Thomas Adams (in or before 1566–1620)Tedder. was an English publisher. Son of Thomas Adams, a

yeoman Yeoman is a noun originally referring either to one who owns and cultivates land or to the middle ranks of servants in an English royal or noble household. The term was first documented in mid-14th-century England. The 14th century also witn ...

Neen Savage Neen Savage is a civil parish and a hamlet in south east Shropshire, England. It is situated north of the small market town of Cleobury Mortimer. The River Rea, which was historically known as the River Neen, flows past the hamlet, and a notable ...

, Shropshire, he became an apprentice to Oliver Wilkes, a member of the

Stationers' Company The Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers (until 1937 the Worshipful Company of Stationers), usually known as the Stationers' Company, is one of the livery companies of the City of London. The Stationers' Company was formed in ...

in London, on 29 September 1582; he was transferred to a new master, George Bishop, on 14 October 1583 (Bishop's will indicates that Adams was a "kinsman"). Adams himself was admitted to the company on 15 October 1583. By 1591, he had established himself as a printer based at the sign of the White Lion at

St. Paul's Churchyard St Paul's Churchyard is an area immediately around St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London. It included St Paul's Cross and Paternoster Row. It became one of the principal marketplaces in London. St Paul's Cross was an open-air pulpit from wh ...

in the city.Holman, 6. His business may have started when printer Robert Walley transferred ownership of a vast collection of books and ballads to Adams, but existing copies indicate that Adams had these works printed for him by others. In 1603, he branched out to the music publishing business, financing or printing several works by

John Dowland John Dowland (c. 1563 – buried 20 February 1626) was an English Renaissance composer, lutenist, and singer. He is best known today for his melancholy songs such as "Come, heavy sleep", " Come again", "Flow my tears", " I saw my Lady weepe", ...

(including ''The Third and Last Booke of Songes or Aires'' in 1603 and ''Andreas Ornithoparcus his Micrologus'' in 1609), his son

Robert Dowland Robert Dowland (c. 15911641) was an English lutenist and composer. He was the son of the lutenist and composer John Dowland, who wrote almost 90 lute songs and other pieces written for the lute. Robert Dowland wrote only a few known compositions, ...

(''Varietie of Lute-Lessons'' and ''A Musicall Banquet'' both in 1610), and

Thomas Ravenscroft Thomas Ravenscroft ( – 1635) was an English musician, theorist and editor, notable as a composer of rounds and catches, and especially for compiling collections of British folk music. Little is known of Ravenscroft's early life. He prob ...

. John Dowland may have also considered Adams as publisher for ''

Lachrimae "Flow, my tears" (originally en-emodeng, Flow my teares fall from your springs, italic=no) is a lute song (specifically, an "ayre") by the accomplished lutenist and composer John Dowland (1563–1626). Originally composed as an instrumental under ...

'', but ultimately decided against it. In 1611, Adams moved to the sign of the Bell at St Paul's, where he would spend the remainder of his life. That same year, he purchased the rights to sixty important works of his former master, Bishop. It was during this period that Adams came into conflict with

William Barley William Barley (1565?–1614) was an English bookseller and publisher. He completed an apprenticeship as a draper in 1587, but was soon working in the London book trade. As a freeman of the Drapers' Company, he was embroiled in a dispute betwe ...

over patents to print several works.Miller. He ascended to the title of upper warden at the Stationers' Company in 1616. He is the likely publisher of

Orlando Gibbons Orlando Gibbons ( bapt. 25 December 1583 – 5 June 1625) was an English composer and keyboard player who was one of the last masters of the English Virginalist School and English Madrigal School. The best known member of a musical famil ...

's ''Fantasies of III Parts'' (1620)—the title page bears the inscription, "London. At the Bell in St. Pauls churchyard". Adams died sometime between March and May 1620. His will was drafted on 2 March and executed on 4 May, naming as heirs or legatees his wife and three daughters, Elizabeth, Ann, and Mary, along with a brother George Adams. His wife Elizabeth continued printing works until 1625, when she sold the rights to Adams' former apprentice, Andrew Hebb. She appears to have maintained business interests in the industry at least to 1638, when the Bishop of London demised her two messuages with three shops in the cathedral churchyard.Plomer, 23.

Notes

References

* * *Miller, Miriam. "Adams, Thomas (i)".
Grove Music Online
' (subscription required). ed. L. Macy. Retrieved on 6 April 2008. * *Tedder, H. R. (September 2004; online edition: January 2008). Rev. Anita McConnell.
Adams, Thomas (b. in or before 1566, d. 1620)
. ''

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

'' (subscription required). Retrieved on 5 April 2008. * *Wheatley, H. B. "Signs of Booksellers in St. Paul's Churchyard". ''Transactions of the Bibliographical Society''. 9 (1906–1908): 67–106. {{DEFAULTSORT:Adams, Thomas 16th-century births 1620 deaths English printers Year of birth unknown 16th-century English businesspeople 17th-century English businesspeople 16th-century printers Publishers (people) from London