Thomas Dobbs

[Neil M]

Thomas Dobbs was an 18th century Kings Norton water mill owner who had a contract with Boulton & Watt to convert to steam power and lived at Lifford Hall but he was also a well known comedian, apparently "of infinite jest and of most excellent fancy". What does anyone know of this intriguing Kings Norton character?

 

[superdad3]

Thomas Dobbs was an 18th century Kings Norton water mill owner who had a contract with Boulton & Watt to convert to steam power and lived at Lifford Hall but he was also a well known comedian, apparently "of infinite jest and of most excellent fancy". What does anyone know of this intriguing Kings Norton character?

From an auction catalogue:

A View of Lifford Hall, Kings Norton, Worcestershire, the Residence of Mr Dobbs, with a spectacular Captain Cook's Pine in the foreground​

Other notes: Thomas Dobbs bought Lifford Hall in 1789; he was an engineer who constructed both the Birmingham to Worcester and the Birmingham to Stratford-upon-Avon Canals. Thomas Dobbs and his wife had three daughters; Mrs Dobbs and the three girls are depicted in the present watercolour.

Albion Metal:
It was introduced and patented in 1804, by Thomas Dobbs, an inventor from Kings Norton who was also a comic actor at the Theatre Royal in Birmingham, England.[Wikipaedia]

 

[mikejee]

Don't know if any of these are of interest

 

[Pedrocut]

Alas poor Yoric ! A fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy.
(Hamet)