Samuel Simpson (1802–1881): An inveterate autograph hunter, Simpson wrote to Southey in 1821 and 1826, asking for Southey’s autograph. On both occasions Southey declined, sending Simpson humorous poems instead. Simpson’s identity is hard to be sure of, but he may have been the Samuel Simpson, born in Lancaster in 1802 and son of John Simpson (1779–1846), a retired West India merchant. This Samuel Simpson trained as a lawyer and was a Director of the Liverpool and Leeds District Railway; he was also Honorary Secretary of the Lancaster Scientific, Literary and Natural History Society and a Council member of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire. It is known that he owned some autograph letters from famous people, including one by Horatio Nelson (1758–1805; DNB). On balance, he seems the most likely candidate to be Southey’s correspondent. In 1843 he built Greaves House (now the Greaves Park Hotel, Lancaster) shortly before marrying Ann Atkinson (b. 1819) of Ellel Grange, Lancaster. In 1851 he was ordained and became chaplain of St Thomas Church, Douglas, Isle of Man. Simpson retired from this post in 1867 and later died in Chester, having sold Greaves House.