John Gage Rokewode facts for kids
John Gage Rokewode (born September 13, 1786 – died October 14, 1842) was a British historian and an antiquarian. An antiquarian is someone who studies old things, like ancient objects, books, or buildings, to learn about the past. He spent his life researching and writing about history.
About His Life
John Gage Rokewode was born into the Gage family in Suffolk, England. He was the fourth son of Sir Thomas Gage. In 1838, he took the name Rokewode when he inherited some family estates.
He went to school at Stonyhurst College. After that, he studied law, but he decided not to become a lawyer. Instead, he preferred to spend his time studying history and old things.
In 1818, he became a member of the Society of Antiquaries of London. This is a group for people who study history and old objects. He was even a director of this society from 1829 to 1842. In 1824, he also became a member of the Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a very old and respected group for scientists and scholars.
John Gage Rokewode died suddenly in 1842 while he was out shooting.
His Historical Works
John Gage Rokewode wrote several important books about history. In 1822, he published The History and Antiquities of Hengrave in Suffolk. Later, in 1838, he wrote The History and Antiquities of Suffolk. These books explored the history of places in Suffolk, England.
One of his most famous works was his edition of Jocelin de Brakelond's chronicle. A chronicle is like a historical record or story of events in order. This book was published in 1840. It was so important that another famous writer, Thomas Carlyle, used it a lot for his own book, Past and Present, which came out in 1843.
John Gage Rokewode also wrote many articles for a magazine called Archaeologia. Some of these articles were later printed as separate small books.
Important Articles
His articles often described very old and special manuscripts. Manuscripts are books or documents written by hand, usually before printing was invented. Some of his notable articles include:
- A Dissertation on St. Æthelwold's Benedictional: This article described a beautiful old manuscript from the 900s. It had many detailed pictures.
- A Description of a Benedictional or Pontifical, called Benedictionarius Roberti Archiepiscopi: This was another article about an old manuscript from the 900s, found in a library in France.
- The Anglo-Saxon Ceremonial of the Dedication and Consecration of Churches: This article explained how churches were officially opened and blessed in Anglo-Saxon times.
- Remarks on the Louterell Psalter: This article was about a famous old book of psalms, also with many pictures.
- A Memoir on the Painted Chamber in the Palace at Westminster: This described a special painted room in a palace in London.
After he died, many of his handwritten notes and his valuable collection of books were sold. However, some of his family members kept many of his important papers. These papers were later given to the library of the Bury and West Suffolk Archaeological Institute when it was created in 1848.
