Page:The Life and Correspondence of the Reverend John Clowes.djvu/14



John Clowes was born at Manchester on the 31st of October, 1743. He was the youngest son of Mr Joseph Clowes, and provincial barrister; a member of a family then, as now, well esteemed in Manchester. Lawyer Clowes, as he was commonly called, was a connection of the Byroms, a still more influential Manchester family, but best known, perhaps, in the writings of Dr John Byrom, the author of The Nimmers, and other poems, also of the papers in the Spectator, Nos. 586 and 593, and of the well-known Christian Hymn,

Edward Byrom, son of the poet, was the founder of the first bank at Manchester, and also of St. John's Church, of which Lawyer Clowe's son became in due time the rector. Lawyer Clowes's wife was the daughter of Mr Edwards the rector of Llanbedr in North Wales, a pious and learned man, whose virtues were transmitted to his daughter. She was assiduous in bringing up her children in the habit of private devotion and the regular attendance of public worship; but this excellent 2