A True and Impartial Narrative of the Lives of the Fletchers of Oxford, Eighteenth-Century Booksellers

Abstract The history of the Fletcher bookselling family of Oxford has become confused over the decades, and the breadth of the family’s activities has been little understood. This article attempts to sort out the family tree, restoring James Flecther I to his correct parents, shedding light on Stephen Fletcher II’s career, illustrating Mary Fletcher’s bookseller role, discovering James II’s three wives, and sorting out addresses and other relationships. At the same time, the impact the Fletchers had on the book-auction scene in Oxford—and even in London—is revealed, and more is uncovered about their relationship with the London trade. A late eighteenth-century travel diary fortuitously reveals details of the warm relationship that developed over eight decades between the Rivington publishing family in London and the Fletchers. The essay is illustrated with a unique caricature group portrait, a map of Oxford, a family tree, and drawings and photographs of Fletcher-related premises.