Edward Jacob

Who was Edward Jacob?

Edward Jacob was an antiquary, naturalist and mayor from Kent, the son of Edward Jacob, surgeon of Canterbury, mayor of that city in 1727, who died in 1756. He married twice. His first wife was Margaret Rigden, whom he married on 4 September 1739, she being the daughter of John Rigden of Canterbury. She was baptized on 23 September 1709 and buried on 20 January 1749. Edward married for his second wife Mary Long, the daughter and heiress of Captain Stephen Long of Sandwich. They had eight children, five of whom survived infancy.

He was apprenticed to his father on a surgical apprenticeship in 1728. On completion of this in 1735 he was made a freeman of the city of Canterbury and moved to Faversham in Kent in that same year, where he practised as a surgeon.

He was an antiquary, bibliophile, scientist, botanist and fossil collector. He wrote a number of papers and books. 1774 saw his Plantae Favershemiensis appear, 1777 his History of the Town and Port of Faversham. He also re-published the anonymous 16th century play Arden of Faversham, and was the first person to suggest that Shakespeare had a hand in writing it. He was elected to the Society of Antiquaries in 1755.