Scottish printer and publisher
William Strahan
(24 March 1715 ? 9 July 1785) was a Scottish printer and publisher, and a politician who sat in the
House of Commons
between from 1774 to 1784. He was a correspondent and later a good friend of
Benjamin Franklin
.
Early life
[
edit
]
Born in
Edinburgh
as
William Strachan
, and educated at the
Royal High School
, Strahan was the son of George Strachan, an Edinburgh solicitor and grandson of John Strachan, professor of divinity at the
University of Edinburgh
. originally apprenticed to an Edinburgh printer but became a Master Printer in
London
(at which time he changed the spelling of his name). In 1738 he was made a
Freeman of the City of London
and a freeman of the
Stationers' Company
. He married Margaret Penelope Elphinstone, daughter of Edinburgh Episcopal Clergyman William Elphnstone, at St Mary Le Bow on 20 July 1738.
[1]
[2]
They had five children, two daughters and three sons, one of whom,
Andrew
, would succeed him as
King's Printer
.
[3]
Printing to publishing
[
edit
]
Diversifying from printing to publishing, Strahan built up a successful business, at one time employing 50 men. He was
Samuel Johnson
's chief publisher, being entrusted with the printing of
Johnson
's
Dictionary
, and also published the works of the philosophers
David Hume
and
Adam Smith
, and the historian
Edward Gibbon
. Prominent 18th Century
Freemason
William Preston
had attended the same school as Strahan in Edinburgh and was employed by Strahan, as an editor, particularly of David Hume's works. From 1770, Strahan was
Printer to the King
. Strahan was also the printer for the successful London bookseller
Andrew Millar
, as well as his longtime friend and business partner.
[4]
Between 1740 and 1765 Strahan moved his London premises four times in the area between St Bride's and the Strand. By 1770 he owned the biggest printing operation in the kingdom, comprising three separate printing businesses in six buildings.
Friendship with Benjamin Franklin
[
edit
]
For many years, Strahan attended debates in Parliament and wrote reports of the proceedings that were widely circulated; his paragraphs of political news were frequently printed in
The Pennsylvania Gazette
, and he became a friend of its owner,
Benjamin Franklin
. His protege,
David Hall
, succeeded Franklin at his print shop in Philadelphia when Franklin retired in 1747. At first he sympathised with the grievances of the American colonists, disapproving of the
Stamp Act
and publishing arguments in favour of a reconciliation in his
London Chronicle
.
However, he later developed a much more hostile attitude, writing to Hume in 1775
"I am entirely for coercive methods with these obstinate madmen."
He voted with Parliament, declaring the patriots as "rebels", which prompted Franklin to write him a letter, which he never sent, declaring "You are now my enemy, and i am yours". This hostility also led to
Benjamin Franklin
ending their friendship, but reconciling after the war.
[5]
Strahan and Franklin corresponded about politics and matters involving their printing businesses throughout much of their lives. There are approximately 130 surviving letters between the two men, many of which have been reprinted in
The Papers of Benjamin Franklin
.
[6]
Parliamentary career
[
edit
]
In 1774, Strahan purchased a seat as MP for the
Wiltshire
borough of
Malmesbury
, sitting as a supporter of
Lord North's
Tory
administration. He represented that constituency until 1780, and then
Wootton Bassett
from 1780 to 1784, when he stood down because of ill health. He died the following year.
[7]
Portrait by Reynolds
[
edit
]
The original painting of Strahan by
Reynolds
is located at the
National Portrait Gallery
in
London
where it is part of the permanent collection. The painting was first exhibited in 1783.
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Margaret Penelope ELPHINSTONE"
. Archived from
the original
on 15 August 2016
. Retrieved
14 August
2016
.
- ^
"William STRAHAN King's Printer and MP"
. Archived from
the original
on 15 August 2016
. Retrieved
14 August
2016
.
- ^
Strahan, William (1886). "Correspondence between William Strahan and David Hall, 1763-1777. From the Originals in the Possession of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania".
The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography
.
10
(1): 86?99.
JSTOR
20084746
.
- ^
"The manuscripts, Letter from Thomas Becket to William Strahan and William Rose, 25 December, 1759. Andrew Millar Project. University of Edinburgh"
.
www.millar-project.ed.ac.uk
. Retrieved
3 June
2016
.
- ^
Van Doren, 1938
, pp. 539-540
- ^
Labaree, 1966
, p. 189
- ^
"STRAHAN, William (1715-85), of Little New St., London"
. History of Parliament Online
. Retrieved
27 November
2017
.
Sources
[
edit
]
- Labaree, Leonard W. (April 1966). "New Franklin Letters".
The Yale University Library Gazette
.
40
(4). Yale University Library: 188?193.
JSTOR
40858095
.
External links
[
edit
]
- Lee, Sidney
, ed. (1898).
"Strahan, William"
.
Dictionary of National Biography
. Vol. 55. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
- unsourced article on Electric Scotland website
- Letters of David Hume to William Strahan at Online Library of Liberty
- Correspondence between William Strahan and David Hall, 1763-1777 at Historical Society of Pennsylvania
- The
William Strahan Letters
, dating from 1751 to 1777, are available for research use at the
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
.
- Reynolds' portrait of Strahan
- Robert Beatson,
A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament
(London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807)
[1]
- Lewis Namier & John Brooke,
The History of Parliament: The House of Commons 1754-1790
(London: HMSO, 1964)
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