John Bathurst Deane

John Bathurst Deane (27 August 1797 – 12 July 1887) was a South African-born English clergyman, schoolmaster, antiquary, and author. Early life and education Born at the Cape of Good Hope in 1797, Deane was the second son of Captain Charles Meredith Deane, of the 24th Light Dragoons. According to research undertaken by Deane and posthumously completed and published by his daughter Mary as The Book of Dene, Deane, Adeane: a genealogical history from Norman times of the families originating in Northamptonshire and the Forest of Dean, the family claimed to be descended from a Norman royal cup-bearer, Roberto de Dena. The Athenaeum looked askance at the book's scholarship, noting that it largely constituted "a series of the baldest notes, in which the descent of every prominent Dene, Deane, Denny or Adeane is set forth, and any bearer of a similar name finds a place." The Genealogist reviewer noted "... sadness on finding the author indulging in a belief that the Dennes, Adeanes, Deanes and others bearing similar surnames derive their cognomen from a common ancestor... some curious heraldic and genealogical statements and deductions put a serious criticism of her work out of the question". Deane was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, which at that time was in the City of London, and at Pembroke College, Cambridge. On 19 July 1816 he was baptised at St Mary's Chapel, Parish of St Swithin's, Walcot, Somerset, and matriculated at Cambridge a few weeks later, graduating BA in 1820, promoted to MA in 1823. Career He was ordained a deacon at Exeter in 1821 and a priest in 1823. From 1836 to 1855 he was a schoolmaster at his old school, rising to head of mathematics, and for part of that time was also curate of St Benet Fink and of St Michael's, Wood Street. In 1855 he was appointed as Vicar of Bishopsgate, London, and Rector of St Helen's, Bishopsgate, with which parish St Martin Outwich was combined in 1874. He kept these benefices until 1887.