Francis Stainforth

The Reverend Francis John Stainforth (1797[1] – 3 September 1866[2]) was an early British philatelist, conchologist, and collector of books by women writers.

He was the Perpetual curate of All Hallows Staining church in London, where Mount Brown compiled large parts of his catalogue.

[2] Alumni Cantabrigienses, philatelic sources, and Stainforth's death certificate all give his forenames as Francis John.

[3] Stainforth met at the Rectory in 9 Mark Lane, which adjoined the church, on Saturday afternoons with a group of like-minded collectors to pool their knowledge.

Apart from Mount Brown, these included Dr. Charles W. Viner, Henry Haslett, Frederick Philbrick, William Hughes-Hughes and Sir Daniel Cooper.