Charles John Cornish

Charles John Cornish was an English naturalist and author.

Born on 28 September 1858 at Salcombe House, near Sidmouth, the residence of his grandfather, Charles John Cornish, J.P., D.L., was eldest son of Charles John Cornish, then curate of Sidbury, Devon, by his first wife, Anne Charlotte Western (died 1887). He was brought up at Debenham, Suffolk, where his father became vicar in 1859. In 1872 he entered Charterhouse School as a gownboy, and left in 1876. After time as a private tutor, he entered Hertford College, Oxford, as a commoner in 1881, was elected Brunsell exhibitioner in 1882 and Lusby scholar in 1883. In the same year he obtained a blue in association football, a second class in classical moderations in 1883, and a second class in literae humaniores in 1885.

In 1885, Cornish was appointed assistant classical master at St Paul's School, London, a position he held for the rest of his life. Soon after coming to London he began to write articles on natural history and country life, and in 1890 became a regular contributor to The Spectator, and later to Country Life.

Cornish lived at Orford House, Chiswick Mall, beside the river Thames, when he wrote The Naturalist on the Thames in 1902.

Cornish died at Worthing on 30 January 1906, the cause originating in a shooting accident many years before. After cremation his ashes were interred at Salcombe Regis, near Sidmouth, and a mural tablet to his memory was placed in the parish church.