In Portland Place, April 12, in
his
77th year,
after a
gradual decay, and a short
illness
occasioned
by an accidental fall, Sir Nathaniel Conant, Knt.
He was born at Hastingleigh, in Kent, of which place his
father the Rev.
John
Conant
(of
Pembroke Hall, Oxford, MA 1730)
was Rector from 1734
and vicar of
Elmsted from
1736
till
his death April 9, 1779. He was great grandson of the
celebrated Dr John
Conant,
Regius
Professor of Divinity, and
head of Exeter College,
Oxford, in
1649; afterwards
Archdeacon of Norwich, and vicar of All Saints
Northampton, near which place he
possessed
considerable property, part of which is still in the
family. He was an eminent
Divine,
and a
distinguished Author of Sermons, of which several volumes
were published; and
many others,
with a
Life of him by his son, the
Rev. John Conant of
Merton College
Oxford B and DCL
1683,
remain in the possession of his descendants. Some
interesting anecdotes of him
may be
seen
in
Chalmer's 'Biographical
Dictionary' and an elegant
testimonial to the
remarkably early
learning
of the famous Linguist Dr William
Wotton in the 'Library
Anecdotes' vol IV p.255.
He died
in 1693 aged
86
Sir
Nathaniel was brought up at Canterbury School, and
intended for business,
which
however
he early
relinquished, and in 1781
was placed in the
commission of
the Peace for
Middlesex.
He was
the first who suggested the
idea of the new
establishment of the Police in
1792,
and
was
very instrumental in forwarding the design. He was
thereupon appointed one
of the
Magistrates at Marlborough Street office where he
continued till 1813 when
he
became chief
magistrate of Bow Street, and received the honour of
Knighthood; and
that situation
he resigned
in 1820,
on account of the declining
state of his health.
He possessed a
very
clear
understanding and promptness
of decision, which
added to a great
mildness of
disposition
and
manner, peculiarly fitted him
for the situation he
held, and ere
evinced on many
trying occasions,
when he
was intrusted with the
particular confidence of
Government.
He married
Sarah
eldest
daughter
of John
Whiston of Fleet Street,
Bookseller and
granddaughter
of William
Whiston
the
celebrated scholar and mathematician. By her he had four
children now living;
and he was
buried
near her
in Finchley Church,
Middlesex.