Thomson Bonar facts for kids
Thomson Bonar was a Scottish businessman. He was born around 1738 or 1739 and passed away on July 25, 1814. He was known for his work with the famous Encyclopædia Britannica.
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Thomson Bonar and the Britannica
Thomson Bonar was a wine merchant. He became connected to the Encyclopædia Britannica through his marriage. He married Elizabeth, the daughter of Andrew Bell. Andrew Bell was an engraver who helped start the Britannica with Colin Macfarquhar.
Selling the Britannica
Bonar played a big role in selling the Britannica. He sold the 3rd, 4th, and 5th editions of the encyclopedia. He also created a special extra book, called a supplement, for the 3rd edition. This supplement added new information to the encyclopedia.
Supporting Authors
Thomson Bonar cared about the people who wrote for the Britannica. He made sure that authors were paid for their work. He also allowed them to keep the rights to their articles. This meant they could publish their work separately if they wanted to. This was a new and fair policy for writers at the time.
Working with the Britannica Team
Bonar had some disagreements with his father-in-law, Andrew Bell. They did not speak to each other for many years. After Bell passed away, Archibald Constable took over the Britannica. Constable was smart and bought Bonar's rights to the supplement. This helped keep Bonar as a friend and supporter of the encyclopedia.
Thomson Bonar's Final Resting Place
Thomson Bonar passed away on July 25, 1814, when he was 75 years old. He is buried in St Cuthberts Churchyard in Edinburgh, Scotland. His grave is in the northern part of the churchyard. His grandson, who was also named Thomson Bonar, is buried with him.
