Nichols, John Bowyer (1779-1863) and Nichols, John Gough (1806-1873)

Letters sent to John Bowyer Nichols and his son John Gough Nichols concerning articles in The Gentleman's Magazine from the following people: John Bull Gardener, 1835; Charles Jackson, 1864, 1869, 1870; John Edward Jackson, 1863; Zachariah Jackson, 1833; J. Jeffrey, 1820; H. Jeffreyson, 1819; Laetitia Jermyn, 1829; Edward Jesse, 1833; O. Jewitt, 1839; John Jones, 1835; J. Wharton Jones, 1868, 70; John Tomkins, 1834; Sir Charles George Young, 1851. Also includes a note, possibly a draft, signed by Edward Bellins beginning 'Mr. Walpole has omitted all mention among the English Painters of Gilbert Jackson.'

John Bowyer Nichols was born in London, 1779, and went on to be schooled at St Paul's School, London. In 1796 he entered his father's printing office and began part editorship of The Gentleman's Magazine , of which, by 1837, he was sole proprietor. For a short time he was printer to the Corporation of the City of London. In 1850 he became Master of the Stationer's Company. He published many county histories as well as significant works such as The Literary History of the Eighteenth Century . He died in Ealing, 1863.
John Gough Nichols, son of John Bowyer Nichols, was born in London in 1806. He published his first work, Progress of James I in 1828 and went on to become joint editor of The Gentleman's Magazine in 1851. He was a founding member of the Camden Society, 1838. In 1856 ill health forced him to give up The Gentleman's Magazine and he dedicated his time to Literary Remains of Edward VI (1857-8). Like his father, he published many county histories and volumes of antiquary concern. He died in 1873.

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Gift of the National Register of Archives, through the BRA, no. 868, 16 Dec 1975.

Collection level description.

Papers relating to John Bowyer Nichols:The John Rylands University Library of Manchester holds correspondence (Ref: Eng MS 700), and letters from Thomas Frognall Dibdin, 1809-1838 (Ref: English MS 1151); Columbia University Library, new York, USA, has correspondence and papers (Ref: NUC MS 67-802); the Bodleian Library, Oxford University, contains correspondence and papers, correspondence relating to the Gentleman's Magazine, (Ref: MSS Autogr c1; Eng lett b11-17, c132, 354-71), correspondence, accounts, notebooks and papers (Ref: MSS Eng misc d19-21, 34-37; Eng poet c5-6; Top Gen d1, e34, 37; Top Surrey e3), and collections for a history of the Berkeley family of Cotheridge, Worcestershire, 1851-1852 (Ref: MS top Worc d7); the British Library, London, holds correspondence and papers relating to the Gentleman's Magazine (Ref: Add MS 63652), a history of Bury St Edmunds (Ref: Eg MSS 2370-77), notes on sepulchral monuments, [1843] (Ref: Add MS 63652), letters from Sir Henry Ellis and Sir Nicholas Harris Nicholas, 1822-1842 (Ref: Add MS 36987), letters to Stacey Grimaldi, 1826-1830 (Ref: Add MS 34188), and correspondence with Sir Frederic Madden, 1831-1849 (Ref: Eg MSS 2838-45); the Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, USA, has correspondence and papers relating to the Gentleman's Magazine (Ref: NUC MS 65-1876); the Beinecke Library, Yale University, Connecticut, USA, contains correspondence of the family firm, and letters from Maria Hackett, 1824-1834; Lambeth Palace Library, London, holds letters from Samuel Bentley, 1827-1834; the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum has letters from Edward Duke, [1824]-1837; the Northamptonshire Record Office contains letters from Gilbert Flesher, 1813-1844 (Ref: NPL 2118); the Buckinghamshire Record Office, Aylesbury, holds correspondence with George Lipscomb, [1827]-1834 (Ref: D/X 526/1-2).
Papers relating to John Gough Nichols:The National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh, holds correspondence, 1837-1873 (Ref: MSS 312, 2107, 2909); the John Rylands University Library of Manchester has correspondence (Ref: Eng MS 700); the Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, USA, contains correspondence and papers relating to the Gentleman's Magazine (Ref: NUC MS 65-1876); the British Library holds correspondence and papers relating to the Gentleman's Magazine (Ref: Add MS 63652), letters to Francis Joseph Baigent, 1866-1867 (Ref: Add MS 39985), letters to Stacey Grimaldi, 1825-1842 (Ref: Add MSS 34188-89), and correspondence with Sir Frederic Madden, 1829-1870 (Ref: Add MS 51020; Eg MSS 2838-48); the Beinecke Library, Yale University, Connecticut, USA, has correspondence of the family firm, and a collection of letters from printers and antiquaries relating to the Athenaeum Club (Ref: d 319); the Bodleian Library, Oxford University, contains correspondence, collections and papers (Ref: MSS Autogr c1, d5; Eng hist c52, d83; Eng misc d34-37; Top Gen d1, e43); the Buckinghamshire Record Office, Aylesbury, holds a notebook of topographical memoranda relating to Buckinghamshire (Ref: D114/69); the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Records Office, Stratford-upon-Avon, holds letters from Thomas and Sarah Fisher, 1834-1837 (Ref: ER 126), and letters from Robert Bell Wheler, 1839; Edinburgh University Library has correspondence with James Orchard Halliwell-Phillipps, 1839-1973 (Ref: LOA), and letters to David Laing, 1862-1870 (Ref: La iv 17); Herefordshire Record Office contains letters to Frances Ridley Havergal, 1867-1873 (Ref: C71).

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