Robert Browning (1782 - 1866)

Born 6 Jul 1782 in London, England

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah Ann (Wiedemann) Browning — married 19 Feb 1811 in Camberwell, Surrey, England, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 14 Jun 1866 at age 83 in Paris, Île-de-France, France

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Biography

Robert Browning, the father of the famous poet of the same name, was a banker, described as "a great favourite, a good fellow, and an excellent draughtsman after the fashion of Rowlandson. Some of his drawings are still in the Clerks' Library and his friends' hands at the Bank. He was also a bit of a poet. He was a Chapel man, and frequented the Chapel of the Rev. George Clahton (the Spurgeon of his day) in York St., Walworth. The Grandfather was an abler official than his son, but not possessed of the latter's talents or versatility, and so not such a favourite at the Bank."^[1]

Robert was born 6 July 1782 in London. He was the son of another Robert Browning, also a banker, and Margaret Tittle, the daughter of a West Indies family.

He was married to Sarah Ann Wiedeman 19 February 1811 at Saint Giles, Camberwell, Surrey, England.^[2]

He joined the Congregational church in York Street (Walworth) in 1820: "Robert Browning the elder joined the church in 1820 (No. 425 on the list) when his son (Robert) was eight years old. He was then residing at Southampton Street, Peckham, where the poet was probably born."^[3]

There is a story that Robert "always walked to and from the bank, and was only once late, or below the line, during his 40 years' service: and that was on the morning of the execution of Mr. and Mrs. Manning. He couldn't get through the crowd in the Borough Road."^[4]

Robert was a learned man described by his brother Reuben as follows: "His wonderful store of information might really be compared to an inexhaustible mine. It comprised not merely a thorough scholastic outline of the world, but the critical points of ancient and modern history, the lore of the Middle Ages, all political combinations of parties, their description and consequences; and especially the lives of the poets and painters … old books were his delight, and by his continual search after them he not only knew all the old book-stalls in London, but their contents, and if any scarce work were spoken of, he could tell forthwith where a copy of it could be had.... Thus his own library became his treasure.... and his memory was so good that not infrequently, when a conversation at his table had reference to any particular subject, has he quietly left the room and in the dark, from a thousand volumes in his library, brought two or three illustrations of the point under discussion."^[5]

After his wife died, Robert began a relationship with a widow named Mrs. von Muller. Apparently, after the relationship soured, Robert was sued for breach of promise and defamation of character. Damages were awarded to Mrs. von Muller, which led Robert to flee to Paris to escape payment. He spent the rest of his life there, enjoying life and receiving visits from his close family members.^[6]

He died in Paris 14 June 1866 at the age of 83. His remains were interred at Cimetiere Nord de Saint-Mande.^[7]

There is a wonderful and comprehensive biography for Robert that appears online at The Brownings' Correspondence here.

Sources

1. ↑ Robert Browning's Ancestors, by Frederick James Furnivall, published 1890, page 8, The Papers, The Browning Society, read at the 72nd meeting of the Browning Society, 28 February 1890.
2. ↑ "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NV6N-NXD : 10 February 2018), Robert. Browning and Sarah Ann Wiedeman, 19 Feb 1811; citing Saint Giles,Camberwell,Surrey,England, reference , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 254,571.
3. ↑ Robert Browning's Ancestors, by Frederick James Furnivall, published 1890, page 8, The Papers, The Browning Society, read at the 72nd meeting of the Browning Society, 28 February 1890.
4. ↑ Robert Browning's Ancestors, by Frederick James Furnivall, published 1890, page 9, The Papers, The Browning Society, read at the 72nd meeting of the Browning Society, 28 February 1890.
5. ↑ Robert Browning Biography at The Brownings' Correspondence..
6. ↑ Robert Browning Biography at The Brownings' Correspondence..
7. ↑ Find a Grave Memorial for Robert Browning (father of the poet Robert Browning).