William Frederick Rock on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
William Frederick Rock (29 January 1801 – 8 February 1890) was a British publisher and philanthropist.
Invitation to William Rock's 50th Anniversary Celebrations at Crystal Palace, Business Chronology
/ref>
In 1884 Rock sold the ''Rock Brothers Ltd.'' to ''Dickinson & Co.'' and retired. With no wife or children to support, he decided to give generously to his birthplace, Barnstaple, and became engaged in multiple philanthropic activities. In 1845 he founded the ''Barnstaple Literary and Scientific Institution'' and then in 1888, the ''North Devon Athenæum''. He also financed the purchase of land for Rock Park in Barnstaple and he set up a convalescent home in Mortehoe.
William Frederick Rock died at home in Hyde Cliff, Blackheath, Kent on 8 February 1890. He bequeathed his collections to the North Devon Athenæum.
William Frederick Rock
''North Devon Athenæum'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Rock, William Frederick Publishers (people) from London 1890 deaths 1801 births Businesspeople from Barnstaple 19th-century English businesspeople
Early life
Rock was born in Barnstaple to Henry and Prudence Rock. William was an elder child and older brother; he had two sisters, Ann (b. 1804), Prudence (b. 1810) and two brothers, Henry (b. 1806) and Richard (b. 1808). Another brother Charles and a sister Maria died as babies. His father was a shoemaker at 46 High Street and a freeman of the borough holding a right to vote. William came into contact with William Busk, a parliamentary contestant, who visited with the family. Busk took an interest in William and was able to present him to Christ's Hospital's London Bluecoat School, where he started in 1811.Career
On leaving school, Rock joined a bank inBideford
Bideford ( ) is a historic port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, south-west England. It is the main town of the Torridge local government district.
Toponymy
In ancient records Bideford is recorded as ''Bedeford'', ''By ...
, but the job apparently did not suit him as he ran into trouble several times for composing verses at work. Rock resigned and went to London, where another ex-parliamentary candidate for Barnstaple, Alderman Atkins, offered him a job at his bank.
Later on Rock went to work with printer and inventor Thomas de la Rue
Thomas de la Rue (24 March 1793 – 7 June 1866) was a printer from Guernsey who founded De La Rue plc, a printing company which is now the world's largest commercial security printer and papermaker.
Biography
Born on Le Bourg, Forest, Guernsey ...
where Rock was able to make enough money to start his own printing venture aided by his brothers. The business that specialized on publishing topographical, steel-engraved prints on pictorial note paper, fancy stationery, maps and playing cards, as well as books and booklets, prospered and Rock became a wealthy man.
Throughout the years Rock had several setbacks; for instance, in 1859 his factory at 11 Walbrook burned down. However, despite these he founded several publishing imprints:
* 1821-1833: De La Rue, Rock & Co.
* 1833-1843: William & Henry Rock.
* 1844-1883: Rock Brothers & Payne.
* 1884: Rock Brothers Ltd.
Rock Brothers became known for publishing the ''Queen's Album of Margate'' in Leporello album form. In 1883, Rock celebrated his 50th anniversary of being in the publishing business at a dinner at The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace was a cast iron and plate glass structure, originally built in Hyde Park, London, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. The exhibition took place from 1 May to 15 October 1851, and more than 14,000 exhibitors from around th ...
./ref>
Philanthropic activities
In 1884 Rock sold the ''Rock Brothers Ltd.'' to ''Dickinson & Co.'' and retired. With no wife or children to support, he decided to give generously to his birthplace, Barnstaple, and became engaged in multiple philanthropic activities. In 1845 he founded the ''Barnstaple Literary and Scientific Institution'' and then in 1888, the ''North Devon Athenæum''. He also financed the purchase of land for Rock Park in Barnstaple and he set up a convalescent home in Mortehoe.
William Frederick Rock died at home in Hyde Cliff, Blackheath, Kent on 8 February 1890. He bequeathed his collections to the North Devon Athenæum.
Works
* Rock, William Frederick. ''Winter gatherings: poems''. London: W. Kent & Co., 1877. 174 pp.References
External links
William Frederick Rock
''North Devon Athenæum'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Rock, William Frederick Publishers (people) from London 1890 deaths 1801 births Businesspeople from Barnstaple 19th-century English businesspeople