Fuller's Will: Part Two

Henry Singleton, with John Crosdill and William Shield, was a witness to John Fuller's 1823 will. Singleton, however, is the only one of the three who outlived Fuller and received a bequest of £100 and " a ring of twenty guinea value."
Jack Fuller sat for a portrait by Singleton in which he looks every bit the Georgian Squire. On the desk at his elbow is a letter addressed to John Fuller, Esq., MP, Rose Hill, Sussex dated June 10, 1806. The painting was presented to the Royal Institution in 1932 and was installed on the upper level of the Grand Staircase, where it still hangs, [ see detail on left side bar]. Singleton published a mezzotint print of the portrait, engraved by Charles Turner [seen here right], on 18 July 1808.
Singleton was born in London, England on 19 October 1766. He died in London, at the house of a friend at 7 Kensington Gore, on 15 September 1839, and was buried in the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields, London.
From the age of sixteen, Henry Singleton worked as a professional portraitist. He attended the Royal Academy Schools from the age of seventeen and won the silver medal in 1784. His painting from John Dryden’s ode Alexander’s Feast won the gold medal in 1788. In 1793, he was commissioned by the Royal Academy to paint a group portrait of forty of the academicians. Ironically, Singleton never became a member or an associate of the Academy himself. Early in his career, Singleton was noted for large compositions from the Bible, Shakespeare or contemporary historical events. Although his portrait work was always in demand, he never achieved the great success as a historical painter that his early promise showed. Lord Nelson, Admiral Vernon, Lord Howe and John 'Mad Jack' Fuller are among his portrait sitters. Paul I Granting Liberty to Kościuszko (1797) and The Death of Captain Alexander Hood after Capturing the French 74 ‘L’Hercule’ (1798) are considered by some to be his best works. Shortly before his death, he completed a series of cabinet pictures to illustrate the works of Shakespeare [above is an excerpt from the article I wrote for Wikipedia].

Fuller's Will : Part One

John Fuller's will, dated 5 November 1823, was witnessed by John Crosdill, William Shield and Henry Singleton.
John Crosdill (1751 - 1825) was an English musician, violoncellist and violist. He was born in London, England and was the son of violoncellist Richard Crosdill (1698-1790) with whom he is sometimes confused. John Crosdill, along with James Cervetto (1747-1837), son of Italian émigré Giacobbe Cervetto(1682 - 1783), was one of the most visible violoncellists in London during the 1770s and 1780s. [Portrait left]
By his will signed at 45 Berners Street on 30 Aug 1825 and proved at London on 25 October 1825 his son, Lieutenant Colonel John Crosdill of the East India Company, inherited a substantial fortune. Crosdill left bequests of 19 guineas each for remembrance rings to numerous friends including the musicians Benjamin Blake and William Shield, his Berners Street neighbour. [Excerpt from the article I wrote for Wikipedia. Read full article here.]
Composer and musician, William Shield (March 5, 1748 – January 25, 1829) was Crosdill's neighbour at 31 Berners Street, London.
In the first codicil of his will, dated 24 March 1827 Fuller bequeathed to William Shield £100. Shield, however predeceased Fuller by five years. William Shield willed his Stainer viola to King George IV and left 'To John Fuller, Cipriani's original drawing of Dr. Arne and a large prospect of the city of Rome.' The whereabouts of this painting is unknown.