William St John 1689-1720

William ST JOHN 9th Baron Bletso 1689-1720

Biographical Note

Son of Sir Andrew St John, 2nd Bart of Woodford, Northamptonshire and Jane Blois. Admitted as a pensioner at Jesus College, Cambridge in 1709; BA 1713. He succeeded his infant nephew as 9th Baron Bletso in 1714.

Books

His will makes no reference to his books, which on his death would have passed to his younger brother Rowland, who succeeded him as 10th Baron and to whom the bulk of his estate was bequeathed. A copy of Sylvanus Morgan, Armilogia (1666) bearing St John’s ownership signature at Cambridge in 1712 was auctioned at Christie’s New York, 20 June, 2013 (lot 619); it contained the later armorial bookplate of John St John, either another brother, who succeeded as the 11th Baron, or the latter’s son, the 12th Baron.

Characteristic Markings

He had engraved armorial bookplates dated 1714, the year of his succeeding to the peerage: Franks 25964; 25965 (a smaller plate without the crest and mantling).

Sources

• Will of William St John 9th Baron Bletso, The National Archives, PROB 11/578/105.
• Cambridge University Alumni Databse, ‘St John, William’.
• Cokayne, G. E. The complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland. London, 1910-59.
• Gambier Howe, E. R. J. Franks bequest: catalogue of British and American book plates bequeathed to the ... British Museum. London, 1903-4.