William Maltby (1763–1854) was an English solicitor, librarian and bibliographer, known also as a close friend of the poet Samuel Rogers.
Early life
Born in London on 17 January 1763, he was youngest of the ten children of Brough Maltby, a wholesale draper, of Mansion House Street, and his wife Ann Dyer; Edward Maltby the bishop was a first cousin, as was the journalist John Dyer Collier, father of John Payne Collier. He was educated at the school of the Rev. James Pickbourne in Hackney, where he formed his life-long acquaintance with Samuel Rogers, a fellow-pupil.
Legal career
Maltby went on to study at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, but as a Dissenter, did not take a degree. He practised law as a solicitor for at time with his elder brother, Rowland Maltby, who had been clerk to the Fishmongers' Company. On 23 June 1787 he was called to the bar at Gray's Inn.
Rowland Maltby was a witness in 1809 for the parliamentary investigation into the affair of Mary Anne Clarke, supposed as a royal mistress to have sold army commissions. On 13 February he revealed the involvement of Russell Manners, a former Member of Parliament: he and Manners had married sisters.
