James Ballantyne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Ballantyne
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James Ballantyne
15 January 1772 |
| Died | 26 January 1833 (aged 61) Edinburgh, Scotland
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| Nationality | Scottish |
| Occupation | Newspaper editor, book printer and theatre critic |
| Years active | 1796–1833 |
| Relatives | John Ballantyne (brother) George Hogarth (brother-in-law) R. M. Ballantyne (nephew) |
James Ballantyne (born January 15, 1772 – died January 26, 1833) was a Scottish solicitor, editor, and publisher. He is best known for working closely with his friend, the famous writer Sir Walter Scott. James's brother, John Ballantyne, also worked with their publishing company. They helped publish many of Scott's popular books.
Contents
Early Life and Education
James Ballantyne was born in Kelso, Scotland, in 1772. He was the oldest son in a family of successful business people. He went to Kelso Grammar School. There, in 1783, he first met Sir Walter Scott. They both loved reading and stories.
After high school, James went to Edinburgh University. He studied law there. In 1795, he returned to Kelso to become a solicitor, which is a type of lawyer.
Starting a Printing Business
Even though his family wasn't in printing, James opened his own printing office in 1796. On April 13, 1797, he published the first issue of The Kelso Mail. This was a newspaper that supported the Tory political party. James was also the editor of this newspaper.
Since the newspaper only came out once a week, James wanted more work. He hoped to print books for writers. In 1799, he asked Scott to write some articles for his newspaper. Scott then convinced James to start printing books too. That same year, James secretly printed two of Scott's early works. This was the start of a long partnership between them. Their work together lasted until Scott's death in 1832.
Success in Publishing
Scott was very impressed with the quality of James's printing. He offered James the chance to publish a collection of old Scottish songs and poems. This collection was called Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. It was printed in 1802 and became very popular. People were amazed that such good printing came from a small town.
After this success, Scott urged James to move to Edinburgh. James trained his younger brother, Alexander, to run The Kelso Mail. Then, in 1803, James moved to Edinburgh. He and Scott set up a new publishing office there. Alexander later bought all the rights to The Kelso Mail in 1806.
Scott loaned James money to help him start his new business in Edinburgh. James began with two printing presses. Soon, they had so much work that they needed more space and presses. By 1805, his shop was settled in Holyrood.
James and Scott had great success publishing Scott's books. These included Lay of the Last Minstrel and Marmion. They also printed books for other writers, like James Hogg's The Mountain Bard.
Challenges and Later Life
In 1815, James married Christina Hogarth. Her father wanted James to be free of debt before they married. Scott helped James with his debts. In return, Scott gained full ownership of James Ballantyne and Co. James then worked as a paid manager. He also became a theatre critic for the Edinburgh Evening Courant newspaper.
In 1817, James and his brother-in-law, George Hogarth, bought the Edinburgh Weekly Journal. James became the editor. His brother, John, wrote about music and plays.
By 1820, James was living at 10 St John Street in Edinburgh's Old Town.
After his brother John died in 1821, Scott made James a personal agent and partner. James's other brother, Alexander, then took over as editor of the Weekly Journal. The company grew and printed many legal and official documents. However, they still had money problems. Scott had been borrowing money to build his home, Abbotsford House, instead of paying off their business debts. James later moved to a new house at 3 Heriot Row.
In 1825–26, there was a big financial crisis. This caused many publishing companies to fail, including Archibald Constable's company, which published Scott's books. This also led to the failure of Ballantyne Press. James became responsible for half of the company's debt. He had to sell his family's valuable items and his new home. Scott publicly took responsibility and used money from his books to help pay off the debts. The debt was very large, around £120,000.
Christina, James's wife, died in 1829. James was very sad after her death. Sir Walter Scott died on September 21, 1832. James died soon after, on January 26, 1833. At the end of his life, James lived at 1 Hill Street.
After James's death, his son, John Alexander Ballantyne, took over Ballantyne Press. The company continued printing until 1916.
Working with Sir Walter Scott
James Ballantyne and Sir Walter Scott worked together for over 30 years. They had a very close relationship. James was a huge part of Scott's success as a writer.
James didn't just print Scott's books; he also acted as an editor. He would carefully read through Scott's writings. He would check for mistakes, fix grammar and punctuation, and give advice on how to improve the language and style. Scott trusted James to make changes even while the books were being printed.
Scott gave both James and his brother John nicknames. James was called Aldiborontiphoscophornio.
Family Connections
James Ballantyne was the brother of John Ballantyne, who was sometimes his business partner. His wife's brother, George Hogarth, was a well-known music critic and writer. James was also the uncle of R. M. Ballantyne, a famous Scottish author and artist. His niece, Catherine Hogarth, was the wife of the famous writer Charles Dickens.
Images for kids
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James Ballantyne's home at 3 Heriot Row
