, knt eldest surviving son of Daniel Rawlinson, citizen and wine-merchant
, knt eldest surviving son of
Daniel Rawlinson, citizen and wine-merchant of London, descended from the ancient family of that name at
Graisdale, in the county of Lancaster, was born in the
parish of St. Dionis Backchurch, in Fenchurch-street,
London, March 1647 appointed sheriffof London by James II.
1687, colonel of the white regiment of trainee! bands, and
govt rnor of Bridewell and Bethlem hospitals, 1705; and,
in 1706, lord mayor of London, when he beautified and
repaired Guildhall, as appears by an inscription in the
great porch. He married Mary, eldest daughter of Richard
Taylor, esq. of Turnham-green, with whom he lived 27
years, and by whom he had 15 children. She died at
Chelsea, Feb. 21, 1724-5, aged sixty-three. He died in
his own parish, November 2, 1705, and was buried with
his father, who died in 1679, aged sixty-six, Of his children, four daughters, Anne- Maria, Mary, Margaret, Susan;
and two sons, both named Daniel, died before him. William died in 1732, and was buried at Antwerp. John, of
Little Leigh in Cheshire, esq. died January 9, 1753.
Tempest, the youngest son, by profession a dry-salter, died
January 1, 1737. Sir Thomas Rawlinson, it maybe added,
had been foreman of the grand jury at the trial of alderman
Cornish; and was elected sheriff by royal mandate. His
eldest son, Thomas, for whom Mr. Addison is said to have
intended his character of Tom Folio, in the Taller, No. 158,
but with infinitely too satirical a vein, was a great collector
of books; and himself a man of learning, as well as patron
of learned men. Mattairehas dedicated to him his edition
of Juvenal; and Hearne’s publication, entitled “Aluredi
Beverlacensis Annales, &c.
” was printed from the original
ms. in this gentleman’s possession. Very numerous indeed
were the communications that editor received from Mr.
Thomas Rawlinson, for all which he takes every opportunity of expressing his gratitude. While Mr. Rawlinson
lived in Gray’s inn, he had four chambers so completely
filled with books, that his bed was removed out into the
passage. He afterwards removed to London-house, the
ancient palace of the bishops of London, in Aldersgate-street, where he died August 6, 1725, aged forty-four,
and was buried in the church of St. Botolph Aldersgate.
In London-house his library was sold after his decease;
and there also lived and died his brother Richard, who left
a portrait of his brother Thomas in crayons, another of
himself, and another of Nicolas Salmon, LL. D. the antiquary, to the Society of Antiquaries, all afterwards revoked.
His Mss. took sixteen days to sell, from March 4, 1733-4.
The catalogue of his library consists of nine parts. The
amount of the fiva first parts was 2409l. Mr. Charles
Marsh, late bookseller at Charing-cross, used to say,
that the sale of Mr. Thomas Rawlinson’s library was one of
the first events he remembered upon engaging in business;
and that it was the largest collection at that time known to
have been offered to the public.