The Bowyer Bible's journey to Bolton Libraries from London begins with a humble family of haberdashers. Bowyer had tried with no success to sell his work after its completion. He felt the Bible was worth a great deal, estimating that the cost of compiling the Bible had cost him 4,000 guineas.

He did attempt to sell it to the Bodleian library for £2,500 but with no success. The Bible was still in Bowyers possession at his death and afterwards came into the hands of a certain Mary Parkes. Parkes had been involved arranging Bowyer's business affairs while he was alive.

She applied to the government for permission to sell the Bible by lottery. Interested parties could buy a share at one guinea each. This took place but the lottery did not gain enough interest and did not reach the target value of 3,100 guineas.

The lottery winner was a London haberdasher called Saxon who, despite recognising the merits of the Bible, decided to sell his prize. The Bible was sold on and in time came to the attention of an agent who worked for John Albinson, a noted Bolton book collector who purchased it a short while before his death.

Robert Heywood, a one-time Bolton Mayor, bid £550 for the Bible at an auction of Albinson's renowned antique book collection. It was with his family that the bible remained, being passed on to his son, John Heywood, Mayor of Bolton between 1903 and 1905.

After he died his widow loaned the Bible to the Libraries Committee. This arrangement continued until 1948 when the Haslam's, the grandchildren of Robert Heywood, decided to donate the Bible to the town.

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