The appointment letters of John Durancé George, Dental Surgeon

Writer: Francis Grant

Date: January 2nd

Address: Melton Lodge, Melton

                        Melton Lodge
                        Melton
            Jan^y 2^d
Dear Sir
      I regret that my
absence from London
will prevent my having
the pleasure of attending
the meeting at your
house on Friday
               I am
                   dear Sir
                yours very faithfully
             Francis Grant

Notes:

Born in 1803 at Kilgraston, Perthshire and educated at Harrow, Grant had intended to make his career in the legal profession but his love of art and fox-hunting became apparent at an early age and he turned to painting professionally. Self-taught, his equestrian portraits and portraits of aristocrats led to royal patronage, especially from Queen Victoria. Living in Melton Mowbray, he based many of his paintings there, notably The Meet at Melton and The Melton Breakfast. His acclaim was such that he was made President of the Royal Academy in 1866 and later knighted. He suffered ill-health for the last years of his life and died in 1878 in Melton Mowbray. As he wished to be buried in Melton, the honour of being buried in St. Paul's was denied to him.

The self-portrait above was painted c.1845

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