Page "John Boydell" Paragraph 5

Boydell was born, according to his monument in St Olave Old Jewry, London, at Dorrington, in the parish of Woore, Shropshire, to Josiah and Mary Boydell ( née Milnes ) and was educated at least partially at Merchant Taylors ' School.

His father was a land surveyor and young Boydell, the oldest of seven children, was expected to follow in his footsteps.

In 1731, when Boydell was eleven, the family moved to Hawarden, Flintshire.

In 1739 he became house steward to MP John Lawton and accompanied him to London.

A year later, like many other enterprising young men of the time, Boydell resolved to sail to the East Indies in hopes of making his fortune, but he abandoned the scheme in favour of returning to Flintshire and Elizabeth Lloyd, the woman he was courting.

Whether or not he intended to pursue land surveying at this time is unclear.