Yarborough

Francis YARBOROUGH 1696-1770

Biographical Note

Francis Yarborough was born in Campsall, Yorkshire, to Thomas and Mary Yarborough. Thomas was a Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant of West Riding. Yarborough matriculated at Brasenose College, Oxford, in 1712/13 and was appointed to the Higden Fellowship in 1719, going on to become Junior Bursar in 1729 and Senior Bursar from 1730-1737. He was appointed rector of Aynho in 1739, a post he would hold until his death. He was elected Principal in 1745, and was a generous benefactor throughout his time at Brasenose, giving money for various buildings works over the years.

Books

Yarborough built up a large collection of books during his lifetime, some of which he acquired from his predecessor at Aynho, Joseph Wasse. After his death in 1770, the executors of his will, his brothers Thomas and Henry Yarborough, gave his library to Brasenose College, valued at the time at £350. His collection consists of nearly 1500 works, covering many subjects including theology, literature, politics. Some of the more notable items include a copy of Michael Drayton’s poetry once owned by Ben Jonson 1574-1637 and a first edition of Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan. Examples: many at Brasenose College, Oxford.

Characteristic Markings

Most of his books have an institutional bookplate with text: "Ex donatione haeredum Dni. Francisci Yarborough S.T.P. nuper Principalis.". Yarborough does not seem to have marked his books.

Sources

• Brasenose College quatercentenary monographs, vol. I, 1909.
• Francis Yarborough, Wikipedia.