Prideaux John Selby FRSE FLS (23 July 1788 – 27 March 1867) was an English ornithologist, botanist and natural history artist. Selby was born in Bondgate Street in Alnwick in Northumberland, the eldest son of George Selby of Beal and Twizell (d.1804), and his wife, Margaret Cook. He was educated at Durham School. He studied at University College, Oxford. He succeeded in 1804 to the family estates at Beal, and added to the landholdings there at a cost of some £14000 in about 1840. In 1810 he married Lewis Tabitha Mitford (1782-1859) daughter of Bertram Osbaldeston Mitford (1748-1800) of Dennet’s Hall in Leicester. They had three daughters. He sold the Beal estate amounting to 1,450 acres (590 ha) in 1850 for £47000 (£5,063,000 at today’s prices). He died at Twizell House and was buried in Bamburgh churchyard.
