Andrew Tooke 1673-1732

Andrew TOOKE 1673-1732

Biographical Note

Born in London, son of Benjamin Tooke, stationer. BA Clare College, Cambridge 1693, MA 1697; usher at Charterhouse 1695-1704, when he became professor of geometry at Gresham College. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1704. He inherited a significant estate from his brother Benjamin in 1723 but continued to teach at Gresham College and Charterhouse, where he became headmaster in 1728. He published numerous works and translations of theological, classical and educational books, including The pantheon, representing the fabulous histories of the heathen gods (1698, translated from the original French of Francois Pomey), which went through over twenty editions.

Books

In his will, Tooke directed that his wife Elizabeth should have "all such of my English books as she shall choose"; the rest of his library, together with the residue of his estate, passed to his brother Richard. Part of his library, together with that of "a young gentleman lately deceased" was auctioned in London, beginning 10 April 1732. No catalogue survives but another, different catalogue for a retail sale was later issued, beginning 16 May 1732 ("the auction seems not to have been a success" - Alston).

Sources

• Will of Andrew Tooke, the National Archives PROB 11/650/149.
• Alston, R. C., Inventory of sale catalogues ... 1676-1800, St Philip, 2010.
• Librorum, in omnibus literaturae partibus ... collection. A catalogue of the library of the Revd. Andrew Tooke, [London, 1732].
• Cooper, Thompson, and Anita McConnell. "Tooke, Andrew (bap. 1673, d. 1732), schoolmaster and translator." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.