Background
Benjamin White was the eldest son of John White (1688 - 1758), a barrister, and his wife Anne (born Holt).
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Benjamin White
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Ben attended school at Bishop"s Waltham and he went to London to join the publishing business.
Career
The White family lived at The Wakes the family home in Selborne which was to become a memorial to the White family. White published a number of Pennant"s books, including his British Zoology (1776-1777). The family connection was extended by Benjamin"s brother John.
John had sent many specimens back to England for Gilbert to study.
This is now a lost book The publishing firm at the corner of Fleet Street and The Strand was known as Horace"s Head.
lieutenant was the first to specialise in books on natural history and his publishing house became a meeting place for naturalists such as Thomas Pennant, who had many editions of his books published by White. He also published books on Mollusc shells by Emanuel Mendez da Costa.
White issued sale catalogues on a regular basis, as did many of his contemporaries, and many of these may now be viewed online.
White"s son, also Benjamin, joined the firm and he was involved in publishing Gilbert"s Selborne. White died in Bentley, Hampshire having been a successful Fleet Street publisher. The White family home in Selborne, The Wakes, is preserved as a museum.
