216 Memoir of the Rev. John Frederic Bigge. 



Letter from John Hancock, Esq. 



Natural History Society's Museum, 



Newcastle-on-Tyne. Nov. 11, 1885. 



My Dear Sir, — I had a high respect for the late Eev. J. F. Bigge, of 

 Stamfordham ; and I think with you that some Memoir of him will not be 

 out of place in the Transactions of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Field 

 Club. Not being a botanist myself, I can give no opinion as to his know- 

 ledge of plants, or how far he was acquainted with that science. 



Perhaps the best thing I can do is to give you notes, as far as I am able, 

 of what he did in connection with the Natural History Society, and the 

 'fyneside Naturalists' Field Club. 



The Rev. J. F. Bigge was elected a member of the Nat. Hist. Society 

 in 1846, and was an officer of the Society from the date of his election till 

 the time of his death, during the latter portion being Vice President. His 

 Family were connected with this Society from the time of its commencement 

 in 1829. His brother, Chas. John Bigge, was treasurer of the Nat. Hist. 

 Soc. from 1829 till his decease in 1846-7. He presented a collection of 

 British fresh water Fishes to the collections, and a collection of British 

 Plants has been presented to the Society by Mrs Bigge. 



He was one of the founders of the Tyneside Naturalists' Field Club, being 

 elected its first Vice President in April 1846 ; and he was elected President 

 of the Club for the second year, 1847. In his address he mentions that 

 at the second meeting of the Club for that year at Castle Eden, four plants 

 of the Lady's Slipper were seen, but were left undisturbed. 



In the fonrth vol. of Trans. T. N. F.C., he has two papers — one. " A 

 Notice of the Remarkable Trees in Northumberland ;" and the other. " On 

 Ancient Stones bearing concentric circles found in the parish of Stamford- 

 ham.' ' 



In vol. Y. he contributed Notes on Newbrongh and on Local Super- 

 stitions (^Folklore) in the neighbourhood of Stamfordham and some 

 Meteorological Notes. 



Besides the lively interest he took in the Nat. Hist. Soc, he also held a 

 high esteem for Bewick and his works. 



On my telling Mr Bi°'ge the last time I saw him that I believed that I 

 was the only one living who had shaken hands with the great artist, he 

 said " 1 think if my recollection serves me right, that when I was a boy I 

 shook hands with Bewick," he continued, "it was when I was walking with 

 my father, Bewick was standing at a shop door, my father said, there is 

 a great man I must speak to him ; it was then when he shook me by the 

 hand." This is all I can remember abotit our dear friend who is gone. 



Put I must not forget to answer your query about the interest Mr Bigge 

 look in the New Building for the N. 11. Soc. Museum, for it was great 

 indeed ; he very seldom came into the town that he did not pay a visit to 

 look at the collections it contained. 



Yours very truly, 



James Hart>y, Esq. JOHN HANCOCK, 



