Biography

Joseph Ames (1689-1759), bibliographer and antiquary, was born of a seafaring family in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, and baptized there on 20 June 1687. He was the son of John Ames (1651-1699?), master in the merchant service, and his wife, Esther (d. 1712?). The family moved to Wapping, where Joseph went to school. His father died when he was twelve years old, and he was apprenticed in the Joiners' Company to Thomas Granford, plane maker, on 7 March 1704. He was freed on 1 December 1713 and bound his first apprentice, Edward Chadwell, the same day. He set up as a ship's chandler and ironmonger at the Golden Key, near the Hermitage, Wapping, where he lived for the rest of his life. In 1736 Ames was admitted fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and from 1741 he was its secretary, from 1754 with the Revd William Norris as assistant secretary. Ames formed what he termed his 'museum' of title-pages and stray leaves as specimens of early printing and a record of printers' marks. Ames also made a large collection of engraved portraits, following another fashion of the day, of which he made use in his Catalogue of English heads, or, An account of about two thousand prints describing what is particular on each (1747). Ames died of a 'seizure', after a fit of coughing on 7 October 1759 at the house of a friend in Clement Lane, near the Royal Exchange, London, and was buried in the churchyard of St George-in-the-East.

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