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particulars interesting only to one nearly related, for which 
digressions, whensoever they occur, I may perhaps claim your 
indulgence. My object will he to lay before you such an account 
of the labours of my grandfather as will best illustrate his work, 
and to interweave with them such records only of his personal 
life and occupation, as may serve to explain the force of character 
that enabled him to achieve what he did. 
Boasting no ancestors known to fame,* to wealth, or position, 
he merely inherited a name savouring of the country, and which 
originally was applied to one of the custodians of the royal parks 
or forests. t His grandfather, Simon Woodward, came from 
London to settle in this city, and married a Norwich maiden, but 
of what trade or calling he was I have no means of ascertaining. 
Two children were the consequences of this marriage, of whom the 
younger, William, afterwards a bombazine weaver at Norwich, was 
born in 1762, married Elizabeth Springall, in 1789, and died in 
1795, at the early age of 33; leaving a young widow and two 
children. Of these, one was a daughter ; the elder was Samuel 
Woodward, born at Rose Lane, Norwich, on the 2nd of October, 
1790. 
Of the early years of my grandfather, I should have found very 
little to say, had not some few notes been written out shortly after 
his death, by his eldest son, the late Mr. B. B. Woodward, who, 
at one time had the intention of continuing them, and publishing 
a short biography. These notes I herewith insert. J. 
“Ilis father, who was a man of strong mind and decidedly 
religious character, died before he was live years old, leaving his 
mother in such humble circumstances, that she was unable to give 
* No direct connection can be traced with the celebrated founder of the 
Woodwardian Museum and Professorship of Geology at Cambridge. 
t Gilpin tells us, in his Remarks on Forest Scenery, etc., 1794 
(Vol. ii., p. 19), “ With regard to the woods of the. forest, which were 
originally considered only as they respected game, the first officer, under 
the lord-warden, is the woodward. It is his business, as his title denotes, 
to inspect the woods. He prevents waste, he sees that young trees are 
properly fenced, and he assigns timbers for the payment of forest-officers.” 
\ 
X The notes were kindly lent to me by Mrs. 13. B. Woodward. 
