James Abree (fl. 1717–1768)

ABREE (JAMES), printer and booksellerQ6128343 at Canterbury. Over against the Three Tuns, (a) Castle Street; (b) St. Margaret's Parish. 1717–68. Settled at Canterbury in 1717, and began by printing a sheet, containing the names of the mayor, aldermen and common council, who had encouraged the revival of printing in the city. On October 23rd, 1717, appeared the first number of a newspaper called The Kentish Post or, The Canterbury News Letter. The early numbers were printed for the proprietors by Thomas Reeve, in quarto form with a cover. It was afterwards printed by James Abree in partnership with W. Aylett and then by Abree alone, and it then took the ordinary form of a small folio, and appeared twice a week. The Kentish news in this sheet was confined to a few inches of space on the last page, and was of very little interest; but many Kentish advertisements were inserted. In 1718 Abree printed Thomas Hardres's Panegyrical Poem on the Fair and Celebrated Beauties in and about the City of Canterbury, folio; in 1726–7 several quarto pamphlets in a quarrel between doctors Packe and Grey of Canterbury, and in 1740 Poems on Several Occasions, by an anonymous lady. Abree was also a bookseller and stationer, and sold wall papers and patent medicines. He circulated by his chapmen many books published in weekly or monthly parts, by London publishers. About 1764 he took into partnership George Kirkby, the son of a Canterbury clergyman, in favour of whom he retired in 1768. Kirkby then dropped the publication of the Kentish Post, and entered into partnership with another Canterbury printer, James Simmons, who was then publishing a rival sheet, called The Kentish Gazette, or Canterbury Chronicle. James Abree died on August 20th, 1768, aged 77, administration of his effects being granted to his daughter.