Cartographer, surveyor, artist.

Lived in Derby. Laid out a route for a canal from Leeds to Liverpool (1769), where he lived until 1774.

Turned to graphic arts, founded a local academy of painting and sculpture, pioneered the use of aquatint in England, and developed a process of transferring aquatint engravings to pottery which was tried and abandoned by the Wedgwoods.

In 1774, plagued by creditors, entered the service of the Markgraf of Baden, where he died.