[Granger's Biog. History, iv. 81; information kindly supplied by the Rev. A. Short; authorities quoted; De Morgan's Arithmetical Books, pp. 48, 58, 73; Biog. Brit. (Suppl.), p. 33; Notes and Queries, 4th ser. vii. 323.]
KERSHAW, JAMES (1730?–1797), methodist preacher, a native of Halifax, was born about 1730. He joined a Socinian club in Halifax, whose members deputed him and another, in 1761, to attend a sermon to be delivered by Henry Venn [q. v.] at Huddersfield, in order 'to furnish matter of merriment for the nest meeting,' But Kershaw left the church after the sermon exclaiming, ' Surely God is in this place; there is no matter for laughter here,' He subsequently called on the preacher, was converted, and became one of Venn's constant correspondents (Life and letters of Henry Venn, 1836, passim).
Kershaw soon afterwards became known as an itinerant methodist preacher, and accompanied John Wesley on more than one occasion in his rapid journeys about the north of England. He settled down at Gainsborough about 1770, and waa famous in the neighbourhood for his quack medicines. He still continued to preach, but only at irregular intervals, and occupied his leisure in writing. He died at Ashby-de-la-Zouch in 1797.
Besides some tracts Kershaw wrote:
- 'An Essay on the Principal Parts of the Book of the Revelations, in a series of Dialogues between Didaskalos and Phylotheos,' Stockton, 1780, 2 vols. 12mo.
- 'The Methodist attempted in Plain Metre,' a sort of Wesleyan epic, published at Nottingham in 1780, but not approved by Wesley, who feared it might deter the elect from perusing more edifying works, and determined henceforth to exercise a censorship over methodist publications.
- 'The Grand and Extensive Plan of Human Redemption, from the Ruins of the Fall . . . in twelve familiar Dialogues,' Louth, 1797. A note appended to this volume states that Kershaw died 'shortly after this work was put to press.'
Arthur Kershaw (fl. 1800), apparently James Kershaw's son, was educated at Wesley's school near Kingswood. He contributed to the 'Monthly Magazine, and was employed by London booksellers in the enlargement of Walker's 'Gazetteer' and similar work at the beginning of the present century.
[Atmon's Methodist Memorial, p. 128; Tyarman's Wesley, ii. 631, iii. 362; Creswell's Hist. of Printing in Nottingham, p. 37; Biog. Dict. of Living Authors, p. 188; Kershaw's works in Brit. Mus. Library.]
KERSLAKE, THOMAS (1812–1891), bookseller, born in Exeter in July 1812, proceeded in 1828 to Bristol, and soon afterwards commenced business as a second-hand bookseller in Barton Alley, together with his brother-in-law, Samuel Cornish. In 1830 the partnership was dissolved, and Kerslake removed to a shop at the bottom of Park Street. A disastrous fire occurred here in 1860, Kerslake continued on the same site however, until 1870, when be removed to Queen's Road, and shortly afterwards retired. For over twenty years after his retirement he devoted himself to antiquarian controversy. Kerslake died at his private residence, Wynfred, Clevedon, on 5 Jan, 1891. His wife, Catherine Morgan, a native of Bath, predeceased him in 1887. He had no issue.
Previous to the fire, in which many works of great value and scarcity were destroyed, Kerslake had amassed a collection especially valuable in its antiquarian and archæological departments. He was also distinguished as an antiquary. Though self-taught, he had a good command of Latin and of modern languages, and his series of articles and pamphlets on antiquarian subjects is remarkable alike for shrewdness and originality. Kerslake's individuality is well exemplified in his sturdy defence of the historic phrase 'Anglo-Saxon ' (see infra). 'His pamphlets were usually published at his own expense' (cf. Proc. Somerset Archæolg. Assoc. 1892).
The following are Kerslake's chief works:
- 'A Vindication of the Autographs of Sir Roger de Coverley's "Perverse Widow " and her "Malicious Confident" from a disparaging statement thrown out in the "Athenæum,' Bristol [1855], 8vo.
- 'Saint Ewen, Bristol and the Welsh Border, circiter A.D. 577–926,' Bristol, 1875, 8vo.
- 'A Primeval British Metropolis, with some Notes on the Ancient Topography of the South-Western Peninsula of Britain,' Bristol, 1877, 8vo, Revised and re-edited, with additions, under the title of 'Caer Pensaualcoit, a long-lost Unromanized British Metropolis,' London, 1882, 8vo.
- 'Traces of the Ancient Kingdom of Damnonia, outside Cornwall, in remains of Celtic Hagiology,' London, 1878, 8vo.
- 'Vestiges of the Supremacy of Mercia in the South of England during the Eighth Century,' Bristol, 1879, 8vo.
- 'The Word "Metropolis." 'The Ancient Word "Anglo-Saxon." ' 'Anglo-Saxon Bristol and Fossil Taunton.' Three essays, Bristol, 1880, 8vo.
- 'The Celtic Substratum of England,' London, 1883, 8vo.
- 'The Liberty of Independent Historical Research,' London, 1885, 8vo. This is a somewhat caustic attack upon the office of her majesty's inspector of ancient monuments and on a preliminary report entitled ' Excavations in the Fen Pits, Penselwood, Somerset,' issued by the first holder of the office
