Editing Humphry Repton (section)

===Early life===
Repton was born in [[Bury St Edmunds]], the son of a collector of [[excise]], John Repton, and Martha (''née'' Fitch of Moor Hall,Stoke by Clare, Suffolk).<ref name="DNB00" /> In 1762, his father set up a transport business in [[Norwich]], where Humphry attended [[Norwich School (educational institution)|Norwich Grammar School]]. At age twelve, he was sent to the [[Netherlands]] to learn Dutch and prepare for a career as a merchant. However, Repton was befriended by a wealthy Dutch family and the trip may have done more to stimulate his interest in 'polite' pursuits such as sketching and gardening.

Returning to Norwich, Repton was apprenticed to a textile merchant, then, after marriage to Mary Clarke in 1773, set up in the business himself. He was not successful, and when his parents died in 1778 used his modest legacy to move to a small country estate at [[Sustead]], near [[Cromer]] in Norfolk. Repton tried his hand as a journalist, dramatist, artist, political agent, and as confidential secretary to his neighbour [[William Windham]] of [[Felbrigg Hall]] during Windham's very brief stint as Secretary to the [[Lord Lieutenant of Ireland]]. Repton also joined [[John Palmer (postal innovator)|John Palmer]] in a venture to reform the mail-coach system, but while the scheme ultimately made Palmer's fortune, Repton again lost money.

Repton's childhood friend was the botanist [[James Edward Smith (botanist)|James Edward Smith]], who encouraged him to study botany and gardening; Smith reproduces a long letter from Repton in his ''Letter and Correspondence''. He was given access to the library of Windham to read its works on botany.<ref name=DNB00>{{cite DNB|wstitle =Repton, Humphry|first =William Prideaux |last = Courtney |author-link =William Prideaux Courtney|volume=48}}</ref>