the shipping belonging to the port to the relief of the poor,’ published in 1820. Frost died at Hull, 5 Sept. 1862, aged 80 or 81.

[R. W. Corlass's Sketches of Hull Authors, ed. C. F. Corlass and William Andrews, 1879, pp. 33–4; Appendix to Frost's Address of 5 Nov. 1830, pp. 123–8; Gentleman's Magazine, vol. c. pt. ii. pp. 450–1, vol. ci. pt. i. pp. 523–4, 3rd ser. xiii. 508; Boyne's Yorkshire Library, pp. 162, 249; Law Magazine, January 1831, p. 13 n.] 

FROST, GEORGE (1754–1821), landscape painter, son of a builder at Ousden in Suffolk, was originally brought up to his father's business. He subsequently obtained a confidential situation in the office of the Blue Coach at Ipswich, which he continued to hold for the greater part of his life. He had a natural and early love of drawing, and without any instruction from others succeeded in producing some very excellent works. He studied nature very closely, and drew picturesque buildings and landscapes with a masterly hand, showing both originality and truth. He was a devoted admirer and imitator of