Robert Byerley 1660-1714

Robert BYERLEY 1660-1714

Robert Byerley's bookplate (British Museum Franks Collection *367)

Biographical Note

Of Goldesborough Hall, Yorkshire. Matriculated at Queen’s College, Oxford 1677 but did not graduate. He fought at the siege of Vienna in 1683 and there he allegedly captured ‘the Byerley Turk’, described as ‘one of the foundation sires of the thoroughbred horse’ (ODNB). A prominent Tory politician, Byerley sat as MP for Durham Country 1685, 1689 and for Knaresborough for seven terms between 1695 and 1713. He married his cousin and ward Mary Wharton in 1672 and with her had five children.

Characteristic Markings

Byerley used an engraved bookplate dated 1702 (Franks 4726/*367/*514); the extent and disposition of his library is not known.

Sources

• Gambier Howe, E. R. J. Franks bequest: catalogue of British and American book plates bequeathed to the ... British Museum. London, 1903.
• Peters, Anne M. "Byerley, Robert (bap. 1660, d. 1714), racehorse owner, army officer, and politician." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
• Young, T. Some Yorkshire bookplates. 1991. 35.