Richard Manby (d. 1769)

MANBY (RICHARD), bookseller and publisher in London, west end of St. Paul's, or Ludgate Hill, 1733–69. One of the foremost publishers of the age. For some years he was in partnership with W. Innys, and together they published Dr. Conyer's Middleton's Letter from Rome, the third edition of which appeared in 1733. Manby was also one of the publishers of Middleton's' History of the Life of Cicero. Writing to Warbutron from Cambridge, on October 27th, 1739, about this work he says: "I gave the same number of receipts [for subscriptions] to Manby who expressed a great desire to undertake the whole management of it and made proposals ... so convenient ... that I have agreed to throw the work into his hands." [Add. M.S. 32457, f. 143.] Richard Manby was Master of teh Company of Stationers in 1765. He died at Walthamstow on Aril 13th, 1769, and was succeeded in business by Mr. John Pridden. [Nichols, III. 602.]

MANBY, RICHARD. He first comes to notice on April 21, 1741, when he published from his shop on Ludgate Hill "A Geographical Description of the Coast of the West Indies,' by Caleb Smith, Esq." He continued to trade from the same address until a few months before his death, which occurred at Walthamstow on April 13, 1769. He was succeeded in business by John Pridden, who had been his assistant since 1748. Manby was Master of the Stationers' Company in 1765.

—Frederick T. Wood, 9 September 1931

MANBY RICHARD. His full address was Prince's Arms, Ludgate Hill over against the Old Bailey. He is also found in partnership with W. Innys at the West End of St. Paul's, c. 1740. The stock of Richard Manby "who hath left off trade" was sold by auction 18 Jan., 1763.

—Ambrose Heal, 14 November 1931