1758.
Oct. 7th. Joseph Ames, F.R.S., died. He was born at Yarmouth on Jan. 23rd, 1688, and was the author of “Typographical Antiquities”; being an historical account of printing in England, with memoirs of our ancient printers, and a register of the books printed by them, from the year 1471 to 1600, with an appendix concerning printing in Scotland and Ireland to the same time. It was dedicated to Philip, Earl of Hardwick, Lord High Chancellor of England. He was originally a piano maker, and afterwards a ship chandler at Wapping, which trade he carried on till his death. He was a great lover of history. In 1741 was appointed secretary of the Society of Antiquaries. Mr. Ames printed a “Catalogue of English Printers from 1471 to 1700,” “An Index to Lord Pembroke’s Coins,” also “A Catalogue of English Heads, or an account of about 2,000 prints,” describing what is peculiar on each; he drew up the “Parentalia, or Memoirs of the Family of Wren.” His collection of coins, curiosities, books, &c., were sold in 1760. Among the latter was a copy of Tindall’s New Testament, supposed to be the only one which escaped the flames, when the Bishop of London (Tonstall) ordered them to be burnt. Vide “Timperley’s Encyclopedia of Literary and Typ. Anecdote,” 1842, p. 703.