OVERTON, Mary (1713?-1754) — London
Mapseller, print-seller & publisher. Published ‘The English gentleman’s guide; or, a new and compleat book of maps of all England and Wales’ 1745; Dugald Campbell, Plan of the Battle of Culloden 16 April 1746 1746, engraved by Charles Mosley (see BME 2011) and co-published with him; A new plan of the town and fortifications of Bergen-op-Zoom, with the adjacent forts 1747, with P. Brookes. In an advertisement Mary Overton announced the availability of a catalogue of “upwards of 800 maps and plans of both antient as well as modern geographers” (Daily Advertiser, 9 Jul 1745). Advertised two battle-plans, not now traced: “A plan of Toulon, and part of the Isles of Hieres; with a representation of the engagement between his Majesty’s Squadron under the command of Admiral Mathews and the combin’d fleets of France and Spain” (Daily Advertiser, 21 Mar 1745) and “An exact representation of the late action between the Allied Army and that of France, near Tournay, the 11th of May, N.S. 1745, with the position of the respective armies” (Daily Advertiser, 14 May 1745). Also heavily advertised maps relating to the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745-1746, including an apparent reissue of John Warburton’s “large map of Northumberland and parts adjacent, by an actual survey”, first published in 1715 (see BME 2011). She exploited her husband’s extensive stock, was a frequent advertiser in the London press, and a prolific importer of maps by continental publishers, particularly ‘Covens & Mortier’.
Born Mary Baker, originally from Oakham in Rutland. She married (1) Philip Overton (see BME 2011) 4 Dec 1734 at St. Dunstan in the West (marriage allegation 26 Nov 1734). After his death on 13 Feb 1745, she continued the business in Fleet Street, placing her first advertisement in the Daily Advertiser 26 Feb 1745. She married (2) James Sayer (1719-1799) at Christ Church Spitalfields 6 Jan 1747. The business was then joined by Sayer’s younger brother Robert Sayer (see BME 2011): he and Mary Overton were advertising jointly in Nov and mid-Dec 1748, but Sayer alone on 31 Dec 1748. She was presumably the Mary Sayer buried at St. Clement Danes 7 Mar 1755 — James Sayer re-married as a widower later that year.
At the Golden Buck, against St. Dunstan’s Church, Fleet Street — 1745-1749
— or, Next the Mitre Tavern, Fleet Street — 1745-1749
BM. Clayton. Fisher. Hodson (1984) (1989). LHD. Moir. ODNB. Tooley. Torbert.