1764, received his education at the grammar school there, and afterwards became a solicitor at Derby. He then removed to Hopton to undertalk the management of the airs of Mr. Philip Gell, on whose death, in 1795, he came to London and entered the Middle Temple, though he was never called to the bar. Subsequently, during a residence at Benwick Hall, near Hertford, he made extensive collections relating to the topography and antiquities of Hertfordshire. These filled three folio volumes of closely written manuscript, which formed the nucleus of Clutterbuck's history of the county. Afterwards Blore resided successively at Mansfield Woodhouse, at Burr House, near Bakewell, at Manton, in Rutland, and at Stamford. The latter borough he unsuccessfully contested in the whig interest, and he also edited for a brief period 'Drakard's Stamford News.' He died in London 10 Nov. 1818, and was buried in Paddington Church, where a stone bearing the following strange inscription was erected: 'Sacred to the memory of Thomas Blore, Gentleman, of the honourable society of the Middle Temple and member of the Antiquarian Society, whose days were embittered and whose life was shortened by intense application. He died November 10th, 1818, aged 63 years.' He was father of Edward Blore [q. v.]
He was an able and diligent topographer, and it is to be regretted that his labours brought so few works to a successful termination. His publications are:
- 'An History of the Manor and Manor House of South Winfield, in Derbyshire,' printed in Nichols's 'Miscellaneous Antiquities' (in continuation of the 'Bib1iotheca Topographica Britannica'), vol. i. No. 3, 1791, 4to, reprinted separately, London, 1793, 4to.
- 'Proposals for publishing a History of Derbyshire.'
- 'A History of Alderwasley,' in four pages, folio, as a specimen of his 'History of Derbyshire.'
- 'A History of Breadsall Priory, in the county of Derby,' printed in the 'Topographical Miscellany,' 1791.
- 'A Statement of a Correspondence with Richard Phillips, Esq., respecting the "Antiquary's Magazine,"' Stamford, 1807, 8vo.
- 'The History and Antiquities of the County of Rutland, vol. i. pt. 2, one vol. royal folio, Stamford, 1811. With many plates and genealogical tables. This was the only 'part published. It includes the East Hundred and the Hundred of Casterton Parva.
- 'An Account of the Public Schools, Hospitals, and other Charitable Foundations in the borough of Stamford, in the counties of Lincoln and Rutland,' Stamford, 1813, 8vo.
- 'A Guide to Burghley House, Northamptonshire, the seat of the Marquis of Exeter; containing an Account of all the paintings, antiquities, &c., with biographical notices of the Artists,' Stamford, 1815, 8vo (anon.)
[Jewitt's Reliqary, iii. 1-13, Biog. Dict. of Living Authors (1816), 31; Watt's Bibl. Brit., Cat. of Printed Books in Brit. Mus.; Notes and Queries, 4th ser. v. 465, viii. 436, ix. 393.]
BLOUNT, CHARLES, fifth Lord Mountjoy (d. 1545), was the eldest son of William Blount, fourth Lord Mountjoy [q. v.], by his second Wife, Alice Kehel. His father on the recommendation of Erasmus, brought Peter Vulcanius from Germany to be his tutor, and Andreas Hyperius also assisted in his education. Erasmus showed a warm interest in his studies, and by way of encouragement dedicated to him a new edition of his 'Adagia,' publishcd in 1529, and his edition of 'Livy ' (1535; the dedicatory epistle is dated 1 March 1531). In his early days Blount served as page to Queen Catherine. He succeeded to the title of Lord Mountjoy on 11is father's death in 1534, and regularly attended court in great state. In 1544 he commanded part of the force sent to the north of France, and was present with Henry VIII at the siege of Boulogne. According to Naunton, he much reduced his trimony by 'his excess in the action at Bull;' (Fragm. Regalia, ed. Arher, p. 56). He died in the following year, and was buried in St. Mary's Church, Aldermary, London. Before leaving for France in 1544 he made a will (proved 19 Dec. 1545) directing that the monument erected to his memory should be inscribed with some awkward English verses written by himself. He bequeathed 20 marks per annum to establish a lectureship in the parish of Westhury, Wiltshire.
Like his father, Charles was a patron of learning. Leland addressed to him on two occasions eulogistic Latin verses (Collectunea, v. 109). Roger Aseham, whose services he endeavoured in vain to secure as his children's tutor, called his house ' the home of the Muses] and re etted that he should divide his attention gliietween literature and the business of the court (Aschami Epistolæ, xix. xx. ed. Giles). Henry Bennet of Calais [q. v.] praises him in similar terms in the dedicatory epistle of his 'Life of Œcolampadius' (1561), addressed to his son James.
He married Anne, daughter of Robert, Lord Willoughby de Broke, by Dorothy Grey, who became is father's second wife, and by her had three sons and one daughter; A younger son, Francis, who travelled in Turkey
