William Lane (1746–1814) was a publisher and bookseller in London in the late 18th century best known now for his founding of the wildly successful Minerva Press.[1]
William Lane | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1746 |
| Died | 1814 (aged 67–68) |
| Occupation(s) | Publisher, bookseller |
Career edit
Around 1790 Lane established the Minerva Printing Press in Cree Church Lane, Leadenhall Street, moving ca.1792 to no. 31 Leadenhall Street.[2] The Minerva Press issued works by Courtney Melmoth and others.[1] Subscribers to Lane's Circulating Library (established circa 1774)[3] included Leigh Hunt.[4][nb 1] Around 1799 John Darling and Anthony King Newman joined Lane as "Lane, Darling, Newman & Co."[2] In 1804 Lane retired and Newman took over the business.[6][7]
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Trade card, Lane's Circulating Library, 1793 -
Trade card, Lane's Circulating Library, c. 1795 -
Trade card, Lane's Circulating Library, c. 1795 -
Trade card, Minerva Library, c. 1795
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Notes edit
- ^ Competitors included circulating libraries of John Booth, Carpenter, Cawthorn, Cheesewright, Creighton, Thomas Dangerfield, Dutton, William Earle, Thomas Hookham, David Ogilvy, Parson, Tegg, and Thomas Vernor.[5]
References edit
- ^ a b Granger, William (1808), "Biographical Memoirs of William Lane", Granger's New and Complete Wonderful Museum and Magazine Extraordinary, vol. 6
- ^ a b Andrew W. Tuer (1888), "Introduction", Dame and her Donkeys Five, Field & Tuer, Leadenhall Press
- ^ "London Circulating Libraries", The Times, London, 2 September 1913, OL 14020865M
- ^ Autobiography of Leigh Hunt, A. Constable & Co., 1903
- ^ John Feltham (1807). "Circulating Libraries". Picture of London, for 1807 (8th ed.). London: Richard Phillips.
- ^ Monthly Magazine, 1 March 1814
- ^ Gentleman's Magazine and Historical Review, September 1858
See also edit
External links edit
- "Circulating Libraries", Chambers's Encyclopaedia, 1860
- Ian Maxted (2007), "William Lane", The London Book Trades 1775-1800: a preliminary checklist of members, Exeter Working Papers in British Book Trade History