Thomas Payne the elder (1719–1799)

PAYNE (THOMAS), bookseller in London, (1) next the Mew's Gate near St. Martin's Church in Cheapside; (2) near the South Sea House, Bishopsgate Street [ed. note: the Payne in Bishopsgate Street retired from business in 1762]. 1730–90. "Honest Tom Payne"—so acclaimed by Nichols in his Literary Anecdotes [vi. 439–41], for forty years a celebrated bookseller, was born at Brackley in Northamptonshire, and baptized on May 26, 1719. Apprenticed to his brother, Oliver Payne (q.v.). After the latter's bankruptcy he set up for himself, but imitated Oliver's practice of issuing printed catalogues of his stock, with the prices affixed, the earliest of his own catalogues being issued on February 29th, 174⁰/₁. In 1745 Thomas married Elizabeth Taylor, whose brother, also a bookseller in London, carried on business in Castle Street, next the Mew's Gate. Payne succeeded to both the business and the premises, which became afterwards known as the Literary Coffee-House. Nichols has recorded his character as one who was warm in his friendships, a convivial, cheerful companion, whose one pursuit in life was "fair dealing". His shop was the rendezvous of all the literary men of the day. Thomas Payne retired from business in 1790, when he was succeed by his son Thomas, who had been in partnership with him for more than twenty years. He died on February 2nd, 1799. Many of his catalogues are in the British Museum.

PAYNE, THOMAS. Born in 1719, he took over the shop vacated by his brother Horace at the Round Court in the Strand, about 1740, and was still trading there in 1750. In 1745, upon the death of his brother-in-law, Taylor, he acquired a second shop, in Castle Street, near St. Martin's Church, and for some years he ran the two together. He was one of the earliest booksellers to issue catalogues of his stock, with the price marked against each item. He retired in 1790, and died on Feb. 2. 1799. (See 'N. and Q. 3 S. viii. 412; 6 S. vii. 112; the Gentleman's Magazine, 1799, Pt. i. pp. 171–72, 236; Austin Dobson, 'Eighteenth Century Vignettes' Series ii. pp. 192–203; Nichols's 'Literary Illustrations,' v. 428. Another Thomas Payne was in business near Stationers' Hall in 1723, and moved later to Paternoster Row, where he was still trading in 1732.

—Frederick T. Wood, 26 September 1931

PAYNE, THOMAS (clxi. 220, 365). DR. WOOD says that "he took over the shop vacated by his brother Horace [sic] at the Round Court in the Strand." It might seem that some confusion had arisen here between the name of his brother (see above) and Olive's sign "Horace's Head," in Round Court. The Thomas Payne of Bishopsgate Street, whose trade-card I mentioned (clxi. 365), appears to have been another individual; I have since found an imprint of his dated 1750.

—Ambrose Heal, 13 February 1932

Payne, Thomas I. Mileson Hingeston apprenticed to Thomas Payne, St. Martin in the Fields, bookseller, through the charity for the Sons of the Clergy. (Daily Advertiser 7 May 1754—for details see under Joseph Kippax). The creditors of James Marks, of St. Martin's Lane, Bankrupt, who have not sent in their accounts, are desired immediately to send them to the assignees, Mr. Payne, at the Mews-Gate, Castle-street, or Mr. Vials, at Mr. Chapel's, Buckingham-street, York Buildings, as a final dividend will soon be made (Daily Advertiser 30 Nov 1775). On Tuesday last [6 Sep] James Burney, Esq., Captain of the Royal Navy, was married at Chaffington, Surrey, to Miss Sally Payne, daughter of Mr. Thomas Payne, bookseller (UDR 13 Sep 1785)

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