LONGEVITY.
ITO THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTLTOR21
Snz,—I am much interested in the particulars contained in the letter which you published last week from your correspondent "F. H." I have often seen the three pictures to which he refers in the house of the late Simon Horrocks, the chief manager of the Pendlebuiy Colliery of Messrs. Andrew Knowles and Sons, Limited. Simon Horrocks was born at Egerton, near Bolton, Lancashire, in 1812; he died at the age of seventy-four in 1886; and he is buried in St. Anne's Churchyard, 'Parton, where I visited his grave a few days ago. The pictures were in his possession at the time of his death, and on one of them was inscribed a statement, as if it were made by the subject of the portrait, that his father was twenty years older than his grandfather. Of course, the solution of what appears to be a catch is that the maternal grandfather was meant. As regards Simon Horrocks, it may be noted that although the period of the lives of his grandfather and greatgrandfather extended over a hundred and eighty-seven years, the lives of the four generations which included him extended over only two hundred and twenty-nine years, or a life-average of fifty-seven years. I understand that a connexion of the Horrocks family was the renowned Jeremiah Horrocks, who discovered the transit of Venus. Later I hope to be able to give your correspondent further information if he will communicate with me.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Westwood, Pendlebury. LEES KNOWLES.
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