EXTRACTS
FROM THE
DICTIONARY OF LONDON BOOKSELLERS
Charles Corbet,
bookseller in London, Oxford Arms in Warwick Lane, 1683.
Does not appear to have been a member of the Company of
Stationers, as its records show no sign of his having
been an apprentice or taking up his freedom; but he may
have been a member of some other company. In 1683 he
published a poetical broadside entitled A New Narrative
of the Old Plot [B.M. 1872. a. I (125*), and in the
severe winter of 1683-4 he published two ballads in
commemoration of the frost. In the Term Catalogue of
Trinity 1683, in company with J. Crowch, he advertised A
Collection of New Songs set within the compass of the
Flute. Written and composed by C.F. Gent. [T.C. II.30] It
seems possible that he was a dealer in music rather than
books.
Thomas
Corbet, printer (?) at Oxford, 1694. [Madan,
p.32]
Benjamin
Corbett, bookseller in London, 1686-1701. Son of
Waites or Waties Corbett of Elton, Herefordshire.
Apprenticed for seven years from November 4th, 1678 to
Robert Everingham, printer. Admitted a freeman of the
Company of Stationers on July 5th, 1686. [MS. records of
Stat.Co.] He was the publisher of the first review
entitled Weekly Memorials, or Account of Books, 1688,
also of Tooker's Famous Collection of Papers [c.1700] On
November 20th, 1701, a Benjamin Corbett who may or may
not be identical with the above, wrote to a Mr Pettifer,
saying that he was on the point of sailing for China.
[Sloane MS. 4063, f. 128]
Thomas
Corbett, bookseller and book-auctioneer in
London, (1) corner of Ludgate Hill, next Fleet Bridge;
(2) (a) the Child's Coat, down the Ditch side near
Bridewell Bridge; (b) by Fleet Ditch; (3) Addison's Head,
next the Rose Tavern, without the Temple Bar. 1715-43.
Apparently a son of Charles Corbet of the Oxford Arms.
Thomas Corbett's name does not appear in the records of
the Stationer' Company either as an apprentice or
freeman. In 1705 he published the fourth edition 'with
additions, on fine paper and Elzevir letter', of New
Miscellaneous Poems. [Postman, Sept. 6th-8th, 1715] In
the same year he also published a sermon called Great
Britain's Happiness under ... a Protestant King, by
Gershom Rawlins. [B.B. 4474. d.99] In 1716 he began
selling books by auction at his warehouse, the Child's
Coat, down the Ditch side, near Bridewell Bridge. Here on
Nov 11th 1716 he sold the library of Thomas Cooke of
Fulham, and on Oct 31st, 1717, the library of the Rev.
Kirke of Chester. [Daily Courant, Oct 29th, 1717] In 1719
he moved to Addison's Head without Temple Bar, where he
continued until his death in 1743. Sir Charles Corbett,
the famous lottery agent and bookseller, is believed to
have been his son.
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