James Buckland (1711?–1790; fl. 1735–1790)

BUCKLAND, JAMES, bookseller and publisher in London and Chelmsford, co. Essex: London, The Buck, Corner of St. Paul's Court, Paternoster Row, 1736–90. The earliest reference found to this bookseller is an advertisement in the Daily Journal of February 18th, 1735, of a sale of books by Auction by James Buckland, Bookseller at Hamlin's Coffee House in Swithin Alley; but the sign of his house was the Buck. About 1736 he appears to have set up a branch shop at Chelmsford in Essex, where he published Moody's Impartial Justice. He dealt largely in theological works, amongst others the writings of John Glover of Norwich. In 1775 he was one of the partners in the publication of Fables by Mr. Gay, which were advertised in the Public Advertiser of January 10th. Timperley records that he was "a bookseller of eminence", a "remarkable gentlemanly-loooking personage in teh dress of George II's days" and that "he kept up teh old custom of posting up the titles of the latest books, on a long board, which hung by his doorway". This custom is alluded to by Gay in the following lines:

High raised on Fleet-street Posts consigned to Fame,
This work shall shine and walkers bless my name.

Buckland died on February 21st, 1790, aged seventy-nine [Timperley, p 765], his will being proved on the 23rd. He left a son James, and amongst the other legatees was a Richard Lobb, presumably the bookseller of that name in Chelmsford. He recommended his executors to take the advice of Thomas Longman of Paternoster Row respecting the disposal of his stock and copies [P. C. C.] [N. & Q. January 5th, 1878, and December 15th, 1877.] Issued a trade card with his device. [A. Heal's Collection.]

BUCKLAND, JAMES. Born 1712, and died Feb. 21, 1790. He had above fifty years' experience as a bookseller. During the greater part of this time he carried on his business at the Golden Lion, Ludgate Street, and frequently took J. Robinson as his partner in publishing ventures. Nichols, who knew him personally, declares that he was "respected for simplicity of manners and irreproachable integrity" (iii. 719).

—Frederick T. Wood, 25 July 1931

BUCKLAND, JAMES. The address quoted of the Golden Lion in Ludgate Street is more connected with Jacob Robinson (see under B. BOURN above) than with Buckland, though they may have issued their common ventures there. I have a fine trade-card of Buckland's, with an autographed receipt on the back dated 1783, issued from the Buck in Paternoster Row. Timperley says that he died in 1790, "aged seventy-nine years, after more than fifty years a bookseller of eminence at the corner of St. Paul's Court in Paternoster Row," which would take him back—as a bookseller—into the seventeen-thirties. The earliest record that I have found of him. though, is 1744 (Hilton Price, op. cit.). His shop was numbered 57 in Paternoster Row.

—Ambrose Heal, 8 August 1931

BUCKLAND, JAMES (clxi. 63, 98). At the last reference the earliest date attributed to this bookseller at the Buck in Paternoster Row was 1744. I am now able to give a reference to one of his imprints at this address dated 1736. As James Buckland did not die until 1790 this amply bears out Timperley's statement that he was "more than fifty years a bookseller at the corner of St. Paul's Court in Paternoster Row."

—Ambrose Heal, 13 February 1932