John Roby
John Roby | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Wigan, England |
| Died | June 18, 1850 (aged 57) |
| Occupation(s) | Poet, writer, banker |
| Known for | The Traditions of Lancashire |
John Roby (5 January 1793 – 18 June 1850) was an English poet, writer, and banker.
Life
Born in Wigan, England, in 1793, Roby was the son of Mary Aspull and Nehemiah Roby, a schoolteacher. He started his career in banking at the firm Fenton and Roby located in Rochdale, Lancashire. Edwin Waugh, in his work Lancashire Sketches, depicted Roby as a frequent visitor to a nearby bookshop that served as a meeting place for local clergy and political figures, where he participated in diverse discussions with others sharing similar interests.
Roby's life ended in June 1850 when the S. S. Orion collided with rocks near Portpatrick during its journey from Liverpool to Glasgow. Folklorist Simon Young recognized him as "the most important figure in the first phase of Lancashire folklore writing," while also referring to him as "the despised father of Lancashire folklore."
Works
In 1829, Roby produced a significant two-volume work on English folklore, titled The Traditions of Lancashire. This publication quickly gained favor among Britain's upper classes and was reissued within a year, followed by a second series in 1831. The work received commendation from Francis Palgrave, who urged Roby to continue writing. Nevertheless, doubts emerged regarding whether a banker could have authored such texts, prompting conjecture about alternative writers, including Crofton Croker, who was found to have contributed a plagiarized story. The content was later condensed into three volumes and republished in 1841 under the title Popular Traditions of Lancashire. Although Roby planned additional volumes, these never materialized. Multiple editions were reprinted into the early twentieth century. Additionally, he conducted a course on "Tradition" in his native Rochdale.
Roby's methodology anticipated future folkloristic approaches; he employed the phrase "oral tradition" before it became standard in academic discourse and observed parallels across different regions and historical periods. He identified himself primarily as a collector rather than an expert, focusing on preserving local legends often dismissed by antiquarians:
In Lancashire... numerous fascinating legends and family stories endure as oral tradition. Antiquaries frequently disregard such legendary material as worthless; however, the author endeavors to present these engaging tales, safeguarding them from oblivion and making them accessible without the customary tedious genealogical details.
Although initially praised, Roby's scholarship later faced criticism from folklorists for unreliability. He lacked familiarity with contemporary antiquarian research and embraced Romanticism, viewing folklore as imperfect peasant narratives requiring refinement. His technique involved gathering folk tales and recasting them into refined literary forms, consulting sources like Thomas Dudley Fosbroke's Encyclopedia of Antiquities (1825) to ensure accuracy regarding elements such as clothing and household furnishings. For instance, when assembling a story about a boggart haunting Clegg Hall, he merged conflicting local accounts into an extensive 50-page fictionalized narrative centered around a jealous uncle’s crime followed by supernatural vengeance.
Roby's influence persisted until the 1870s when newer studies on Lancashire folklore appeared. Folklorist William E. A. Axon warned that although Roby meticulously compiled legends, his literary motivations necessitate cautious use of his materials. Katharine Briggs noted that his heavily embellished retellings obscure the original events.
Following Roby's passing, his widow released his incomplete works alongside a biography titled The Legendary and Poetical Remains of John Roby, despite scarce personal information being available.
Sources cited
- Dorson, Richard M. (1999 [1968]). The British Folklorists: A History, History of British Folklore Vol. I. London: Routledge. .
- Roby, E. R. (1854). The Legendary and Poetical Remains of John Roby, Author of "Traditions of Lancashire." With a Sketch of His Literary Life and Career. London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans.