The John Bargrave Collection
William Courten (28 Mar 1642 - 26 Mar 1702)
Alias William Charleton [Alias]Alias William Curteen [Alias]
Alias William Courtine [Alias]
Born Courten but later styled himself Charleton. John Ray called him “Courtine.” He incorporated Petiver’s collection, both of which were subsumed by Sloane. His collection was kept at “the [Middle] Temple in London.” Evelyn records his visit to Courten's museum (Zytaruk 2001).
He acquired some minor items from the Tradescant collection from Hester in 1667, but it is unlikely, given his age at the time, that he is the merchant "Mr. Charleton" named as a benefactor in Musaeum Tradescantianum (Leith-Ross, 173).
Courten sent seeds acquired from James Reed to William Sherard (Kusukawa, 30, n.147 citing J. Nichols, Illustrations of the Literary History of the Eighteenth Century (London, 1817), 1: 343).
A letter from Sloane is addressed to "William Charleton ... at his Chambers over Mr. North's, in Brick Court, Temple," dated 10 September 1687 (Kippis, 4: 345)
Involved early on with the club that met at the Temple Coffee House, sometimes hosting the group at his own home (Riley, 94). In a draft letter to William Sherard dated 11 May 1691, Courten describes an evening at the club when Henry Compton, Bishop of London, showed a book of miniature illustrations of plants (Sloane MS 3961, f. 41r).
Dictionary of National Biography entry: http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/6447?docPos=2 Other biography: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Courten,_William_%281642-1702%29_%28DNB00%29 Other Links: www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/gr/b/bronze_goose.aspx - British Museum. Bronze goose, Roman, 1st or 2nd century AD. "It was once part of the collection of coins, medals and other items owned by William Courten (1642-1702), which he kept in his rooms at the Temple, London. This is probably the goose that Courten acquired from a Mr Bagford.
Courten's surviving manuscript inventories of his collection are in code. The goose appears as 'I goose Rv-a-, Gv, fv\-)., at Paul's', meaning 'one Roman Goose found at St Paul's'. Courten referred to Bagford as 'iagfvp'." www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/loan_in/h/sloanes_collection_of_shells.aspx - British Museum. Hans Sloane's collection of shells. Some of which were acquired from Courten. www.britishmuseum.org/research/search_the_collection_database/search_object_details.aspx?objectid=1429417&partid=1&orig=/research/search_the_collection_database/advanced_search.aspx¤tPage=1&numpages=10 - British Library. One of Courten's prints, The massacre of the innocents Roles: Collector (major)
Relevant locations: Birth place in Fenchurch
Birth place in London
Current location at Natural History Museum
Educated at Westminster School
Housed collection or remnant at British Museum
Lived at or near Brick Court
Residence at Middle Temple
Residence at Fawsley Lodge
Visited Paris
Visited Montpellier
People linked to person: William Courten was a seller to Mr. Bateman (-fl. 1687)
William Courten was a associate or acquaintance (general) of Henry Compton (1631/2-1713)
William Courten was a seller to Mr. Cromer (-fl. 1687)
William Courten was a visited by John Evelyn (1620-1706)
William Courten was a seller to Mr. Gibson (-fl. 1687)
William Courten was a seller to Thomas Herbert (c.1656 -22 Jan 1733)
William Courten was a unspecified to Edward Lhwyd (1660-1709)
William Courten was a unspecified to Martin Lister (12 Apr 1639-2 Feb 1712)
William Courten was a source of object(s) for William Sherard (27 Feb 1658/9-11 Aug 1728)
William Courten was a unspecified to Hans Sloane (1660-1753)
William Courten was a source of object(s) for Stiles [Captain] (-fl. c. 1692)
William Courten was a member of Temple Coffee House club (-)
William Courten was a unspecified to John Tradescant, the Younger (4 Aug 1608 [bap.]-22 Apr 1662)
A cutler (-fl. c. 1697) was a seller to William Courten
A gentlewoman (-fl. c. 1698) was a seller to William Courten
A goldsmith in Fleet Street [unidentified] (-fl. c. 1698) was a seller to William Courten
A goldsmith in Henrietta Street [unidentified] (-fl. c. 1698) was a seller to William Courten
A goldsmith in Holbourn [unidentified] (-fl. c. 1698) was a seller to William Courten
A goldsmith in Russell Street [unidentified] (-fl. c. 1698) was a seller to William Courten
A goldsmith in The Strand [unidentified] (-fl. c. 1698) was a seller to William Courten
A goldsmith [unidentified] (-) was a seller to William Courten
Mrs. Alley (-fl. 1689) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
An ironmonger/goldsmith at Charing Cross (-fl. c. 1698) was a seller to William Courten
Simons Anne or Judith (-fl. 1689) was a seller to William Courten
Apothecary, An (-) was a seller to William Courten
Eleanor Ashmole (1603-1641) was a seller to William Courten
A stranger (-fl. c. 1697) was a seller to William Courten
A waterman (-fl. c. 1692) was a seller to William Courten
Mr. W. B. (-fl. c. 1693) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
John Bagford (1650/1-5 May 1716) was a seller to William Courten
Barber, The (-fl. 1689) was a seller to William Courten
Charles Beaumont (-fl. 1693) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of William Courten
Mr. (younger) Bennet (-) was a seller to William Courten
Mrs. Berrenclow (-fl. c. 1689) was a seller to William Courten
Robert Bertie (8 Nov 1630-8 May 1701) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of William Courten
Adrian Beverland (1650-1716) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Jacob Bobart (2 Aug 1641-1719) was a donor to William Courten
Mrs. Bonfield (-fl. c. 1690) was a seller to William Courten
Mr. Bonifar (-fl. c. 1692) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Mr. Bopham (-fl. c. 1692) was a seller to William Courten
Mrs. Bowers (-fl. c. 1690) was a seller to William Courten
Mr. Clarke (-) was a donor to William Courten
Mr. Coopman (-fl. c. 1690) was a seller to William Courten
William Courten (c.1568-1636) was a grand-father of William Courten
William Courten (-1655) was a father of William Courten
Mr. Creech (-fl. c. 1692) was a seller to William Courten
C. R. S. (-fl. c. 1690) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
C. Delues (-) was a donor to William Courten
Jane Delves (1653-1692) was a cousin of William Courten
Samuel Doody (28 May 1656-1706) was a donor to William Courten
Charles Dubois (bap. 1658-1740) was a donor to William Courten
Dutch Doctor (-fl. 1689) was a seller to William Courten
Mr. East (-fl. 1690) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Mr. Forster (-) was a donor to William Courten
Mr. Fortune (-fl. 1690) was a seller to William Courten
Mr. Foster (-fl. c. 1692) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Galliard (-fl. 1698) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of William Courten
German doctor (-fl. c. 1697) was a seller to William Courten
Mr. Gibson (-fl. 1687) was a seller to William Courten
Mr. Gidley (-fl. 1691) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of William Courten
Mr. Giffith (-fl. c. 1689) was a seller to William Courten
Mr. Goldey (-fl. c. 1692) was a seller to William Courten
Mrs. Goldsmith (-fl. 1689) was a seller to William Courten
goldsmith, a [unidentified] (-fl. 1695) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Mr. Green (-fl. c. 1690) was a seller to William Courten
Edward Harrison (-1716) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Mr. Harrison (-fl. c. 1691) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of William Courten
Mrs. Harvey (-fl. 1690) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Richard Hawkins (c.1560-1622) was a unspecified to William Courten
Mr. Helbot (-fl. c. 1689) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Thomas Herbert (c.1656 -22 Jan 1733) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Mr. Huxley (-fl. c. 1697) was a seller to William Courten
Henry Iden (-fl. 1688) was a seller to William Courten
Mr. Jackson (-fl. 1690) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Ann Keatch (-) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of William Courten
Jane Keatch (-) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of William Courten
William Keatch (-) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of William Courten
Kingsley (-fl. 1690) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Joseph Knight (-fl. 1698) was a source of information for William Courten
Anne Knightly (-) was a unspecified to William Courten
Kreitmer (-fl. 1689) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
David Krieg (1669- 23 Jul 1710) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of William Courten
Mr. Lane (-fl. c. 1692) was a seller to William Courten
Mrs. Langly (-) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of William Courten
Mr. La Roche (-fl. c. 1692) was a seller to William Courten
Little goldsmith (-fl. c. 1692) was a seller to William Courten
John Lloyd (-fl. 1692) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
John Locke (29 Aug 1632 -28 Oct 1704) was a correspondent of William Courten
Mr. Marshall (-fl. 1689) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Mrs. Marshall (-fl. 1690) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Gaspar Meyer (-) was a employed by William Courten
Peter Mundy (c. 1596-c. 1667) was a unspecified to William Courten
Mr. Norris (-fl. 1694) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Mr. Ostome (-) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Mr. Ox (-fl. c. 1698) was a seller to William Courten
Padre Colonelli (-fl. c. 1696) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Edward Pinfold (-active 1681-1712) was a recipient of object(s) from William Courten
Leonard Plukenet (1642-1706) was a friend of William Courten
Thomas Povey (1613/14-c.1705) was a donor to William Courten
John Radcliffe (1650 [bap.]-1714) was a unspecified William Courten
Arthur Rawdon (17 Oct 1662-1695) was a correspondent of William Courten
John Ray (1627-1705) was a unspecified to William Courten
James Reed (-fl. 1690) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Richard Richardson (1663-1741) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Posthumous Salwey (-1698) was a relative of William Courten
William Sherard (27 Feb 1658/9-11 Aug 1728) was a correspondent of William Courten
Dr Slayer (-fl. c. 1692) was a seller to William Courten
Mr. Stannard (-fl. c. 1690) was a seller to William Courten
William Stonestreet (1659-1716) was a visitor to the collection of William Courten
James Sutherland (1638-1719) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of William Courten
Mr. Teroud (-fl. c. 1690) was a seller to William Courten
Ralph Thoresby (1658-1725) was a unspecified to William Courten
Nicolas Toinard (1628-1706) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of William Courten
Mr. Tollet (-fl. c. 1690) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Richard Tompson (1620?-1693) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (5 Jun 1656-28 Dec 1708) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of William Courten
Hester Tradescant (-1678) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Un-named Dr. on an East India ship (-fl. 1690) was a seller to William Courten
Mr. Vesiere (-fl. c. 1690) was a seller to William Courten
Walvren (-fl. 1690) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Mr. Warner (-fl. c. 1692) was a seller to William Courten
Widow of St. Catherine's (-fl. c. 1690) was a seller to William Courten
Mr. Wright (-fl. 1689) was a seller to William Courten
Mr. Wyatt (-fl. 1689) was a seller to William Courten