70 KINGSBRIDGE 



but until the death of his widowed mother he continued 

 to pay occasional visits to his Kingsbridge friends. 



WALTER STEPHENS LETHBRIDGE, 

 the celebrated miniature painter, was born in the village 

 of Croveton, and parish of Charleton. He served his 

 apprenticeship with a house painter named Drew, in Duke 

 Street, Kingsbridge; and while quite a boy he evinced 

 such a natural talent for drawing that it attracted the 

 attention of a gentleman called Place, who took him to 

 Edinburgh and elsewhere. After remaining with him for 

 two years, he commenced portrait painting on his own 

 account. He met with great success in the West, par- 

 ticularly at Falmouth; but for many years he lived in 

 London, where he ranked high as an artist, more especially 

 as a miniature painter. 



JAMES LACKINGTON, 

 the London bookseller, was not a native of this district, 

 or even of Devonshire, but a portion of his life was passed 

 in Kingsbridge. 



He was born at Wellington, in Somersetshire, and was 

 bound apprentice to a shoemaker at Taunton. After his 

 time was expired he went to different places seeking work : 

 he was for a while at Exeter, of which place he soon 

 tired, and, to use his own words, " being informed that 

 Mr. John Taylor, of Kingsbridge, wanted such a hand, I 

 went down, and was gladly received by Mr. Taylor, whose 

 name inspires me with gratitude, as he never treated me 

 as a journeyman, but made me his companion. Nor 

 was any part of my time ever spent in a more agreeable, 

 pleasing manner than that which I passed in this retired 

 place, or I believe more profitable to a master. I was 



