Page:Groves - Memoir of Anthony Norris Groves, 3rd edition.djvu/13



was born at Newton, in Hants, 1795. He was one of six children. His father, who was originally in a very prosperous business in Lymington, had a very generous disposition; was fond of giving liberally to others; but being of a speculative turn, he engaged in many things which lost him the riches his business had gained. One undertaking was the cultivation, by a new system of draining, of a property, called Normandy, near the sea, on which he expended many thousands; but although the plan proved eventually successful, the benefit was lost to his family. This resulted from his finding himself under the necessity of disposing of the property in the time of the war, for lack of funds to carry on the improvements. Previous to this, a share he had in a large ship, called the Royal George, was also lost, as the ship went down; and, lastly, he had a factory for refining salts, which, with his