Эдвард Джесси: английский писатель и натуралист

English writer (1780–1868)

Edward Jesse (January 14, 1780 – March 28, 1868), was an English writer on natural history. As a surveyor for the Office of Works, he was responsible for much of the restoration and presentation of Hampton Court Palace after it was opened to the public in 1838.

Jesse was born at Hutton Cranswick, Yorkshire, the third son and youngest of four children of Reverend William Jesse (1738 1814) and Mary Jesse. Originally the parish vicar for Hutton Cranswick, Rev. Jesse later became a prominent evangelical vicar in West Bromwich and personal chaplain to the 2nd Earl of Dartmouth, a convert of Selina Hastings. Jesse was privately educated, and in 1798 was appointed to a clerkship in the Santo Domingo office. Jesse's command of French recommended him to the 3rd Earl of Dartmouth, who made Jesse his private secretary on his appointment in 1801 as President of the Board of Control (overseeing the British East India Company). Jesse was also commissioned a lieutenant colonel of the Birmingham Volunteers, and on the corps disbandment the Duke of Rutland appointed Jesse as captain in the Leicestershire Militia in 1805. Their youngest daughter Matilda, born 1811, became a noted author and women's rights activist. Following Matilda's death c1851, Jesse married Jane Caroline in 1852, who survived him.

The result of his interest in the habits and characteristics of animals was a series of pleasant and popular books on natural history. He also edited Izaak Walton's The Compleat Angler. (See Bibliography).

Jesse contributed to the second edition of Leitch Ritchie's Windsor Castle, and edited later editions of Gilbert White's Selborne. He wrote a number of handbooks to places of interest, including Windsor and Hampton Court (see Bibliography).