Busk, HANS

Busk, HANS, one of the chief originators of the volunteer movement, was born 11th May 1815, and educated at King's College, London, and Trinity College, Cambridge. He was called to the bar in 1841, and was chosen high-sheriff of Radnorshire in 1847. Even in his undergraduate days, Busk attempted to influence the government in favour of the establishment of rifle clubs in different districts of the country as a defence against invasion. Lord Melbourne gave him a discouraging reply. In spite of this he founded a rifle club at the university; helped in 1858 to revive the only existing volunteer corps, the Victoria Rifles; and lectured and issued pamphlets and treatises on the cause he had at heart. Besides this, he had a familiarity with naval construction, was one of the first to advocate the establishment of life-ship stations, fitting out a model at his own expense; and assisted in founding the School of Cookery at South Kensington. He died 11th March 1882.—RACHEL H. BUSK, sister of the above, a well-known folklorist and traveller, has published Patruñas (1870), a collection of Spanish folk-tales; and Folklore of Rome (1874), as well as collections from the Tyrol and the East.