Background
He was the son of Henry Peckwell of Chichester.
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Henry Peckwell
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But he spent more of his time at George Whitefield"s Tabernacle than in the counting-house, and before his term was finished he gave up his position and matriculated at Street Edmund Hall, Oxford, on 17 May 1770.
Career
About 1764 he entered the house of an Italian silk merchant in London, with the intention of representing the firm in Italy. Peckwell attracted the notice of Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon, who made him one of her chaplains. In the same year he preached the anniversary sermon at Lady Huntingdon"s College at Trevecca, and later visited many places in England, preaching for the Connexion.
Subsequently he was presented by Lord Robert Manners to the rectory of Bloxholm-cum-Digby in Lincolnshire, which he retained till his death.
He visited Dublin around 1783, and drew large congregations in the city. Here he spoke out too plainly, and complaints were made.
Residing in London, he founded in 1784 an institution called ‘The Sick Manitoba"s Friend,’ for the purpose of relieving the sick poor of all denominations, as well as supplying instruction. To render himself of greater service to the work, he studied medicine.
He died from the effects of a wound in his hand, inflicted upon himself while making a post-mortem examination, on 18 August 1787, at his house in Saint James"s, Westminster.
He was buried in the family vault at Chichester. In its obituary, The Times described the infection which caused his death:
"When the body was to be sewed up, Doctor Peckwell held the parts together, the surgeon ran the needle into his hand, which introduced some of the virus matter, or, in other words, inoculated him with putridity."
Peckwell published, besides sermons, ‘A Collection of Psalms and Hymns,’ London, 1760?
Peckwell married, on 23 February 1773, Bella Blossed or Blosset of County Meath. Robert Henry adopted the surname Blosset and became Chief Justice of Bengal.
Selina, in 1793, married George Grote, the banker, and became the mother of George Grote and Arthur Grote.
Mistress Peckwell died in her house in Wilmot Street, Brunswick Square, on 28 November 1816.
