William Pryce

1 portrait by Clifford

© National Portrait Gallery, London

 Like voting
is closed

Thanks for Liking

Please Like other favourites!
If they inspire you please support our work.

Buy a print Buy a greetings card Make a donation

William Pryce

by James Basire, after Clifford
line engraving, circa 1778
10 7/8 in. x 7 3/8 in. (277 mm x 188 mm) plate size; 17 3/8 in. x 11 7/8 in. (442 mm x 302 mm) paper size
Acquired, 1959
Reference Collection
NPG D40767

Sitterback to top

  • William Pryce (baptised 1735-died 1790), Surgeon, mineralogist and antiquary. Sitter in 1 portrait.

Artistsback to top

  • James Basire (1730-1802), Engraver. Artist or producer associated with 85 portraits, Sitter in 1 portrait.
  • Clifford (active circa 1770s), Portrait painter. Artist or producer associated with 1 portrait.

Subject/Themeback to top

Events of 1778back to top

Current affairs

Catholic Relief Act is the first to provide a measure of catholic emancipation, modifying the penal laws that effectively prevented Catholics from holding public office. The reform is encouraged by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Mansfield, who had balked at various prosecutions under the statutes now repealed.

Art and science

Francis D'Arblay, writing as Fanny Burney, publishes her novel Evelina, or the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World, in which she satirises contemporary society.
Engineer Joseph Bramah invents a type of flush toilet, replacing the usual slide valve with a hinged flap that seals the bottom of the bowl.

International

American War of Independence: France, joining the American colonies in their fight against Britain, sends a large fleet across the Atlantic. The British rapidly abandon Philadelphia. The American naval hero John Paul Jones makes successful raids around the coasts of Britain.
James Cook's third Pacific voyage, aboard the ships HMS Resolution and HMS Discovery, first views Oahu then Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands, which Cook names the Sandwich Islands.

Comments back to top

We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.

If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.

Mrs Linda Messaris

18 February 2019, 21:01

Yes, I can help your you with some information. I have two original letters written by him in the 1770s. One is relating his concerns that he is not receiving sufficient royalties for his book “Mineralogia....”. The second letter is written expressing his intention to write a book about the Cornish language.

These letters were in the possession of my grandfather, Llewelyn Edgar William Bevan, who was his great-great-great-grandson.

Please let me know if you would like me to e-mail you copies of these letter.

Yours Faithfully
Linda Messaris
Johannesburg
[email protected]