By the Rev. S. E. V. FILLEUL, M.A. 



(Read Feb. 19th, 1907.) 



[Y digging in our Dorset quarry for things antiquarian 

 and biographical, Hutchins' History, we find that 

 William Knapp, clerk of Poole (that is, " parish 

 clerk"), published "Church Melody" in 1753, 

 to which his portrait was prefixed, when aged 

 54. The book went through several editions, 

 He also published " A set of new Psalms and 

 anthems in four parts on various occasions," 



1738, which book also went through many editions. He died, 



we are told, in 1768, having been parish clerk for 39 years. And 



the tune called " Wareham " was named from the neighbouring 



town, his birthplace. 



The Dictionary of National Biography records very little more 



than this in the short account given of his life and work. It 



fixes 1698-1768 as the span of his life. 



Mr. W. K. Gill says that there is no memorial of him existing 



in Poole; only his burial on September 26th, 1768, is, I believe, 



contained in the registers. 



The tradition runs in Wareham that he was a shoemaker and 



played some instrument in Poole Church Choir. There are 



