Life

He was brother to Robert Norris. He was elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries on 4 April 1754, and that year began to assist Joseph Ames

Joseph Ames (author)

Joseph Ames was an English bibliographer and antiquary. He wrote an account of printing in England from 1471 to 1600, entitled Typographical Antiquities...

 as secretary to the society. On Ames's death, in 1759, Norris became sole secretary, and held the post as an effective official until 1786, when he retired on account of ill-health.

He was for several years corrector for the press to Thomas Baskett, the royal printer. He died in Camden Street, Islington

Islington

Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...

, in November 1791, and was buried in the burial-ground of St James, Pentonville, on 29 November.