Francis Longe 1658-1734

Francis LONGE or LONG 1658-1734

Longe's bookplate (British Museum Franks Collection 18689)

Biographical Note

Born at Reymerstone, Norfolk, son of Robert Longe. Matriculated at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge 1676, but did not graduate; admitted at the Middle Temple1678 (barrister 1684). Steward of Yarmouth 1702, Recorder there from 1712. In 1693 he bought an estate at Spixworth Hall, Norfolk.

Books

Longe used an engraved armorial bookplate, probably made ca.1720 (Franks 18689). The extent of his library is not known, but it formed the basis of a family library which continued to be developed at Spixworth through succeeding generations. His eldest son (also Francis) died only a year after him, in 1735, but his grandson Francis III (1726-76) continued to use the bookplate. His son Francis IV (1748-1812) commissioned a series of bookplates of spade shield design (including Franks 18690-1). A series of armorial book stamps based on the family crest is attributed in the Armorials Database to the third Francis, but may have been used by other family members also.

Sources

• British Armorial Bindings.
• Blatchly, J., Some Suffolk and Norfolk ex-libris, London, 2000, 29, 80-1.
• The Longe family of Spixworth.
• Gambier Howe, E. R. J. Franks bequest: catalogue of British and American book plates bequeathed to the ... British Museum. London, 1903.
• Venn, J. and J. A., Alumni Cantabrigienses, Cambridge, 1922.