William Alexander (3 January 1768,
Needham Market
Needham Market is a small town in the Mid Suffolk district of Suffolk, England, set in the Gipping Valley. Nearby villages include Barking, Suffolk, Barking, Darmsden, Badley and Creeting St Mary. The town is located just east of the A14 road ( ...
,–2 April,
York
York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...
1841) was an English Quaker, businessman, educator, bookseller, publisher and author, who wrote under the name Amicus.
Early life
He was third surviving son of
Dykes Alexander (senior), a Quaker elder, and
Martha Biddle, a Quaker minister, His sister was
Mary Alexander
Mary Spratt Provoost Alexander (April 16, 1693 – April 18, 1760) was an influential colonial era merchant in New York City.
Early life
Mary was born in New York City on April 16, 1693. She was the daughter of John Spratt (c. 1650–1697) an ...
, author and Quaker evangelist. as well as
Dykes Alexander (junior). He was educated in
Wandsworth
Wandsworth Town () is a district of south London, within the London Borough of Wandsworth southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.
Toponymy
Wandsworth takes its name ...
. Then in 1782 he was apprenticed to Joseph Brown (1746-1808) a miller of Luton. Then in 1786 he returned to Needham Market where he worked as a mealman.
Later life
By 1808 he was living in York. Here he was in charge of a girls' school, in
Castlegate until 1810. Then he worked as a Printer, Stationer & Bookseller in York, where he started the
Annual Monitor in 1811 and established
Sessions of York.
His wife Ann (née
Tuke) wrote and campaigned on behalf of chimney-boys.
He was appointed a Director of the
Friends Provident Institution. He was made a
Freeman
Freeman, free men, Freeman's or Freemans may refer to:
Places United States
* Freeman, Georgia, an unincorporated community
* Freeman, Illinois, an unincorporated community
* Freeman, Indiana, an unincorporated community
* Freeman, South Dako ...
of the
City of York
The City of York, officially simply "York", is a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England.
...
in 1813 and served as
Chamberlain of the city in 1818.
Works
* 181
Some Account of the Life and Religious Experience of Mary Alexander, Late of Needham Market York: W. Alexander
* 182
''Remarks on temporary accommodations for holding meetings for worship; principally extracted from Observations on the construction and fitting up of Meeting Houses, &c.'' York: W. Alexander & Son
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, William
English Quakers
1768 births
1841 deaths
English printers