BAKEWELL, Elizabeth (1708-1770) — London
Map & printseller; bookseller. Published a late edition of the Richard Blome (see BME 2011)/ Thomas Bakewell (see BME 2011), ‘England exactly described’ ca.1750, some of the maps with Thomas Bakewell’s name erased; published with John Brotherton, A map of the mouth of the River Tagus or the harbour of the city of Lisbon 1756, with inset, A general view of the city of Lisbon; (the capital of the Kingdom of Portugal) before the late dreadful earthquake Nov. 1, 1755; with Henry Parker, Richard Bennett (see BME 2011), A new and accurate survey of the country about the cities of London, and Westminster and the borough of Southwark for 15 miles in length, & 12 in depth 1758; retailed Thomas Kitchin (see BME 2011), A map of the countries thirty miles round London 1758, again with Parker; produced The city guide or a pocket plan of London ca. 1760, with Parker; also with Parker, co-published some of the earlier maps in Emanuel Bowen (see BME 2011) & Thomas Kitchin, ‘The royal English atlas’ 1762-1764. Her name also appears on the imprints of books on biography, medals (by Francis Perry), Chinese and gothic architecture, exchange-rate tables for Indian currencies, etc.; she was also an advertiser of atlases, maps and prints, frequently in association with Robert Sayer or Thomas Jefferys 1 (see BME 2011), including some interesting maps of the Americas.
Widow and successor of Thomas Bakewell (see BME 2011), taking over the business after his death in 1749, granted administration of his estate on 22 Aug 1749. Born Elizabeth Bartlett and baptised at Eton, Buckinghamshire, 1 Apr 1708, the daughter of Thomas Bartlett, a bookseller, and his wife Elizabeth Wise, who married in 1702. She married Thomas Bakewell, with whom she had a number of children, at St. Anne Soho, 1 Sep 1732 — a son, Thomas, was born in Fleet Street in 1735. She was joined in partnership with Henry Parker, her husband’s former assistant, from 1758, with Parker taking over the business in 1763, their final joint advertisement appearing in May of that year. The Cornhill shop, already “greatly scorched” in the Cornhill fire of 1748, was again much damaged in the later Cornhill fire of 10 Nov 1759 — “Bakewell’s house, in Cornhill, is standing, but all the other thirteen are in ruins” (Grand Magazine of Magazines, Nov 1759, p340-341) — the shop of neighbouring print-seller Robert Withy (fl.1755-1772) was one of those in ruins. She advertised for the return of items carried away and not been returned, “viz. one map of Paris bound; one map of the environs of Paris bound; two volumes of prints by Crozat; one Luxemburg Gallery bound; one volume of prints taken from the Royal cabinet bound; two Ruins of Greece bound; one hundred lives of the reformers tied up in five bundles, twenty in each, and sundry other prints” (Public Advertiser, Dec 15 1759). Elizabeth Bakewell died in 1770 at her house on Royal Hill, Greenwich, and was buried at St. Alphege, Greenwich, 23 Sep 1770. Her will (PROB 11/960/260), dated 4 Aug 1766 from Gracechurch Street, and proved 20 Sep 1770, mentions children Thomas and Elizabeth, as well as an arrangement with Parker over a bond.
Opposite Birchin Lane, Cornhill — 1749-1763
Rainbow Coffee-house, Cornhill (temporary) — 1759-1760
BBTI. BM. Chubb. Clayton. Harris. Hodson (1984) (1997). Howgego. LHD. Maxted (1984). NA. Shirley (1988). Tooley. Torbert.