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I. Biographical Details of Samuel Aris
SAMUEL ARIS printer, of Creed Lane 1720?-32?; bound 6 apprentices 6 Feb. 1720/1-1 Sept. 1730; died 1734.
This summary corrects The London Compositor (1947), p. 36, where Ellic Howe gives terminal dates 1725-39, and mentions only four apprentices. Fuller details follow.
Marriage: 6 Feb. 1713/14 Saml Aris of precinct of White Friars single and Mary Whitledge of St. Martin Ludgate single by licence (Harleian Society Registers, vol. 63, St. Matthew, Friday Street).
Children: eight from 2 April 1721 to 7 Feb. 1733/4, though of these apparently only three survived their parents: Mary (b. 26 Oct., bapt. 18 Nov. 1722),
Death: presumed between 7 February and 17 October 1734, on which date was issued a commission to Charles Bennett 'the guardian lawfully assigned to Prudence Bennett (his wife) Mary Aris and Saml Aris minors and Amy Aris an infant, children of Samuel Aris late of St Martin Ludgate London widower decd. . . .' (Admin. of Samuel Aris, PCC Admin Act Bk. 1734 f. 204, Somerset House). Queries: was Charles Bennett the apprentice named below, and was Prudence a daughter of a first marriage?
I owe the above information to M. A. Byrne of Exeter College, Oxford; its presentation my responsibility.
Address: Creed Lane is attested in the Apprentice Registers and elsewhere from 1722, and may have been Aris's only address as master. Creed Lane is said by Robert Seymour to have been 'pestered with Carts and Carrs to Puddle-dock . . . which makes it to be not overwell inhabited' (Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster, 1734, p. 701).
Bindings: 1. Robert Barlow, bd 6 Feb. 1720/1, free 5 Nov. 1728.
2. Thomas Aris, son of Thomas late citizen and barber surgeon of London deceased, bd 1 Oct. 1722, free 4 Nov. 1729. (See below).
3. James Claxton, bd 1 June 1725, turned over to Samuel Palmer 7 March 1731/2, free 7 Nov. 1732.
4. David Henry, bd 1 June 1725, free 5 Feb. 1739/40.
5. Samuel West, bd 2 Sept. 1729 for 8 years, and again 1 Sept. 1730.
6. Charles Bennett, late apprentice of Richard Harbin, 2 June 1730 turned over for the remainder of his term (Stationers' Company Apprentice Registers, Register of Freeman, and Calendar of Masters and Apprentices 1719-62).
I have not found in the Company records mention of Aris before 1720/1. The last reference to Samuel senior is dated 3 April 1739, when 'Samuel Aris Son of Samuel late of Creed Lane London Printer deceased' was bound 'to Thomas Aris of Red Lyon Court in Fleetstreet London printer', the Consideration of £10 being paid by Samuel Birt.
Thomas Aris's address is earlier given as Jewin St. in bindings 7 Dec. 1731 to 5 Nov. 1734. Thomas Aris's last binding takes place on 3 Feb. 1740/1, which accords well enough with Plomer's statement that Thomas began the Birmingham Gazette, first number 16 November 1741. In his Dictionary 1726-75 Plomer conflates the careers of Samuel senior and junior.
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