It was Sir Isaac Newton who stated that “If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants”, this is certainly true for those in the field of historical research where we need to refer to the work of earlier historians who have recorded material now lost.
Now one such “giant” is our hero in this paper, Thomas Gent, (apparently known to his wife and colleagues as “Tommy”), the York-based printer and historian. He has left several significant 18th century volumes that reveal much about the past and are still valued for their original research.
Gent was however more than a researcher, he was also a printer, printing from his York, Coffee Yard workshop until 1740 and then from his Petergate home. It is the county of Yorkshire that he mainly recorded in his volumes, these are packed with fascinating often obscure facts, hidden biographical snippets and with sometimes crude wood-engravings that have a naive charm of their own, but he is also associated with the printing of chapbooks and a local newspaper. He used a wooden printing press and here can be seen an image of his Coffee Yard workshop in full operation. The detail is excellent showing the printer inking the type, indeed a visit to a hand-press today reveals a similar view, except the press would probably be of iron.
He may also be recalled from the life-size portrait by York based painter, Nathan Drake of 1770 where recently he looked down upon and no doubt had his thoughts upon, the lecturers and members of the YAS, whilst it hung over the fireplace in the lecture room at Claremont, until the lamented dispersal of the Societies premises a few years ago.
It is a fine characterful portrait, with Thomas holding open a copy of his History of Rippon and featuring his other major topographical works. This is a striking image of the irascible Gent in older age. In best television “Fake or Fortune” manner, an investigation of the rear of the picture reveals some of its hidden history. It has at some time after 1877 passed through the hands of the then Manchester and London based dealer Thos. Agnew & Son and their label is pasted to the reverse, as is a further significant label that shows that it was exhibited at the Huddersfield Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition in 1883, the catalogue of this exhibition survives in the Huddersfield University Archives revealing its then owner.
There are other images of Thomas that survive, firstly there is the engraved portrait, obviously taken from the Nathan Drake painting, engraved by Valentine Green in 1771, this was used in the 1832 Autobiography published by Thomas Thorpe and was also reproduced in William Boyne’s bibliographical work The Yorkshire Library. Obviously taken from the Drake portrait.
Used as a frontispiece in some of Thomas’s own printed volumes is the engraved image showing him as musician, holding music and with a wind instrument on the table and a violin on the wall, but high above him are his books featuring his topographical works. From 1737 he tells us; “Having but too much time to spare, rather than be indolent, I studied music on the harp, flute, and other instrument”.
From a little earlier is the rather crude image, dated 1755 used by Thomas as a bookplate in some of his own books, here again it can be seen that on the wall behind are his topographical works.
A further rather fine engraved portrait survives that is quite different from the others, it is drawn by William Doughty, this time we see a striking image in profile. Doughty was himself a York man who had trained under Sir Joshua Reynolds. This engraving is exceedingly rare, this may be a unique original print.
As to his nature, which can to some extent be perceived in the portraits, Robert Davies in his memoir of printing in York, tells us that he did not practise the art of ingratiating himself with persons among whom his lot was cast. It appears from his own account that he was, at least in later life, in a constant state of antagonism with many of his neighbours and acquaintances. He indulged in using terms of a coarse and unmeasured abuse, when speaking of persons whom he regarded as having done anything offensive or injurious to him. On many occasions he exhibited bad temper and a grossness of language. In short, perhaps a difficult man?
We are indeed fortunate to have his autobiography, the manuscript of which was discovered by Thomas Thorpe the London bookseller, it is in the handwriting of the author, and entitled by him, Of the Life of THOMAS GENT, Printer. It was written in 1746, when he was 53 years of age. Found, in a collection from Ireland, the country of which Gent was a native, and where he had relations, into whose hands the work may be supposed to have fallen on the death of its author. It was published by Thorpe, edited by the Yorkshire historian Joseph Hunter in 1832, it is particularly interesting for bibliophiles, that it was later acquired by the great book collector, Edward Hailstone of Walton Hall, near Wakefield and went with his collection to the Minster Library at York where it still resides. This account, whilst somewhat incomplete, is written much in the style of the period, but guides us through his life through to the 1740s. It is a picture of an irritable character who could hardly bear venting his resentment on many occasions but highlights his career and is of course an invaluable source of information. Indeed, as mentioned, his own published books also include autobiographical information hiding within his text.
Thomas Gent was born, in 1693, in Dublin, to parents of a humble background, his father being English. By 1707 he was apprenticed to a printer in Dublin, this was to prove an unhappy period of his life, together with problems over a young lady, a matter, unsurprisingly not detailed in his autobiography. He was, in 1710 to “escape” to England and renewed an apprenticeship under well regarded, London printer Edward Midwinter. Upon eventual completion of the apprenticeship, he went on to work for various printers in London. A major turning point in his life was in 1714 when he acquired a position with John White, a York based printer and moved to that City. We can usefully here quote from the “Autobiography” where, as can be heard he includes much colourful detail.
The next morning, being Tuesday, the 20th of April, 1714, I set forward, and had not, I think, walked three miles, when a gentleman’s servant, with a horse ready saddled, and himself riding on another, overtook me, and, for a shilling, with a glass or so on the road, allowed me to ride with him in my road as far as Caxton, which was the period of his journey. On Wednesday, with difficulty, I reached Stamford; on Thursday, got to Newark, famous for the ancient castle near Trent, built by Alexander, bishop of Lincoln; Friday, having lost my road, I got no further than Bawtry; on Saturday, reached Sherburn; on Sunday, was much delighted with the stream of Wharf, near Tadcaster, and the same day arrived at York, about twelve o’clock. The first house I entered to inquire for my new master was in a printer’s, at Petergate, the very dwelling that is now my own, by purchase; but not finding Mr. White therein, a child brought me to his door, which was opened by the head maiden, that is now my dear spouse. She ushered me into the chamber, where Mrs. White lay something ill in bed; but the old gentleman was at his dinner, by the fireside, sitting in a noble armchair, with a good large pie before him, and made me partake heartily with him. [Mr White had printed the Prince of Orange’s Declaration when it had been refused by all the printers in London, and was made king’s printer for York and five counties. See Literary Anecdotes, &c. by John Nichols, vol. iii. p.688. JH] I had a guinea in my shoe lining, which I pulled out to ease my foot, at which the old gentleman smiled, and pleasantly said, it was more than he ever had seen a journeyman save before; I could not but smile too, because that my trunk, with my clothes, and eight guineas, was sent, about a month before, to Ireland, where I was resolved to go, and see my friends, had his place not offered to me as it did.
The account shows his fascination with historical detail and as can be seen it was a first meeting with his wife to be, one Alice Guy, who was in due course to inherit the printing business. But this was not before he undertook further travels and tribulations. He was to return to working in London and other places, becoming in 1717 a freeman of the company of Stationers.
However, in 1724 he was to have the opportunity to marry his first sweetheart, Alice Guy who had earlier married a Charles Bourne, (printer, who had in turn inherited John White’s Coffee Yard workshop), but was now widowed.
So, Thomas Gent inherited a ready-made printing house in Coffee Yard, York, the building still survives, being recently an eponymous coffee shop that you may have visited.
However married life was not the blissful one that he might have hoped for, he had married a 42-year-old widow and their only child Charles, died on the 12th of March 1725, aged just six months and was buried near the south pillar of St Michael-le-Belfry. Also, possibly his character mitigated against totally connubial bliss? However, he appears devoted to Alice who died on April 1st, 1761, Thomas recorded in the text of one of his later works, “leaving me in a disconsolate condition”.
As well as printer and author he also became publisher of the early newspaper the Original York Courant previously the York Mercury and set upon the publishing career for which he became famous. You will find autobiographical information woven into the text of his own books and in “The History of Hull” he tells us that he established a printing office in Scarborough and was hoped to print a volume on the town, in the end information on the town was included as an appendix to his “History of Hull”.
To make a complete bibliography of Gent’s printing endeavours would, I feel be a difficult task, many of his publications were slight chap-book publications of an ephemeral nature and may not have survived. Davis in his Memoirs of the York Press, lists some 69 but this is certainly an underestimate by a good number .
Here I would like to look at and discuss some of his better known and more significant publications. These are a representative few and for obvious reasons focus on the topographical works that are of most interest to us here, although have included examples of other of his subject matter. The volumes present bibliographical and collation challenges as one finds the same title with different fold-out plates, or plates lacking, and occasionally additional printed material bound in. It is also a fact that these were inexpensive editions often of an ephemeral nature, poorly printed on cheaper paper and were not always cared for by subsequent owners in the best of manner. In addition, with volumes of an early eighteenth century date they have on occasions been rebound at later periods, sometimes possibly more than once. Indeed, one finds the small chapbooks often bound in with other works, all this makes for bibliographical delights!
So, let us consider some few of these publications and their delights.
X. Thomas Gent, (1730), The Ancient and Modern History of York. Advertised for sale at four shillings.
This was the first of his own works that he printed and published in York. Gent called it “a pocket companion”. This was published some years before Francis Drake’s Eboracum and Gent complained that the bookseller Hammond held some manuscript material back and Gent says, “The wretch reserved them for sale to Drake”. Nevertheless, Gent’s book contains much curious information not to be found in “Eboracum”.
XV. Gent, Thomas, (1733), The History of the Loyal Town of Rippon. Advertised for sale at four shillings & sixpence.
The lengthy title indicates that this little volume tells us far more than an account of the town of Ripon but takes us on a tour of information about several Yorkshire towns including York, Tadcaster, Wakefield, Pontefract, Leeds and more. Gent tells us of his “tolerably exact nature of the accounts”. Like all his books a careful reading reveals a host of information.
XXI. Gent, Thomas, (1735) Annales Regioduni Hullini : Or, The History of the Royal and Beautiful Town of Kingston-upon-Hull.. Advertised for sale at five shillings.
XXI. Anthems for Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and Eight Voices. performed in …York, Durham… Lincoln. An engraved image of the three cathedrals as a frontispiece.
XXXVI. Historia Compendiosa Anglicana: Or, A Compendious and Delightful History of England . A succinct History of ROMA, from its Foundation by Romulus ’till the Fall of K. Tarquin.. An Appendix, relating to York .
This second volume contains a brief, but interesting account of Pontefract probably printed in 1739, with engraved illustrations, showing the church and castle and inter-alia the distant town. The engravings Boyne describes as “barbarous”, perhaps in this case a little harsh?
XXXIX. British piety display’d in the glorious life, suffering, and death of the blessed St. Winefred, 1742
LIV. Gent, Thomas (1762), The most delectable, scriptural, and pious history of the famous great eastern window … in St. Peter’s Cathedral, York. Here Boyne is perhaps more correct in describing the coloured frontispiece “rudely engraved and barbarously coloured”.
Gent’s volumes are sometimes packed with crude but fascinating woodcuts, as indicated below;
LXIX. The final work from his pen, was a curious chapbook on Judas Iscariot, not printed by Gent, but published in 1772.T
There are many other miscellaneous chapbooks and printed items, now often bound in with his other works or lost, hidden perhaps deep in library collections.
The Roman numerals on the titles above refer to numbers in Davies, A Memoir of the York Press, 1868.
One must also mention one very curious piece of printing with which he was involved. In 1739-40 the River Ouse froze over in the severe winter. Thomas Gent obviously took his press out onto the ice to earn a few pence by printing broadsides as commemorative souvenirs for visitors with their individual names printed on them. Here is a rare copy, again from the Edward Hailstone collection preserved at the Minster Library in York.
Gent’s affairs, we may perceive, were beginning to decline at the time when his autobiography ends. In 1740 through financial and family problems he was forced to leave Coffee-House Yard that had been a printing shop for 100 years and moved to the building that he had purchased in Petergate. He continued to reside at his house in Petergate; but new and more enterprising printers arose in that northern metropolis; till, at length, Gent’s press became in little demand, meaning his already meagre financial resources became desperate. His topographical resources were apparently exhausted in his three works on York, Rippon, and Hull; and the later publication of his “History of the East Window in York Minster,”, which he published in 1762, whilst this latter work is fascinating and packed with information and images it is not to the standards of his earlier research, when, as historian Richard Gough stated, he was sinking under age and necessity. [British Topography, vol. ii. p. 428.]
It was on April 1st, 1761 that his wife, Alice died and was buried in the cemetery of St Olave’s church, St Marygate. Intimate details of her death tucked within the text of one of his later works. As indicated, by now his circumstances were much reduced in the last decades of his life, struggling with illness, and poverty, relying on the charity of friends.
Still, he had friends who respected him, and were willing to assist. As already mentioned a portrait was painted of him by Nathan Drake, a family who were particularly attentive to him in his older age. This portrait appears to have been exhibited for his benefit and a play was also twice performed, again for his benefit. These things contributed “To smooth the harsh severities of age;”.
One can feel a great empathy and sympathy for Gent at this period of his life, it is recorded that books filled every hole and corner of his Petergate house. However, to these cherished companions of his life he clung tenaciously. He was to write a brief note.
Teachers of wisdom! Who would more beguile
His tedious hours and lighten every toil.
He remained impoverished but clung tenaciously to his old books, his scanty belongings, and his Petergate house, where, in May 1778, he died, aged eighty-six. In his will and his writings Gent had desired to be buried near the remains of his “Dear” that is his wife Alice. But the executor renounced his office; and Thomas Gent was laid in the parish church of St. Michael-le-Belfry, where, adds Davies, “more than fifty years before, he and his wife had wept together over the grave of their infant and only child.”
In summary, it is a fact that Gent remains underestimated as a historian and antiquary, and Joseph Hunter’s comments remain as true day as when first written in the 1830s; “Gent’s performances were not, like too many modern books of topography, mere bundles of pillage from the works of ingenious and painstaking authors, but contained matter honestly collected, and not, before his time, made public by the press.”
Indeed, it may be that the products of his press have crude aspect and the wood engraved images leave something to be desired, whilst having a charm all their own. However, his works retain a very real value for gleaning facts about the past otherwise lost to us. So perhaps whilst his books are not always easy to use, they remain an invaluable quarry of information for those with the patience to seek them out, They are his legacy to us, collectable, a delight and of real value, as in the main his “facts” are just that and worthy of exploration.
RK
