John Imison facts for kids
John Imison was a clever English inventor and printer who lived a long time ago. He worked in Manchester from 1783 to 1785. He was many things: a clock and watchmaker, an optician (someone who makes glasses), and a printer.
John Imison's Amazing Work
John Imison was known for his many skills. He wasn't just good at fixing clocks and making glasses; he also loved printing.
Becoming a Printer
A writer named Henry Lemoine said that John Imison also learned how to make his own letters for printing. This skill is called "letter-founding." He even printed many small, popular storybooks in Manchester. He made the pictures for these books himself using special wood carvings called woodcuts.
Famous Books He Printed
John Imison printed several interesting books. One was about farming, called Drill Husbandry Perfected, written around 1783. He also printed a book about the lives of religious figures in 1785. Another small book he printed was about how a weather glass works.
His most famous book was The School of Arts, or an Introduction to Useful Knowledge, which came out in 1785. This book was so popular that a part of it was later printed separately in London in 1787. It was called A Treatise on the 'Mechanical Powers'. Both of these books were printed again in 1794. The School of Arts was even re-released in 1803 with a new title, Elements of Science and Art, and again in 1807 and 1822.
His Final Years
John Imison passed away in London on 16 August 1788. He left behind a legacy of useful inventions and knowledge through his printed works.
