User:Rich Farmbrough/DNB/J/o/John William Fisher

Sir John William Fisher (1788–1876), surgeon, son of Peter Fisher of Perth, by Mary, daughter of James Kennay of York, was born in London 30 January 1788, and apprenticed to John Andrews, a surgeon enjoying a large practice. After studying at St. George's and Westminster Hospitals, he was admitted member of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1809, became a fellow in 1836, and was a member of the council in 1843. The University of Erlangen, Bavaria, conferred on him the degree of M.D. in 1841. He was appointed surgeon to the Bow Street patrol in 1821 by Lord Sidmouth, and promoted to the post of surgeon-in-chief to the metropolitan police force at the time of its formation in 1829, which position he held until his retirement on a pension in 1865. He was knighted by the queen at Osborne on 2 September 1858. He was a good practitioner, honourable, hospitable, and steadfast in duty. He died at 33 Park Lane, London, 22 March 1876, and was buried in Kensal Green cemetery on 29 March, when six of his oldest medical friends were the pallbearers. His will was proved on 22 April, the personalty being sworn under 50,000l. He married, first, 18 April 1829, Louisa Catherine, eldest daughter of William Haymes of Kibworth Harcourt, Leicestershire, she died in London, 5 October 1860; and secondly, 18 June 1862, Lilias Stuart, second daughter of Colonel Alexander Mackenzie of Grinnard, Ross-shire.  Fisher, Jonathan (d. 1812), landscape painter, was a native of Dublin, and originally a draper in that city. Having a taste for art, he studied it by himself, and eventually succeeded in obtaining the patronage of the nobility. He produced some landscapes which were clever attempta to reproduce nature, but were too mechanical and cold in colour to be popular. They were, however, very well suited for engraving, and a set of views of Carlingford Harbour and its neighbourhood were finely engraved by Thomas Vivares, James Mason, and other eminent landscape engravers of the day. In 1792 Fisher published a folio volume called 'A Picturesque Tour of Killarney, consisting of 30 views engraved in aquatinta, with a map, some general observations, &c', He also published other illustrations of scenery in Ireland. Fisher did not find art profitable, but was fortunate enough to obtain a situation in the Stamp Office, Dublin, which he continued to hold up to his death in 1812. There is a landscape by Fisher in the South Kensington Museum, 'A View of Lymington River, with the Isle of Wight in the distance', A painting by him of 'The Schomberg Obelisk in the Boyne' was in the Irish Exhibition at London in 1888.

[Redgrave's Dictionary of Artists; Catalogues of the South Kensington Museum and the Irish Exhibition, 1888 ; Lowndes's Bibl. Man. ; engravings in Print Room, British Museum]