Devereux Edgar 1651-1739

Devereux EDGAR 1651-1739

Edgar's bookplate (British Museum Franks Collection 9542)

Biographical Note

Younger son of Thomas Edgar, recorder of Ipswich. After his father's death he became a prominent figure in the town, as a JP, captain in the militia and local politician. His lengthy will details extensive property holdings in and around Ipswich.

Books

Edgar used an engraved armorial bookplate (Franks 9542); the extent of his library is not known. In his will, he left all his books to his eldest son Robert (who himself used a re-engraved version of the bookplate, Franks 9543), except for any that his wife "has or has a mind to make choice of", or that his younger son Devereux "in his faculty has or shall have occasion for".

Sources

• Will of Devereux Edgar, The National Archives PROB 11/720/101.
• Blatchly, J., East Anglian ex-libris, London, 2008, p.25-6.
• Gambier Howe, E. R. J. Franks bequest: catalogue of British and American book plates bequeathed to the ... British Museum. London, 1903.