Thomas Monro (1759–1833) was a British

art collector A private collection is a privately owned collection of works (usually artworks) or valuable items. In a museum or art gallery context, the term signifies that a certain work is not owned by that institution, but is on loan from an individual ...

and

patron Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings, popes, and the wealthy have provided to artists su ...

. He was Principal Physician of the

Bethlem Royal Hospital Bethlem Royal Hospital, also known as St Mary Bethlehem, Bethlehem Hospital and Bedlam, is a psychiatric hospital in London. Its famous history has inspired several horror books, films and TV series, most notably '' Bedlam'', a 1946 film with ...

and one-time consulting physician to

George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Bri ...

Physician

Thomas Monro was born 1759, in London, youngest son of Dr John Monro ( 9th of Fyrish) and Elizabeth Culling Smith. He was educated at Harrow under

Samuel Parr Samuel Parr (26 January 1747 – 6 March 1825), was an English schoolmaster, writer, minister and Doctor of Law. He was known in his time for political writing, and (flatteringly) as "the Whig Johnson", though his reputation has lasted less wel ...

and attended

Oriel College, Oxford Oriel College () is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. Located in Oriel Square, the college has the distinction of being the oldest royal foundation in Oxford (a title formerly claimed by University College, w ...

where he graduated as a Doctor of Medicine in 1787. Admitted as a Fellow of the

Royal College of Physicians The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of physicians by examination. Founded by royal charter from King Henry VIII in 1 ...

in 1791, and acted as Censor on three separate occasions. He delivered the

Harveian Oration The Harveian Oration is a yearly lecture held at the Royal College of Physicians of London. It was instituted in 1656 by William Harvey, discoverer of the systemic circulation. Harvey made financial provision for the college to hold an annual fea ...

in 1799. In 1811, he was named as an Elect of the College. Like his father and

grandfather Grandparents, individually known as grandmother and grandfather, are the parents of a person's father or mother – paternal or maternal. Every sexually-reproducing living organism who is not a genetic chimera has a maximum of four genetic gr ...

he was employed at Bedlam starting as Assistant Physician in 1787. He attended on

in a joint consultation of specialists during the king's second illness in 1811–12, although

Queen Charlotte Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Sophia Charlotte; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818) was Queen of Great Britain and of Ireland as the wife of King George III from their marriage on 8 September 1761 until the union of the two kingdoms ...

ensured that his further involvement did not extend beyond that of a passive observer.Jonathan Andrews, ‘Monro, Thomas (1759–1833)’,

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

, Oxford University Press, 2004 In 1792 he became Principal Physician as successor to his father. He resigned in June 1816, as a result of scandal when he was accused of ‘wanting in humanity’ towards his patients.

Patron

Monro was also known as a patron to numerous artists (including Peter De Wint,

Thomas Girtin Thomas Girtin (18 February 17759 November 1802) was an English watercolourist and etcher. A friend and rival of J. M. W. Turner, Girtin played a key role in establishing watercolour as a reputable art form. Life Thomas Girtin was born in Sout ...

John Sell Cotman John Sell Cotman (16 May 1782 – 24 July 1842) was an English marine and landscape painter, etcher, illustrator, author and a leading member of the Norwich School of painters. Born in Norwich, the son of a silk merchant and lace dealer, C ...

and William Turner). The group of artists around him was known as 'The Monro Circle' and included students from his ‘Academy’ in London, where evening classes were given. Other painters who visited his home included

J.M.W. Turner Joseph Mallord William Turner (23 April 177519 December 1851), known in his time as William Turner, was an English Romantic painter, printmaker and watercolourist. He is known for his expressive colouring, imaginative landscapes and turbulen ...

Joseph Farington Joseph Farington (21 November 1747 – 30 December 1821) was an 18th-century English landscape painter and diarist. Life and work Born in Leigh, Lancashire, Farington was the second of seven sons of William Farington and Esther Gilbody. Hi ...

, Thomas Hearne (1744–1817),

James Bourne James Elliot Bourne (born 13 September 1983) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is known as the co-founder of pop punk bands Busted and Son of Dork, and he also created his own electronic project: Future Boy. From 2013 to 2015 ...

, Henry Edridge, William Henry Hunt, John Laporte and John Varley.Hertfordshire in History, Edited by Dr Doris Jones-Baker. Schools of Art in South West Hertfordshire, 1850-1900, by Grant Longman
Google Books
/ref> Monro had a house in Adelphi Terrace, London and a cottage in

Fetcham Fetcham is a suburban village in Surrey, England west of the town of Leatherhead, on the other side of the River Mole and has a mill pond, springs and an associated nature reserve. The housing, as with adjacent Great Bookham, sits on the lower ...

Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. W ...

(until 1805). From 1807 until his death, on 14 May 1833, he lived in a 'country house' in Merry Hill near

Bushey Bushey is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England. It has a population of over 25,000 inhabitants. Bushey Heath is a large neighbourhood south east of Bushey on the boundary with the London Borough of Harrow re ...

Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is one of the home counties in southern England. It borders Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire to the north, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south, and Buckinghamshire to the west. For gover ...

. Monro was himself an amateur artist, and a pupil of John Laporte.

Family

Monro had several children, and three of his sons also became artists, in particular Henry (1791–1814). Coincidentally, Monro's distant kinsman Hugh Andrew Johnstone Munro of Novar would later be one of Turner's chief patrons.

References

;Attribution

External links

Thomas Monro
a
Contemporary Art
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monro, Thomas 1759 births 1833 deaths People educated at Harrow School Alumni of Oriel College, Oxford 18th-century English painters English male painters 19th-century English painters Heads of psychiatric hospitals 19th-century English male artists 18th-century English male artists

Physician

Patron

Family

See also

References

External links