John Poulett ca.1668-1743

John POULETT, 1st Earl Poulett ca.1668-1743

Biographical Note

Son of John Poulett, 3rd Baron Poulett, from whom he inherited the title and family estates in 1679 (though he took up his seat in the House of Lords only in 1702). In 1702 when Anne came to the throne he was made a privy councillor, and lord lieutenant of Devon. He was a friend and supporter of Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford, and served in his government. After Anne's death and the accession of the Hanoverians, he became much less involved in politics. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1706, the year in which he was also made the 1st Earl Poulett.

Books

Poulett used two armorial book stamps, the first reflecting his rank as Baron Poulett and the second made after 1706 and his elevation to the earldom, and numerous examples of books with these stamps are recorded in the Armorials database. The extent of his library is not known; his will is largely concerned with property and has no specific mention of books, which would have been inherited (with the rest of his goods and chattels) by his younger son Anne (1711-85).

Characteristic Markings

Books with Poulett's armorial stamp which have ben seen do not carry any inscriptions, annotations or other markings beyond the armorial stamp.

Sources

• British Armorial Bindings.
• [Will of John Poulett, the National Archives PROB 11/730/92].
• Rigg, J. M., and M. E. Clayton. "Poulett, John, fourth Baron and first Earl Poulett (c. 1668–1743), politician." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.