Ann Ward (printer) facts for kids
Ann Ward (born around 1715 or 1716 – died April 10, 1789) was an important British printer and business owner. She ran a successful printing company in York during the 1700s.
Ann Ward's Life and Work
Ann Ward was born around 1715 or 1716. She married Caesar Ward, a printer from York, in 1738. Caesar and his wife's brother, Richard Chandler, bought a newspaper called the York Courant.
When Caesar died in 1759, Ann took over the newspaper business. She ran it successfully until she passed away in 1789. In York, the Ward family owned a bookshop. It was located above the Black Swan pub on Coney Street. Their printing workshop was also nearby, in a place called Leopard's Yard.
Ann worked with another printer named David Russell. He became a part-owner of the business. However, his name did not appear on the books or newspapers they printed. In 1787, Ann bought Russell's share of the company. This allowed her to pass the entire business to her son-in-law, George Peacock.
Printing Famous Books
Ann Ward is most famous for printing the first edition of a very important book. This was The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne. This book was published in 1760.
Sterne had first asked a London printer, Robert Dodsley, to print his book. But after they disagreed, Sterne decided to work with Ann Ward in York. In October 1759, Sterne wrote to Dodsley, saying, "The Book shall be printed here."
Other Important Publications
Ann Ward's company also printed many other important works.
- In 1787, she printed the first guide book for the city of York. This book had 32 pages. It described York's public buildings. It also listed the main merchants and traders in the city.
- Ward also published a two-volume history of York Minster. This detailed the famous cathedral and its clergy (church leaders). It was based on an earlier book from 1737 by Francis Drake.
- In 1779, Ward published a book of poems by William Mason.
Records from the 1700s show that Ann Ward printed almost one hundred different titles. This shows she was a very busy and successful printer.
