Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 44.djvu/86

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sold in a similar manner. He also endeavoured to maintain that Paul, having made a full disclosure in the bankruptcy court, was no longer liable to a criminal prosecution. Sir Frederick Thesiger contended on behalf of Strahan that the sale of the bonds was made solely by Paul, who alone received the proceeds, and that there was no proof that Strahan was privy to the transaction; while Edwin James declared that his client Bates was totally ignorant of the whole affair. On the following morning all three partners were found guilty, and severally sentenced to transportation for fourteen years. The debts proved against the firm amounted in round numbers to three-quarters of a million, and the dividend eventually realised came to 3s. 2d. in the pound. The business was taken over by the London and Westminster Bank, and a branch office was established by them on the premises formerly occupied by the bankrupt firm. Paul, who was reputed to be a man of the highest religious principles, died at St. Albans, Hertfordshire, on 7 Sept. 1868, aged 65. He married, first, on 10 Oct. 1826, Georgiana, third daughter of Charles George Beauclerk of St. Leonard's Lodge, Sussex, by whom he had an only son, Aubrey John Dean Paul, who succeeded him in the baronetcy. She died on 25 Dec. 1847. Paul married, secondly, on 17 Jan. 1849, Susan, daughter of John Ewens of Brighton, who died on 3 June 1854. He married, thirdly, on 17 Oct. 1861, Jane Constance, daughter of Thomas Brigden of Holmesdale House, Surrey. He had no issue by his second or third wife. His widow died on 21 Dec. 1877.

Paul illustrated ‘The Country Doctor's Horse: a Tale in Verse,’ written by his father, and privately printed in 1847 (London, obl. fol.). He was the author of: 1. ‘Harmonies of Scripture, and Short Lessons for Young Christians,’ London, 1846, 16mo. 2. ‘Bible Illustrations; or the Harmony of the Old and New Testament … To which is added a Paraphrase of the Book of Esther. The above works are from MSS. purchased at the sale of Sir John Dean Paul,’ London, 1855, 12mo. 3. ‘A B C of Foxhunting, consisting of twenty-six coloured illustrations by the late Sir John Dean Paul, bart.’ London, [1871], 4to.

[Price's Handbook of London Bankers, 1876, pp. 128–30; Criminal Court Proceedings, 1854–1855, xlii. 695–709; Cox's Reports of Cases in Criminal Law, 1858, vii. 85–8; Irving's Annals of our own Time, 1869, pp. 295–6, 302–3; Annual Register, 1855, Chron. pp. 98–104, 359–75; Times, 12 and 15 Sept. 1868; Mr. Serjeant Ballantine's Experiences of a Barrister's Life, 1890, p. 198; Burke's Peerage, 1892, p. 1085; Foster's Baronetage, 1881, p. 487; Stapylton's Eton School Lists, 1864, p. 91; Barker and Stenning's Westminster School Register, 1892, p. 179; Notes and Queries, 7th ser. x. 247, 312–13; Brit. Mus. Cat.]

G. F. R. B.

PAUL, LEWIS (d. 1759), inventor of spinning machinery, was the son of one Dr. Paul, who died when Lewis was very young. The boy was left under the guardianship of Lord Shaftesbury, and his brother, the Hon. Maurice Ashley Cooper. In February 1728 he married Sarah Meade (formerly Bull), the widow and executrix of Robert Meade, solicitor, of Aylesbury, who had been solicitor to Philip, duke of Wharton. His wife died in September 1729. About this time he invented a machine for pinking shrouds, from which he derived considerable profit. Dr. Johnson's friend, Mrs. Desmoulins, was in early life a pupil of Paul in learning the art of pinking.

In 1738 he took out a patent (No. 562) for ‘a machine or engine for spinning of wool and cotton in a manner entirely new.’ He is described as ‘of Birmingham, gentleman,’ and he seems to have lived in Birmingham for many years. The invention comprised in this patent was of the greatest importance, and is in use in every cotton-mill in the world. It is known as ‘roller-spinning,’ and consists of two pairs of rollers of small diameter, one pair revolving at a slightly greater velocity than the other. ‘Slivers’ of cotton or wool are passed through these rollers, and are stretched or ‘drawn’ in a regular manner, the second pair of rollers pulling the sliver forward faster than the first pair delivers it.

Paul set up a mill at Birmingham, and he obtained the assistance of John Wyatt, a skilful mechanic, and apparently a man of some means, as he was in a position to lend money to Paul. A claim has been set up on Wyatt's behalf to be regarded as the actual inventor of spinning by rollers, and the matter has given rise to much discussion [see Wyatt, John, 1700–1766]. The enterprise was largely helped by Thomas Warren, a well-known Birmingham printer; Edward Cave, of the ‘Gentleman's Magazine;’ Dr. Robert James, of fever-powder celebrity; Mrs. Desmoulins, and others. Dr. Johnson took much interest in the scheme. A mill was also started at Northampton, but this and the Birmingham concern were both failures; and the invention did not become a commercial success until it was taken up by Arkwright many years afterwards. To the Birmingham free library Wyatt's descendants presented a hank