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14501940
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Floruit: 1793–1815
Floruit 1793 (A) — 1815 (B); Male, married
Life Events
| Event |
Date |
Source
|
| Birth |
c.1765 - aet.50 [?47] on death; |
The Boolkseller in Jan. 1858 [Mark Lockwood's obit] says "the compartively early age of forty-seven"
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| Death |
- on 16 Aug 1815 Monthly Mag. (Sept 1815) no day - died at Louth,50 Mr.Benjamin Crosby, many years an active wholesale bookseller of Stationers' Court, from which he had recently retired. |
Gents.Mag.
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| Burial |
1815 Louth "under the steeple of the magnificent church". |
|
Family Relationships
Livery Companies
| Company |
Source
|
| Stationers' Company |
McKenzie, D.F. (1978), #2195
|
Occupations (1)
| Occupation |
Comment
|
| Bookseller |
Apprentice
|
Events (3)
Further Notes
The Bookseller, Jan. 1858 p.54 [Mark Lockwood's obit.] Mr.Benjamin Crosby, a bookseller of great intelligence and industry in Stationers' Hall Court. Mr.Crosby had succeeded to the business of Mr.Stalker, and was one of the first London booksellers who regularly travelled the country for orders amongst the trade. In this he was eminently successful, and largely increased the business of the house by the connections which he formed. Being a large buyer of what are termed "remainders", which he again sold considerably under the original price, he acquired the reputation of dealing in bargains; this, coupled with his pleasing manners, rendered his visits always acceptable to the provincial booksellers. Mr.Crosby, however, found out to his dismay, that increased prosperity does not always accompany an increase of business; and the vexation and excitement consequent upon this preyed so much upon his mind that his health gave way. An attack of paralysis compelled him, in 1814, to relingquish all thoughts of business, and he retired to Louth, in Lincolnshire, where he died the following year, at the comparatively early age of forty-seven, and was buried under the steeple of the magnificent church. Previous to leaving London he had disposed of thecountry part of his business to Messrs. Baldwin, Cradock and Joy, and of the town business to two of his assistants, Messrs. Simpkin and Marshall, in whose name it has ever since been carried on. --- Henry Curwen: A History of Booksellers, London, 1873 , pp.413-4 The real founder of this enormous traffic [i.e. Simpkin & Marshall] was, Benjamin Crosby. The son of a Yorkshire grazier, he came to London to seek his fortunes, and was apprenticed to James Nunn, A bookseller in Great Queen Street. As soon as his indentures had expired, he obtained a situation under George Robinson - the "King fo the Booksllers" - and, in a few years after this, succeeded to the business of Mr.Stalker, of Stationers' Hall court. Crosby was one of the first London booksellers who travelled regularly through the country, soliciting orders for the purpose of effecting sales and extending his connections. In a short time he acquired a pre-eminence as a supplier of the country houses, and also as one of the largest purchasers at trade sales, especially when publishers' stock were sold off. The extension of the business had been very materially assisted by the unremitting exertions of two assistants - Simpkin and Marshall - and, when in 1814, he was stricken by a sudden attack of paralysis, he made over a certain portion of his stock and the whole of his country connection to Robert Baldwin, and Cradock and Joy, he left the remainder, with the premises and the London connection, to Simpkin and Marshall. Soon after this, a second attack deprived him of his speech, and for a time his reason, and he died in the following year, 1815. ---
Sources and References
| Original Sources |
Comments
|
| Stationers' Company - Binding and Freedom Records - McKenzie, D.F. (1978), #2195 |
|