PARKER, Henry (1726?-1809) — London
Bookseller, printseller, mapseller, printer & stationer. In partnership with Elizabeth Bakewell, published Thomas Kitchin, A map of the countries thirty miles round London 1758, with Kitchin and Robert Sayer; Richard Bennett, A new and accurate survey of the country about the cities of London, and Westminster and the borough of Southwark 1758, again with Bakewell; The city guide or a pocket plan of London, Westminster and Southwark ca. 1760, again with Bakewell; Emanuel Bowen & Thomas Kitchin, ‘The royal English atlas’ 1762-1764, co-published with others; An improved plan of the cities of London and Westminster 1765, with Kitchin; James Cook, A map of the province of South Carolina 1773 (two-sheet), engraved by Thomas Bowen, etc. An advertisement suggests he was principal retailer of the Thomas Craskell & James Simpson set of four wall-maps, of Jamaica and its three counties (Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser, 18 Mar 1766). Also published, with Bakewell, P. Decker, ‘Chinese architecture’ 1759; P. Decker, ‘Gothic architecture decorated’ 1759, etc. (See BME 2011 for names in bold).
Born about 1726, the son of Henry Parker (1688-1732), printer, and his wife Ann. Apprenticed (Stationers) to the Ludgate Street bookseller Jacob Robinson 3 Mar 1741 — recorded as the son of the late Henry Parker, printer (£31.10s). Turned over to the printer Thomas Parker (1717-1772), his older brother, 5 Jul 1743. Free (Stationers) 6 Sep 1748. In partnership with Elizabeth Bakewell, successor to Thomas Bakewell (see BME 2011) 1758-1763. The Cornhill shop, already “greatly scorched” in the Cornhill fire of 1748, was again much damaged in the later Cornhill fire of 1759 (see entry for Elizabeth Bakewell). He married Alice Combes (1736-1818), with whom he had several children, 21 May 1763 at St. Botolph Aldgate. Parker served as Common Councillor for Cornhill Ward 1765-1786. In 1766-1772 he was selling “the late Mr. Ward’s invaluable medicines”, for which extravagant claims were made. He moved premises in 1774 — “Henry Parker, book and printseller, returns his most grateful thanks to his friends who have favoured him with their commands and also begs leave to acquaint them that he is removed to White Lion Court, Birchin-lane, where he requests a continuation of them. Orders will likewise continue to be received at No. 36, Cornhill, opposite to his late house” (Daily Advertiser, 18 Nov 1774), but soon after retired from trade to work in the Chamberlain’s Office at Guildhall. “Sometime an eminent stationer and printseller, in Cornhill, and many years deputy of that ward. In 1774, he quitted business, on purchasing the important office of Clerk of the Chamber at Guildhall, which he held till within a few months of his death … Mr. Parker was Master of the Stationers’ Company in 1801; where, as in every other department of his life, his general knowledge of City business, and the remarkable placidity of his manners, very much endeared him to a circle of sincere friends. He died at Stoke Newington in the eighty-fourth year of his age. His only son, John Henry Parker, was Gresham Professor of Divinity, and curate of Wanstead in Essex” (Timperley). An 1807 insurance policy on his home in Church Street, Stoke Newington is in LMA, revealing that he still retained an interest in the 82 Cornhill premises. He died 28 Aug 1809.
Jewin Street — 1748
(82) Opposite Birchin Lane in Cornhill — 1758-1774
36 Cornhill, Corner of Birchin Lane, opposite his late house — 1774-1775
White Lion Court, Birchin Lane — 1774
Apprentice: Robert Burrows 1766 (£100).
BBTI. BM. BNA. Chubb. Clayton. EWP. Harris. Hodson (1997). Howgego. LHD. LMA. Maxted. Maxted (1983) (1984). McKenzie. NA. Tooley.