Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Habershon, Matthew

by Gordon Goodwin

HABERSHON, MATTHEW (1789–1852), architect, born in 1789, came of a Yorkshire family. In 1806 he was articled to William Atkinson, architect, with whom he remained for some years as assistant. He was an occasional exhibitor at the Royal Academy between 1807 and 1827. He designed churches at Belper (1824), Minster, Bishop Ryders (all in Derbyshire), and at Kimberworth, Yorkshire. At Derby he erected the town hall, since burnt down, the county courts, and the market. Among the many private houses designed by him were Hadsor House, near Droitwich, Worcestershire, for J. Howard Galton (1827). In behalf of the London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews—an object which deeply interested him—he visited Jerusalem in 1842 to arrange for the erection of the Anglican cathedral and buildings connected with the mission. The cathedral is described in Johns's 'Illustrations of the Anglican Catholic Church of S. James, Mount Sion, Jerusalem,' fol., London, 1844. On his way home in 1843 Habershon had an interview with the king of Prussia, who was associated with England in the establishment of the bishopric of Jerusalem, and in the following year the king conferred on him the great gold medal for science and literature, to mark his appreciation of Habershon's work on 'The Ancient half-timbered Houses of England' [thirty-six plates, with descriptive letterpress], fol., London, 1836. Habershon' died in London in 1852, and was buried in Abney Park cemetery. Two of his sons, William Gilbee and Edward, were architects. Habershon's other writings were:

1. 'A Dissertation on the Prophetic Scriptures, chiefly those of a chronological character, showing their aspect on the present times, and on the destinies of the Jewish Nation,' 8vo, London, 1834; 2nd edit. 1840.
2. 'A Guide to the Study of Chronological Prophecy, selected and abridged from … a Dissertation on the Prophetic Scriptures,' &c., 12mo, London, 1835.
3. 'Premillennial Hymns,' 12mo, London, 1836; 2nd edit. 1841.
4. 'An Epitome of Prophetic Truth, containing a brief Outline of … Prominent Subjects of Prophecy,' 16mo, London, 1841.
5. 'An Historical Exposition of the Prophecies of the Revelation of St. John, showing their connection with those of Daniel, and of the Old Testament in general, particularly in their aspect on the present times, 12mo, London, 1841; 2nd edit. 2 vols. 1844.
6. 'Two remarkable Signs of the Times, viewed in connexion with Prophecy. First, Reasons for believing the Death of the Duke of Orleans to be the first Thunder; second, An Account of the West London Synagogue of British Jews.… Forming an Appendix to the third edition of "A Dissertation on the Prophetic Scriptures,'" 12mo, London, 1842.
7. 'The Shadows of the Evening; or the Signs of the Lord's speedy Return,' 12mo, London, 1845. He also wrote a memoir of the younger C. Daubuz, prefixed to the latter's 'Symbolical Dictionary,' 12mo, 1842.

[W.G.Habershon in Dict. of Architecture (Architect. Publ. Soc.), iv. 1-2; Redgrave's Dict. of Artists, 1878, p. 191; Brit. Mus. Cat.]

G. G.