Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Rudder, Samuel
RUDDER, SAMUEL (d. 1801), topographer, was born at Cirencester, Gloucestershire, where he carried on business as a printer. For many years he collected materials for a new history to supersede ‘The Ancient and Present State of Gloucestershire’ (1712) of Sir R. Atkyns. He issued proposals for the publication of his book in 1767, but W. Herbert brought out a new edition (1768) of Atkyns's work to forestall him. Rudder printed as a specimen of his proposed history ‘The History of the Parish and Abbey of Hales’ (1768), and in 1779 published his ‘New History of Gloucestershire’ (Cirencester, folio). Horace Walpole, in writing to Cole the antiquary, 27 Dec. 1779, says that Rudder's ‘additions to Sir R. Atkyns make it the most sensible history of a county we have had yet’ (Letters, 1858, vii. 299, see also pp. 280, 337). ‘The History and Antiquities of Gloucester’ (Cirencester, 1781, 8vo) is taken from Rudder's larger work, as is also his ‘History of the Ancient Town of Cirencester’ (1800, 2nd edit.) In 1763 first appeared his ‘History of Fairford Church,’ of which the tenth edition is dated 1785.
Rudder died 15 March 1801, at Chelsea.
[Gent. Mag. 1801, i. 285; Nichols's Illustrations, vi. 397; Upcott's Bibl. Account of English Topogr. 1818, i. 250–3.]