James Partridge d.1695

James PARTRIDGE d.1695

Biographical Note

Haberdasher and bookseller in London; in his will, he identified himself as a haberdasher, living near Charing Cross, but he is listed in Plomer as a bookseller and ‘stationer to Prince George of Denmark’, so evidently engaged in both trades. He published or co-published several titles and his will refers to his shares in books and copper plates; he left these, and £20, to his friend the bookseller Matthew Gillyflower. Partridge, Gillyflower and Samuel Heyrick were appointed printers to the House of Lords in 1688 (a contract they sublet).

Books

Partridge’s will contains detailed instructions for the disposal of furniture, pictures, bedding and other household items, but has no mention of his books; all the residue of his money and chattels was left to his executor Thomas Robinson. He left to his apprentice Francis Wright ‘all my tools whatsoever which I have relating to the bookbinding trade whether of brass steel iron wood or of what other kind soever all presses of what kind soever ... with the great iron plowknives horn boards rolls fillets plaining boards cutting boards basting boards beating stones and what other utensils shall be found belonging to the said bookbinding trade’.

Partridge’s library was auctioned in London, beginning 25 November 1695, with a second catalogue issued for a follow-up sale beginning 16 December 1695. The first catalogue contains 1375 lots, divided between English folio (367), quarto (136), octavo (360) and duodecimo (204); Latin books (168); French books (62); Italian, Spanish and German books (64); and ‘curious prints and drawings’, folio (14). The Appendix has 421 lots, almost all in English, divided between folio (112), quarto (142, octavo (151) and duodecimo (16).

Characteristic Markings

None of Partridge’s books have been identified.

Sources

• Will of James Partridge, TNA PROB 11/427/166.
• An excellent collection of English books ... belonging to Mr. James Partridge, London, [1695], (ESTC r24134).
• An appendix to the catalogues of Mr. James Partridge’s books, London, [1685], (ESTC r28150).
• Alston, R. C. Inventory of sale catalogues 1676-1800. St Philip, 2010.
• Plomer, H. R. et al, A dictionary of printers and booksellers ... 1668 to 1725, London, 1922, 132. Alston, Inventory.