Wellins Calcott

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Wellins Calcott (fl. 1756–1769), was a British Christian author and Freemason.{{cite book |title=The Continuum Encyclopedia of British Philosophy |date=2006 |publisher=Thoemmes Continuum |location=London |isbn=978-1843711414}}{{cite ODNB |last1=Sutton |first1=C. W. |last2=Major |first2=Emma |editor-first1=Emma |editor-last1=Major |title=Calcott, Wellins|url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-4359 |date=2004 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/4359 |access-date=28 May 2023}}

Calcott was a native of Shropshire, the son of Matthew Calcott, a member of the corporation of Shrewsbury.{{cite book|author=Albert G. Mackey|title=Encyclopedia Of Freemasonry: English Edition|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SY-kAQAAQBAJ&pg=PT830|date=24 October 2013|publisher=Jazzybee Verlag|isbn=978-3-8496-3156-7|pages=830–1}}{{cite web |title=Wellins Calcott |url=https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/people/ap7239/calcott-wellins |publisher=The Science Museum |access-date=28 May 2023 |language=en}} In 1756, he published the book Thoughts, Moral and Divine, issued in London. According to the preface he was induced to become an author by reverses of fortune. He published it by subscription, and was enabled thereby to make advances towards a restoration of a settled life. A second edition was brought out at Birmingham in 1758;{{cite book |last1=Calcott |first1=Wellins |title=Thoughts Moral and Divine |date=1758 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y-RhAAAAcAAJ |access-date=10 July 2021}} a third at Coventry in 1759; a fourth at Manchester in 1761; a fifth at Exeter (retitled A collection of thoughts...) in 1764 and a sixth at London in 1766.{{cite journal |last1=Morgan |first1=Paul |title=The Use of the Long 's' in Britain: a Note |journal=Quadrat |date=2002 |url=https://www.cphc.org.uk/quadrat-archive|pages=23–28}}

In 1769 he published A Candid Disquisition of the Principles and Practices of the most ancient and honourable Society of Free and Accepted Masons, London, 8vo, also by subscription.{{cite book |last1=Calcott |first1=Wellins |title=A candid disquisition of the principles and practices of the most antient and honourable society of Free and Accepted Masons; together with some strictures on the origin, nature, and design of that institution. |date=1669 |url=https://archive.org/details/candiddisquisiti00calc |access-date=10 July 2021}}{{cite book |last1=Calcott |first1=Wellins |title=A candid disquisition of the principles and practices of the most antient and honourable society of Free and Accepted Masons; together with some strictures on the origin, nature, and design of that institution. |date=1772 |url=https://archive.org/details/candiddisquisiti00calc_0 |access-date=10 July 2021}} This work is said to have been the means of leading many persons to join the society. It was reprinted in 1847 by Dr. George Oliver, who considered it the ‘gem of the period’ in which it was written.{{cite DNB|wstitle=Calcott, Wellins|volume=8}}

According to a Freemason encyclopaedia Calcott travelled extensively (also suggested by the range of places where his book was published) and spent time in America. He was apparently still alive in 1779.