Andro Hart facts for kids

Andro Hart (who passed away in December 1621), also known as Andrew Hart, was an important Scottish printer, publisher, and bookseller in Edinburgh. He played a big role in making books available in Scotland during his time.

A Life in Books

Andro Hart had a busy shop on the north side of Edinburgh's High Street, a very active part of the city. His printing workshop was also located nearby. He was known as the main printer, publisher, and bookseller in Edinburgh during his era.

Hart worked with famous writers like Sir William Alexander and Drummond of Hawthornden. Both of these authors respected him a lot. In 1618, the poet Michael Drayton even tried to arrange for Hart to publish part of his long poem, 'Poly-Olbion.'

Andro Hart published some very important books. In 1610, he released an excellent edition of the Bible. He also published 'The Bruce,' a famous Scottish poem by John Barbour.

Bringing Books to Scotland

Hart didn't just print books; he also brought many books into Scotland from other countries. In 1590, he and an English partner, John Norton, told the government that they had been importing books from places like Germany for about two years. This meant Edinburgh had more books than ever before. They also made sure these books were as affordable as those sold in London. Their efforts helped stop the government from adding a new tax on imported books.

In 1596, Hart was briefly held by the authorities after some trouble in the streets of Edinburgh. However, he was likely set free soon after. He was known as a respected citizen and bookseller of Edinburgh.

Andro Hart passed away in December 1621. He was married twice. With his first wife, Janet Micklehill, he had a son named Samuel. With his second wife, Janet Kene, he had two more sons, John and Andrew, along with several daughters. In his will, he hoped his eldest son, Samuel, would teach his younger brothers the family business of selling books if they grew up to be interested.

Categories