William Massey 1691-1768
From Book Owners Online
William MASSEY 1691-1768
[[file:MasseyWilliam.jpg|thumb|Massey's bookplate (British Museum Franks Collection 19933)]
Biographical Note
Massey came from a Quaker family and is known to have learnt Latin and other languages in private schools in Nottingham and Norwich. In 1712 he became Latin usher at a school in Wandsworth run by William Scoryer; he later ran his own school in Wandsworth. He published numerous works designed to pursue devotional and educational purposes.
Books
Massey used an engraved armorial bookplate (Franks 19933); the extent and disposition of his library is not known. His manuscript commonplace book was sold at Bonham's in 2011 (see reference below).
Sources
- Cooper, Thompson, and Sarah Annes Brown. "Massey, William (1691–1764?), writer and translator." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
- Gambier Howe, E. R. J. Franks bequest: catalogue of British and American book plates bequeathed to the ... British Museum. London, 1903-4.
- William Massey, Liber Memorialis, Bonham's 22 November 2011, lot 245.
- Information from Anthony Pincott.