Baskett was apprenticed to the stationer Edward Darrell from 1682 to 1690. As a young stationer, he secured various lucrative contracts to supply paper to the university press at Oxford as well as the Treasury and Customs House. Baskett’s career shifted dramatically after 1710 when the patent for King’s Printer expired. The former patentees owed Baskett over £8000 and he manipulated this debt to acquire a half-share in the King’s Printer patent. He built on this success to become Queen’s Printer in 1712 as well as securing more lucrative patents, including a share in the Queen’s Printer in Scotland patent and a share in the Oxford University printing monopoly. At the peak of his powers, Baskett served two terms as Master of the Stationers’ Company. He carefully guarded his privileges and brought nearly 40 cases against infringements. The patents did not come without any risks, however, and in 1729 Baskett was declared bankrupt. It took him seven careful years to regrow his finances. He died in 1742 and was able to leave substantial legacies and patent rights to his family.
Apprenticed first to William Middleton (d. 1547), and subsequently to William Powell, Tottell was made free of the Stationers' Company on 19 January 1552. In 1553, he acquired a printing privilege (exclusive right to print) for common law books, which was subsequently extended for his lifetime. Tottell's name appeared on the charter of incorporation granted to the Stationers' Company in 1557. In that year, he printed a collection of early Tudor court poetry entitled 'Songes and Sonettes'. Now better known as 'Tottell's Miscellany', it was reprinted at least eight times before 1600, and was one of the titles whose publication rights were yielded by Tottell to the company in 1584 to contribute to the Company's charitable obligation to its poorer members. He translated his business success into extensive land acquisition, buying land in Middlesex, Buckinghamshire and Pembrokeshire.
Scott was apprenticed to bookseller Daniel Frere in 1649 before then being turned over to William Wells in 1651. He attained the freedom of the Stationers’ Company in 1656. From 1661, for the duration of his career, Scott held shop at the Prince’s Arms in Little Britain. He was elected a liveryman in 1664. Scott’s publishing endeavours were done in partnership with the Wells family. However, he is best known as a bookseller, boasting clients such as Samuel Pepys, Robert Hooke and John Cosin. Scott was particularly noted for importing and personally retrieving scholarly Latin books from continental Europe for his customers. In 1681, the King saw that he was appointed to the Court of Assistants. Scott fined for all Company offices, including Master. He was the London agent of the Oxford University Press and Bodleian Library, to whom he arranged the sale of materials.
Hills came to prominence as a printer for the New Model Army at Oxford. At the request of Lieutenant-General Charles Fleetwood, he was made free of the Stationers' Company, and in 1655 he secured privileges to print English bibles and psalters, previously held by the king's printers and the Stationers' Company respectively. Although briefly imprisoned after the Stuart Restoration of 1660, by 1677 he had regained sufficient official favour to be appointed one of the king's printers alongside Thomas Newcombe. In 1678 he was elected to the Court (executive body) of the Stationers' Company. Hills reached the peak of his success and influence under James II. His conversion to Catholicism and loyalty to the King saw him rewarded with the new position of printer to the royal household and chapel. It was with James’s favour that Hills survived the purges of the livery companies in 1687 and rose to hold the highest Company office of Master. However, the deposition of the Stuarts in the 'Glorious Revolution' of 1688 heralded a reversal of fortune for Hills, who fled to St Omer in December 1688, leaving his premises to be raided and destroyed by an anti-Catholic mob.
In 1603, King James VI & I issued letters patent to the Stationers’ Company for printing and publishing almanacks, psalters, primers, and some schoolbooks. These works were in perpetual demand and so formed the lucrative basis for a joint stock company, known as the English Stock.
The formation of the stock had two nominal purposes: to provide work for printers ostracised by former divisive printing monopolies, and to provide pensions for the Company’s poor members. Members of the Company were entitled to purchase shares, the number and value of which depended upon their rank within the Company. With a near guaranteed return year on year and often large dividend percentages, competition for stock shares were fierce. The limited number of shares, only 105 on the creation of the stock, meant only a fraction of the Company was sharing in these profits. Over the centuries, there were various challenges to the stock’s monopoly, with one of the more notable cases recorded in the archive coming from printer Thomas Carnan.
The Stock was dissolved in 1961. Partner shares were replaced with life annuities.
The founder of Guy’s Hospital was by trade a bookseller. Age eight, Guy’s father died, and the family moved to his mother’s hometown of Tamworth. Here, Guy was likely educated at Tamworth Grammar School until, in 1660, he was apprenticed to London bookseller John Clarke. Guy was freed of the Stationers’ Company in 1668 and made a freeman of the City of London. In 1673, he was admitted to the livery of the Company. His early career was defined by a defiance of Company patents. He was found importing Dutch Bibles and in 1679, Guy and fellow bookseller Peter Parker were selected by John Fell, Bishop of Oxford, to set up a press for the university and produce Bibles. A long legal battle ensued between Guy, Parker and the university and the Stationers’ Company. However, in 1691 the Company were triumphant, having removed Guy and Parker from their Oxford contract. Nonetheless, Guy was a highly successful bookseller and businessman, aided by successful investments in the South Sea Company. He turned his wealth to philanthropy, particularly aiding his childhood home of Tamworth. Here, he founded an alms house with a library, donated to the grammar school, and workhouses. Guy served as MP for Tamworth 1695-1708. In 1704, he became a governor of St Thomas’s Hospital and in 1721 bought land to build a new hospital in London, which would become Guy’s Hospital. Thomas Guy died in 1724. His remains were later interred in the crypt at Guy’s Hospital.
Stephens was apprenticed to London Stationer and printer Thomas Ratcliffe on 5 April 1658. He completed his apprenticeship in 1666 and worked briefly as a journeyman printer. Stephens was elected to the Livery of the Stationers’ Company in 1682 to general outrage, in a move by the Stationers’ Company to manipulate Lord Mayor elections. He rose to notoriety as a 'Messenger of the Press', simultaneously serving the office of Secretary of State and enforcing the rights of the Stationers' Company to search and seizure. Midnight raids upon the premises of his colleagues, earned him the nickname of 'Robin Hog'. Stephens was known for his corruption, violence, and taking bribes. Stephens also served the Company as an all-round handyman. He was performing search and seizure duties from 1677, and first appeared with the title of Messenger in 1679. He was active as Messenger of the Press between 1679 and 1684, and again between 1689 and 1712.
Hayward was an English artist, known especially for his stained glass work. He was a fellow of the British Society of Master Glass Painters. Hayward's stained glass windows can be found across England, from churches in London to university colleges. Particularly notable examples of Hayward's work include windows at Sherborne Abbey and Norwich Cathedral, as well as sculpture and murals at Blackburn Cathedral.
Christopher Meredith was a bookseller, specialising in theological books, who served as an Assistant of the Stationers’ Company from 1645 to his death in 1653.Born in Kempsey, Worcester, Meredith was apprenticed to stationer John Piper in 1616. Upon attaining the freedom in 1624, Meredith steadily rose through the ranks of the Stationers’ Company. He was clothed in 1631, and served as Renter Warden 1642-1644. Upon his death, Meredith left his two houses in St Paul’s Churchyard (the Crane and the Marigold) to the Company as well as a substantial charitable bequest to support poor men of the Company and gift Bibles and schoolbooks to the poor boys of Kempsey School and Christ’s Hospital.
See TSC/G/03/Meredith for more on the conditions of Meredith's bequest.