Background
Paul Fourdrinier, engraver and printseller, was born on 20 December 1698 in Groningen in the Netherlands, the son of Jacques Fourdrinier and his wife, Jeanne Theroude, Huguenot refugees from Dieppe, Normandy.
Paul Fourdrinier, engraver and printseller, was born on 20 December 1698 in Groningen in the Netherlands, the son of Jacques Fourdrinier and his wife, Jeanne Theroude, Huguenot refugees from Dieppe, Normandy.
He was a pupil of Bernard Picart at Amsterdam for six years, and came to England in 1720. He was employed in engraving portraits and book illustrations. He also engraved two works by Peter Monamy, marine paintings displayed in Vauxhall Gardens.
The engravings were published in 1743, but may have been executed earlier.
Starting in 1742 Fourdrinier produced a series of books consisting of numerous folding charts showing "The Succession of Colonels to all his Majesties Land Forces from their Rise to 1742", as well as many other details of British military and naval personnel. The 2004 edition of the Oxford Dictionary of National makes it clear that in the 19th century edition of the Dictionary of National this engraver"s works and career were assigned to two individuals, Peter (or Pierre) and Paul Fourdrinier.
Peter/Pierre is now seen to be a fictitious individual resulting from an accidental misnaming of Paul. Paul Fourdrinier is mentioned as the engraver of some of the works listed above, and he has been identified with the Paul Fourdrinier who was of the parish of Saint Martin"s-in-the-Fields, married to Susanna Grolleau, and who died in January or February 1758.
The couple had at least five children, including a son Henry Fourdrinier, whose daughter, or granddaughter, Jemima Fourdrinier was the mother of Cardinal John Henry Newman.
He died 18 February 1758.