Athenian’ ‘surveyor’ to Greenwich Hospital, and Robert Mylne (1734–1811) [q. v.], his clerk of the works, and an application was made in September by Stuart, then in ill-health, to Newton to assist him in the designs for rebuilding Greenwich Chapel. Newton was appointed Stuart's assistant by the committee in February 1782, and afterwards clerk of the works in succession to Mylne, an appointment which was confirmed by the board on 24 Dec. 1782. From that time he produced nearly all the decorative ornamentation for Greenwich Chapel, and superintended its execution. Stuart died on 2 Feb. 1788; but Newton brought the work to completion two years later, and carried out other works connected with the hospital. Unlike his earlier work, which was in the Palladian style, the Greenwich Chapel follows Greek models. In 1789 Cooke and Maule, in their ‘Historical Account of Greenwich Hospital,’ gave Stuart sole credit for the chapel. Newton publicly declared that the credit of the design belonged to him, and detailed the small portion of the work designed by Stuart. Newton actively helped to complete and publish Stuart's ‘Antiquities of Athens,’ published, in 1787, after the author's death.
Newton, whose health was failing from overwork, left Greenwich on a three months' leave of absence, for sea-bathing, on 10 Feb. 1790, and died soon after, on 6 July following, at Sidford, near Sidmouth, Devonshire. A portrait, engraved by James, after R. Smirke, R.A., appears in the 1791 edition of the ‘Vitruvius.’ In his will, dated on the day of his death, and proved on 7 Aug. following, Newton mentions, besides his brother James, his wife Frances, his late sister Elizabeth Thompson, and his sister Susanna O'Kely.
[Journal of Proceedings of the Royal Institute of British Architects for 27 Aug. 1891, pp. 417–20, entitled ‘W. Newton and the Chapel of Greenwich Hospital,’ by Wyatt Papworth, with lists of Newton's drawings and manuscripts in the collection of the Institute; Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; other publications and references named in the article.]
NEWTON, WILLIAM (1750–1830), the Peak Minstrel, born on 28 Nov. 1750, near Abney, in the parish of Eyam, Derbyshire, was son of a carpenter, and, after attending a dame's school, worked at that trade. He soon showed mechanical skill in constructing spinning-wheels, and was articled for seven years as machinery carpenter in a mill in Monsal-dale. With his spare means he purchased books, chiefly poetry, and his own efforts in verse were soon noticed by Peter Cunningham (d. 1805) [q. v.], then acting as curate to Thomas Seward at Eyam. In the summer of 1783 Newton was introduced to Anna Seward [q. v.], who corresponded with him until her death. She showed his verses to William Hayley [q. v.] and other literary friends, who formed a high estimate of them. Beyond a sonnet to Miss Seward (Gent. Mag. 1789, pt. i. p. 71), verses to Peter Cunningham (ib. 1785, pt. ii. p. 212), and others in a Sheffield newspaper, few seemed to have survived. Sonnets were addressed to Newton by Peter Cunningham (ib. 1787, pt. ii. p. 624), by Miss Seward (ib. 1789, pt. i. p. 71), and by one Lister (Seward, Letters, ii. 171); while Miss Seward also wrote an ‘Epistle to Mr. Newton, the Derbyshire Minstrel, on receiving his description in verse of an autumnal scene near Eyam,’ September 1791 (Poetical Works, ii. 22). Miss Seward finally helped him to become partner in a cotton mill in Cressbrook-dale, and he thus realised a fortune. He died on 3 Nov. 1830 at Tideswell, Derbyshire, and is buried there. Newton married early in life Helen Cook (1753–1830), by whom he had several children. His eldest son, William (1785–1851), supplied Tideswell with good water at his own expense.
[Glover's Hist. and Gazeteer of Derbyshire, ed. Noble, vol. i. App. p. 109; Rhodes's Peak Scenery, pp. 56, 112–15; Wood's Hist. of Eyam, 4th ed. p. 209; Letters of Anna Seward, i. 221, 290, 318, 325, ii. 9, 171, iii. 262, iv. 134; Notes and Queries, 2nd ser. xii. 237; Nichols's Anecdotes, vi. 63–5; Gent. Mag. 1785, pt. i. 169, 212; Register of Tideswell, per the Rev. S. Andrew.]
NEWTON, Sir WILLIAM JOHN (1785–1869), miniature-painter, born in London in 1785, was son of James Newton the engraver, and was nephew of William Newton (1735–1790) [q. v.] The father, born on 2 Nov. 1748, engraved many plates for his brother William's translation of ‘Vitruvius,’ and the portrait of the translator is by him. As an engraver he worked both in line and stipple, and engraved some mythological subjects after Claude Lorraine, M. Ricci, and Zuccarelli, besides a few portraits. He resided in Thornhaugh Street, Bedford Square, London. He died about 1804.
The son, William John, commenced his career as an engraver, and executed a few plates, including a portrait of Joseph Richardson, M.P., after Shee, but turning early to miniature-painting he became one of the most fashionable artists of his day. He was a constant contributor to the Academy exhibitions from 1808 to 1863, and for many years his only rival was Sir William Ross. In 1831
