Richard Knowles introduced us to a little known historian, Thomas Gent (1693-1778), at our online meeting on the 10th February. Born in Dublin and apprenticed to a printer in 1707, he moved to London in 1710, and then to York working for John White. Here he met and later married Alice Guy in 1724, inheriting a print shop through the marriage.
In York he published the ‘Original York Courant, or Weekly Journal’ which ceased publication after only 4 years. Gent began to publish his own work, including three books based on Yorkshire towns using his own original research: ‘The Antient and Modern History of the famous City of York’, (1730), ‘The History of the Loyal Town of Rippon’ (1733), and ‘Annales Regioduni Hullini: or the History of the Royal and Beautiful Town of Kingston-upon-Hull’ (1735). These included other towns and were embellished with wood engravings and maps. Wakefield and Pontefract were included in the Ripon book; the depiction of Wakefield showing the parish church, Chantry Bridge, and sailing boats on the river.
Two further volumes, a history of England and a history of Rome were published in 1741. He continued to publish a number of chapbooks and small books on a religious theme, but his business was in decline. His wife died in 1761, and until his death in 1778 he struggled with ill health and poverty.
