Between the Covers

Unbound. Engraving. 12.5" x 9". Near fine. The library in the engraving is probably the library named after Dr. Daniel Williams, a Presbyterian minister, after whose death a library was set up in London in his name. Amongst its aims was that, for a small fee, it kept a 'central registry' of births mainly but not solely within non-conformist families to avoid the necessity of having to have a child baptized in the Anglican church. It had variable success, up to 49,000 births were registered there until after a few months, the National Births, Marriages and Deaths Registration started up in 1837.

Item #281710