File BL/F 11/17 - Henry Partridge to Lord Townshend: recommends John Fenn and his brothers-in-law Shephard and John Frere to be justices, and gives details of Fenn and the Frere family. [Photocopy of letter sold by Bradfer-Lawrence]

Born 28 February 1724.Son of Charles, 3rd Viscount, and Etheldreda (or Audrey) Harrison. Father of George, 2nd Marquis. MP for Norfolk, 1747-1764. Lord Lieutenant and Vice-Admiral for Norfolk, 1792-1807. Fought at Culloden and the assault on the Heights of Abraham. Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, 1767-1772. 4th Viscount Townshend of Raynham in 1764, he became 1st Marquis Townshend of Raynham in 1787. Died 14 September 1807.

Baptised 12 Nov 1739 at St Mary in the Marsh, Norwich, the son of John Fenn (1707-1741) surgeon of Norwich, and Mary (b. 1712) nee Emerson. Fenn was educated at grammar schools at Scarning and Botesdale, Suffolk, then Gonville and Caius Cambridge, graduating BA in 1761 and MA 1764. At university his friends included John Norris (son of the antiquary Anthony Norris) and John Frere. He married Frere's sister, Ellenor Frere (1744-1813), daughter of Sheppard and Susanna Frere, in 1766. The couple settled at Hill House, East Dereham. They remained childless, but brought up an heiress, Mary Andrews, and later their nephew, William Frere (1775-1836). Ellenor wrote instructive children's books under the pseudonyms Mrs Teachwell and Mrs Lovechild.

Fenn served as Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk in 1766; churchwarden of St Nicholas’ church, East Dereham 1768-1775; a director of Gressenhall House of Industry from 1775; magistrate from 1776 onwards; and High Sheriff of Norfolk in 1791-1792. He inherited an estate in Edgefield, including the manor of Edgefield Bacons, after the death of his father in 1741.

A protegee of the antiquary, Thomas Martin of Palgrave (d. 1771), Fenn also helped publish final sections of Parkin’s continuation of Francis Blomefield’s ‘History of Norfolk’. After Martin’s death Fenn catalogued Martin’s library for its new owner, John Worth of Diss, before its sale in 1773-1774. He also listed Worth’s collection after the latter’s death in 1774. Around this time Fenn acquired the Paston letters. He published the first two volumes of the Paston letters in 1787, which proved so popular they sold out within a week. In May 1787 Fenn presented the original letters to George III and was knighted. When the manuscripts disappeared, there were accusations that they were fakes, but their authenticity was proved when the originals reappeared in 1889. Two further volumes of letters were published in 1789. Fenn died from a paralytic stroke on 14 Feb 1794 and was buried at Finningham, Suffolk. His manuscript for the fifth volume of Paston letters was published by William Frere in 1823.

Sir Roger Townshend, Knight 1484; Sir John Townshend, Knight at Cadiz 1596, Sir Horatio 1st Viscount Townshend created Baron Townshend of Lynn Regis 1661, Charles 2nd Viscount Townshend Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk 1709, 3rd Viscount Townshend appointed Lord of the Bedchamber 1723, George 1st Marquess Townshend Lord lieutenant of Ireland, High Steward of Tamworth, Yarmouth and Norwich 1767-1772, George 2nd Marquess Townshend created Earl of Leicester 1784, George Ferrers 3rd Marquess Townshend 1778-1858, John 4th Marquess Townshend 1798-1825, John James Dudley Stuart 6th Marquess Townshend Mayor of King's Lynn 1928. At Raynham Hall.