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Stephen College

Also known as: Stephen College; primary name: College, Stephen
Details: individual; printmaker; revolutionary/activist; British; Male
Life dates: 1635?-1681
Biography: Protestant propagandist and print producer, known as 'The protestant joiner', executed for treason. College used his contacts as a successful carpenter to become an intimate of many of the promoters of the idea of the Popish Plot, and became a prolific polemicist, inventing numerous ballads and prints as well as a vicious weapon which he called 'the protestant flail'. His willingness to incite violence led to his arrest for sedition in June 1681, and he was eventually convicted, hanged and quartered after a show trial in August. Luttrell annotated his copy of 'The Raree Show' of March 1681 with the note 'A most scandalous libel against the Government for which with other things Colledge was most justly executed' (not in BMSat; George pl.16). A high point of College's trial was the production of a mysterious but treasonable picture of which he was said to have several in his house ('The arraignment, trial and condemnation of Stephen College', 1681, p.32). According to George, it is the only occasion that a print has featured in a trial for treason. Panelling by College survives in the Stationers' Company Hall.
Bibliography: DNB B.J.Rahn 'Revolutionary propaganda in the treason trial of SC' in P.J.Korshin (ed.) 'Aspects of British Intellectual History 1640-1800', 1972. 'The Print in Stuart Britain', BM 1998, cat.199

14 related objects

photographic print; broadside

Title: The Solemn Mock Procession of the Pope, Cardinalls, Jesuits, Fryers, Nuns exactly taken as they marc |
Museum number: 1871,1209.6509 |
Producer name: BIOG133093 After:Stephen College |
Production date: 1680

print

Title: Stephen College The Protestant Joiner |
Museum number: 1902,1011.6868 |
Producer name: BIOG64572 Print made by:Anonymous |
Production date: 17thC

print

Title: Stephen College The Protestant Joiner |
Museum number: 1902,1011.6869 |
Producer name: BIOG64572 Print made by:Anonymous |
Production date: 17thC

print; broadside; satirical print

Title: Strange's Case, Strangly Altered |
Museum number: 1868,0808.3295 |
Producer name: BIOG133093 Print made by:Stephen College |
Production date: 1680

print; book-illustration

Title: Stephen College |
Museum number: 1920,1211.418 |
Producer name: BIOG130117 Published by:R S Kirby |
Production date: 1813 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; broadside; satirical print

Title: The Catholick Gamesters or A Dubble Match of Bowleing |
Museum number: 1849,0315.79 |
Producer name: Print made by:Stephen CollegePublished by:William & Joseph Marshall |
Production date: 1680

print

Museum number: P,6.238 |
Producer name: BIOG64572 Print made by:Anonymous |
Production date: 1681-1688

print

Title: Stephen College The Protestant Joiner |
Museum number: 1864,1114.774 |
Producer name: BIOG64572 Print made by:Anonymous |
Production date: 17thC

print; satirical print

Title: A Raree Show |
Museum number: 1937,0707.2 |
Producer name: BIOG133093 After:Stephen College |
Production date: 1850-1937

print; satirical print

Title: The Contents (Hats for Caps) Contented |
Museum number: 1849,0315.87 |
Producer name: BIOG133093 Print made by:Stephen College |
Production date: 1680

print

Title: Stephen College |
Museum number: Heal,Portraits.61 |
Producer name: BIOG43581 Published by:William Richardson |
Production date: 1795 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; broadside

Title: The Solemn Mock Procession of the Pope, Cardinalls, Jesuits, Fryers, Nuns exactly taken as they marc |
Museum number: 1849,0315.67 |
Producer name: Attributed to:Stephen CollegePublished by:John Oliver |
Production date: 1680 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; broadside; satirical print

Title: Strange's Case, Strangly Altered |
Museum number: 1850,0223.914 |
Producer name: BIOG133093 Print made by:Stephen College |
Production date: 1680

print; satirical print

Title: A Prospect of a Popish Successor Mack-Ninny |
Museum number: 1868,0808.3296 |
Producer name: BIOG133093 Print made by:Stephen College |
Production date: 1681

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