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The history of the King's Printing Office and its patentees from the accession of James I to the beginning of the eighteenth century was set forth in some detail by Henry R. Plomer more than fifty years ago. More recently, Mr. A. F. Johnson has supplemented Plomer's account for the period following the Restoration and has carried the history of the patent down to the year 1742.[1] The main outlines of the patent history are now clear, but details must be added as they are brought to light. For example, the names of some shareholders in the office, designated in imprints only as "the assigns of" an original patentee, are still unknown. Johnson cites a record of payment for official printing made in 1694 to a "Richard Hutchenson," but reports: "Of this Hutchenson I can find nothing more."[2] The incidence of such names, not known to have been connected with the patent, requires explanation. More significantly, the date at which John Baskett acquired an interest in the office remains uncertain, and the circumstances under which his interest was obtained are completely obscure. The purpose of this paper is to offer solutions for a few of the problems raised by earlier accounts, and to supply a body of new information relative to the King's Printing Office during the half-century from 1680 to 1730. It is based principally upon Chancery documents in the Public Record office which have not previously been cited.
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