William Backhouse

Who was William Backhouse?

William Backhouse was a renowned English Rosicrucian philosopher, alchemist, and astrologer. He was born on 17 January 1593 at Swallowfield Park, some 5 miles south of Reading in the county of Berkshire, a younger son of Samuel Backhouse. He entered Christ Church, Oxford, in 1610, but left the university without taking a degree. He learned some mathematics from John Blagrave.

Backhouse married Anne the daughter of Brian Richards of Hartley Wespall in Hampshire, by whom he had two sons and a daughter, Flower. Backhouse also adopted Elias Ashmole, founder of the Ashmolean Museum, as his son, encouraging him in his studies. Flower Backhouse married, firstly, William Bishop of South Warnborough; secondly, her father's kinsman, Sir William Backhouse, Bart.; and, thirdly, Henry Hyde, 2nd Earl of Clarendon.

Backhouse died at Swallowfield on 30 May 1662.