HERFORD, John ‹ LBT 28417 ›
Badges
Floruit 1534 (B) — 1548 (B); Male, married
Life Events
| Event | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Death | possibly- 1548 | Duff, E.G. (1905) |
Family Relationships
| LBTNumber | Name | Relationship | Occupation | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5120 | HERFORD, Katherine ‹ LBT 05120 › | spouse | Printer |
Occupations (1)
| Occupation | Comment |
|---|---|
| Printer | Duff, E.G. (1905) |
Addresses (3)
| Date | Address | Trade at Addr | Source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1534-09-01 | Hertfordshire - St Albans | Duff, E.G. (1905) | ||
| 1542-08-01 | St Botolph Aldersgate | STC. vol.3, (1991) | - Parish of | |
| 1544, (1544) | Aldersgate Street | Duff, E.G. (1905) |
SOURCES & TRANSCRIPTIONS
Transcriptions
Bib.Soc., Hand-lists (1913), contrib. A.W.Pollard.
Duff, E.G. (1905), p.70
HERTFORD, HARFORD, HERFORD or HEREFORD (JOHN), printer in St. Alban's and London was most probably of foreign birth. He was settled in St. Alban's by 1534, in which year he issued Lydgate's Life of St. Alban, and continued to print there until 1539 when the Abbey was handed over to Henry VIII. He printed in all seven books, in some of which is found his curious device containing the initials R.S., standing no doubt for his patron Richard Stevenage the Abbot. In October, 1539, the printer had apparently got into some trouble, for the Abbot in a letter to Cromwell writes, "Sent John Pryntare to London with Harry Pepwell { PEPWELL, Henry ( - 1541) ‹ LBT 28281 › }, Bonere [Bonham] { BONHAM, William (1497 - 1557) ‹ LBT 06973 › } and Tabbe { TABE, Henry ( - 1549) ‹ LBT 29168 › }, of Powlles churchyard stationers, to order him at your pleasure. Never heard of the little book of detestable heresies till the stationers showed it me." [L. and P. Hen. VIII, xiv, pt. 2, No. 315.] The book here referred to is probably one hitherto undescribed entitled A very declaration of the bond and free wyll of man. The obedyence of the gospell, and wltat the very gospell meneth [J.R.L.]. The book has no name of printer or date, but only the name of the place. There seems nothing in any of the other books printed at St. Alban's savouring of heresy and most of them were printed under the direct supervision of either the Abbot, Robert Catton, or his immediate successor Richard Stevenage. The suppression of the abbey in 1539 prevented Hertford from returning there to print and we do not find him mentioned again until 1544, when he was printing in London in Aldersgate Street. In the Subsidy Roll of 1544 we find in Aldersgate Ward a John Hartford entered with goods worth x.li. [R. of A., I, 84] and in 1549, the year when we find Hertford's widow printing, there is entered at the same address Kateryne Harford { HERFORD, Katherine ‹ LBT 05120 › }, wydowe and Garrett Harrys{ HARRIS, Garrat ‹ LBT 30050 › } her servaunt. [R. of A., I, 172.] The exact agreement of the dates make it probable that these entries refer to the printer and his widow. Hertford began his work in London with the issue of a small work of Leland's and in 1545 published the Compendiosa totius anatomiae delineatio with illustrations engraved by Thomas Geminie { GEMINUS, Thomas ( - 1562) ‹ LBT 28400 › }, the second book issued in England with copper-plate engravings. Hertford printed altogether in London some twenty-four books mainly for Robert Toy { TOY, Robert ( - 1556) ‹ LBT 08604 › }. He seems not to have printed for himself or to have done any retail trade and this is no doubt the reason why he had no sign to his house. As no book of his is dated later than 1548 it is probable that he died in that year.