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Henry BRYER | Ann HARPER? | ||
b. unknown | b. unknown | ||
m. 31 Dec 1766 St Clement Danes Westminster MDX |
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d. between Sep and Nov 1778, St Martins Lane, Westminster MDX |
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Printer |
Henry's Children
Elizabeth | Carolina | Philadelphia Catharina | Catharine Georgia |
born ? | born ? | bapt. 13 Mar 1774 St Pancras Old Church [IGI] MDX | born pre 1778? |
Where They Lived
Henry was apprenticed to Edward Ryland (the father of William Wynne Ryland) on 4th December 1758. In the List of Masters and Apprentices of the Stationers Company, Henry's main trade was given as Citizen and Stationer (presumably implying that he was a citizen of the City of London). Unfortunately the entry does not give his father's name, but it does give a reference to the Inland Revenue Record Group (IR/1/22/145), and states that the premium of £50 was paid (the equivalent of £4,241 today).
Henry was an engraver and printseller and his address was given as 27 (opp. Royal Exchange) Cornhill from 1767 to 1771; Cornhill c1772 to 1776; no. 28 Cornhill in 1775; 12 Stephen Street, Tottenham Court Road in 1773. He traded as Ryland and Bryer from 1767 to 1771, and as Henry Bryer from 1772 to 1776. By 1783, he may have died (although the Dictionary of National Biography puts his year of death as 1799). He was the pupil and partner of W. W. Ryland (who was declared bankrupt Dec 1771). It is noted that a dividend was declared for Dec. 19, 1775 for William Wynne Ryland and Henry Bryer, Cornhill, London, Printsellers (LG 18 Nov 1775). There is also note of an Insurance Policy for Henry: cert. 6 June 1772, div. 1 Aug. 1786, Sun Insurance policy 349177 24 Jan 1775 (Guildhall lib. ms. 11,936/236, J. C. Smith lii, 123-4, 214, 916). There are also references to his name in BM satires circa 1771, 1773. He appears also in the Dictionary of National Biography (DNB) and is mentioned in Redgrave's Dictionary of British Artists. The full entry for Henry, as well as for Anne and another Henry, appear in the Checklist of Members of the London Booktrade.
In addition, he and Ryland published works by Paul Sandby, as well as by Angelica Kauffmann, possibly the most gifted and famous British woman artist. He exhibited his engravings three times at the Society of Artists between 1765 and 1774. Click here to see an example of his work.
In the publication The British book trades, 1731-1806 a checklist of bankrupts, there is an entry for Henry:
Bryer, Henry, Cornhill, LON. PS. Bankrupt: GM Dec 1771 cert: 06 Jun 1772 div: 19 Dec 1775 div: 01 Aug 1786
This looks like Henry was declared bankrupt in 1771, and was paying dividends until at least August 1786 - although his will was written 19th September 1778 and proved on 3rd November 1778. It may account for the fact that Anne Bryer continued the trade of Print Seller from 1782 to 1788, as documented below:
Bryer, Anne, printseller, 5, Poland Street 1788. Poss. widow of Henry Bryer. (J. C. Smith 124, 748). In The British book trades 1775-1787 : an index to insurance policies the following entries also appear:
Bryer, Anne 1778 Sun Register no.269 Policy no. 404306 £1600 address insured: Gough Square Fleet St (LON) 3 Pemberton Row - Print Seller
Bryer, Anne 1782 Sun Register no.304 Policy no. 464966 £1000 address insured: (LON) 5 Poland Street - Print Seller
Both Pemberton Row and Gough Square are just off Fetter Lane in the City of London. This area can be seen on the Map of part of Fleet Street. Poland Street runs from Oxford Street to Broadwick Street in Soho.
There are several examples of the work of Henry Bryer in the National Portrait Gallery. These can be found on the National Portrait Gallery website. A further example of Henry's work, a print after Peter Monamy, the 18th century maritime artist, can be seen at the Monamy Prints website.
The will proves categorically that Henry had only four daughters, all are named in the will, and there is no mention of anyone else, not even a nephew or cousin. And so reluctantly I am forced to conclude that Henry the printer who lived in Bridewell Precinct was not the son of this Henry. The fact that a young Henry began working as a printer at roughly the time and seemed to have given up the trade is, so far, coincidence.