Music Entries at Stationers' Hall, 1710–1818

The British Copyright Act of 1709 protected proprietors of books and music printed after 10 April 1710 who gave copies to the Company of Stationers in London. Upon receipt of a copy, usually within days of its first publication, the Stationers' Hall warehouse keeper entered details into a register. They included the date of registration, the name of the work's proprietor (its author or, if copyright had been transferred, its publisher), and the work's full title, which normally named the compose