William Blackwood facts for kids
William Blackwood (born November 20, 1776 – died September 16, 1834) was a Scottish publisher. He started a famous company called William Blackwood and Sons.
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Who Was William Blackwood?
William Blackwood was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on November 20, 1776. When he was 14, he began learning about bookselling in Edinburgh. He also worked in Glasgow and London for several years.
Starting His Own Business
In 1804, William came back to Edinburgh. He opened his own shop on South Bridge Street. He sold old, rare, and interesting books there. He also helped other publishers from London sell their books in Scotland. Slowly, he started publishing books himself.
In 1816, he moved his business to Princes Street. A year later, on April 1, 1817, he launched a new magazine. It was first called the Edinburgh Monthly Magazine. After seven issues, it changed its name to Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine.
The Famous "Maga" Magazine
People soon started calling the magazine "Maga." It became very important for the Scottish Tory political party. Many writers joined in, making Maga a popular place for new stories. It was even the first British literary magazine to publish work by an American writer, John Neal.
In 1829, William Blackwood told his son William, who was in India, about a big move. He was moving his shop from Princes Street to 45 George Street. He said George Street was becoming a better place for businesses. His brother Thomas bought the building next door at 43 George Street. In 1830, an architect named Thomas Hamilton redesigned the front of both buildings. Thomas's shop sold silk.
Where William Lived and Died
Towards the end of his life, William Blackwood lived at 3 Ainslie Place. This was in a nice part of Edinburgh called the Moray Estate. His bookshop at 45 George Street was an easy walk from his home.
William Blackwood passed away in 1834. He is buried in a special vault. You can find his grave in the Old Calton Burial Ground in Edinburgh.
William Blackwood's Family
William Blackwood married Janet Steuart in 1805. They had a large family together. Many of his sons joined his publishing company. Most of them are buried with him in the Old Calton Burial Ground.
- Alexander Blackwood (1806–1845)
- Robert Blackwood (1808–1852)
- Major William Blackwood (1810–1861) joined the publishing business after being in the military.
- Isabella Blackwood (1812–1897)
- James Blackwood (1814–1871)
- Thomas Blackwood (1816–1855) (buried in Boulogne)
- John Blackwood (1819–1879) became the editor of Blackwood's Magazine (buried in Dean Cemetery)
- Colonel Archibald Blackwood (1821–1870) chose a military career and died in Simla, India.
- Janet Blackwood (1823–1870) married Archibald Smith and moved to London (buried in Kensal Green Cemetery)
