Stow, John (1525-03-25 - 1605-04-05)

The exact birth date of John Stow is unknown. He was born in the parish of St Michael Cornhill, London, the son of a tallow-chandler. John Stow was a tailor until the 1560s, after which he devoted his time to the collection of rare books and manuscripts. Although he did not attend university or the Inns of Court, he counted prestigious figures, including John Dee, William Camden, and Archbishop Matthew Parker, amongst his acquaintances. Stow is best remembered for A Survey of London, first published in 1598, which has remained in print ever since. He died at the age of eighty on 5 April 1605, and was buried at St Andrew Undershaft.