LEECE, JOSEPH (1 son of John Leece). _b._ Edgley, Stockport,
Cheshire 8 Sep. 1833; lodge boy to Joseph Whitworth, engineer,
Manchester 1847, foreman of shops where he improved the
machinery, managed the manufactory of guns and rifles; conducted
the heavy gun trials Whitworth versus Armstrong 1863–4;
introduced the Whitworth small arms to the volunteers; sighted
the rifle for the Queen at Wimbledon 2 July 1860; hit the target
5 times in succession at 1000 yards; present at meetings for
trial of light field guns at Versailles and Chalon; member of
war office ordnance committee; managing director of sir J.
Whitworth & Co.; M.I.C.E. 6 May 1879. _d._ Melbourne, Australia
13 Jany. 1886. _Min. of proc. of Instit. of C.E. lxxxv_ 399
(1886).
LEECH, JOHN (son of John Leech, proprietor of the London
Coffee-house, Ludgate Hill, London, bankrupt 6 Jany. 1832).
_b._ Bennett st. Stamford st. London 29 Aug. 1817; ed. at the
Charterhouse 1824–33; studied at St. Bartholomew’s hospital;
published Etchings and Sketchings. By A. Pen 1835; employed on
Bell’s Life in London; illustrated Theodore Hook’s novel Jack
Brag 1837; contributed to fourth number of Punch 7 Aug. 1841 a
full-page illustration entitled Foreign Affairs, signed with
the Leech in the bottle as well as John Leech; chief artist
on Punch 1842 to death, executed 600 cartoons and 2400 small
drawings for which he received about £40,000; illustrated
the Ingoldsby Legends and Albert Smith’s novels in Bentley’s
Miscellany; supplied etchings or cuts for New Monthly Mag.
1842–4, Illuminated Mag. 1843–5, Dickens’ Christmas Stories
1843–8, R. S. Surtees’ sporting novels 1853–65, Once a Week
1859–64, Illustrated London News, Punch’s Pocket Book and many
other works; published Portraits of the children of the nobility
1841; Pictures of life, from Punch 5 series 1854–69 and other
books; exhibited a series of sketches in oil at Egyptian Hall,
Piccadilly, June–Aug. 1862; hunted with the Puckeridge and
Pytchley hounds; his portrait by sir John Millais was exhibited
at the R.A. 1855. _d._ 6 The Terrace, Kensington 29 Oct. 1864.
_bur._ Kensal Green 4 Nov. An exhibition of outlines by J. Leech
held at 9 Conduit st. London 1872. _W. P. Frith’s John Leech 2
vols._ (1891), _portrait_; _F. G. Kitton’s John Leech_ (1884);
_John Leech and other papers. By John Brown_ (1882) 1–79; _Fine
Art. By W. A. Rossetti_ (1867) 282–9; _Illust. Review iv_
289–98, _portrait_; _Baily’s Mag. ix_ 58–65 (1864), _portrait_;
_I.L.N. vii_ 329 (1845), _portrait_.
NOTE.--His widow Anne Leech was granted a civil list pension of £100,
19 June 1865; his only son C. W. Leech was drowned off Port Adelaide
on his voyage home from Australia 29 March 1876 aged 20. He drew a
portrait of himself as the clarionet player next to the conductor of
the orchestra in the two-page cartoon entitled ‘Mr. Punch’s fancy ball’
in Punch 9 Jany. 1847.
LEEDS, FRANCIS GODOLPHIN D’ARCY DARCY-OSBORNE, 7 Duke of. _b._
21 May 1798; styled marquess of Carmarthen 1799–1838; cornet
10 hussars 19 Sep. 1817, lieut. 1821–5; capt. 17 lancers 1825;
capt. 2 life guards 1826–8; M.P. Helston 1826–30; summoned to
house of lords as baron Osborne 2 July 1838; succeeded as 7
duke 10 July 1838; col. in chief of North York militia 11 Feb.
1846 to death; took the name of Darcy 6 Aug. 1849; celebrated
as a huntsman and deer stalker. _d._ Clarendon hotel, 169 New
Bond st. London 4 May 1859. _m._ 24 April 1828 Louisa Catherine
3 dau. of Richard Caton and widow of sir F. E. B. Harvey,
bart. who _d._ 1819. She _d._ 8 April 1874. _Burke’s Portrait
gallery_, _ii_ 87, 90 (1833), _portrait of the Duchess_; _I.L.N.
xxv_ 616 (1854) _portrait_, _xxxiv_ 478, 485 (1859) _portrait_.
LEEDS, ROBERT. _b._ 1811; rented a large farm at Holkham
and resided at Keswick Old Hall for many years; assisted in
formation of company which built Agricultural hall, Islington
1861 and was chairman 1862, and chief mover in the annual horse
shows there; chairman of Smithfield club, then vice president;
oldest member of Farmers’ club; on council of R. Agricultural
Soc. of England 1869–89. _d._ Norwich 27 June 1890. _I.L.N. 12
July 1890 p._ 53, _portrait_.
LEEDS, WILLIAM HENRY. _b._ 1786; engaged in commercial
pursuits; an architectural critic 30 years; wrote much in
the Foreign quarterly review and other periodicals; wrote
many of the articles on architecture in the Penny Cyclopædia;
published Moller’s Memorials of German-Gothic architecture,