Publications of Peter Williamson

Note: The following printer, bookseller, or publisher lists are works in progress. They are generated from title page imprints and may reproduce false and misleading attributions or contain errors.

What does "printed by" mean? How to read the roles ascribed to people in the imprints.

In terms of the book trades, the lists below are sorted into up to four groups where: the person is designated in the imprint as having a single role:

  1. "printed by x"; or
  2. "sold by x"; or
  3. "printed for x" or "published by x";

or as having multiple roles in combination (which suggests a likelihood that the person is a trade publisher):

  1. "printed and sold by x"; "printed for and sold by x"; or "printed by and for x" and so on.

Printers (owners of the type and printing presses, and possibly owners of the copyright) may be identified by the words printed by, but printed by does not universally designate a person who is a printer by trade. Booksellers may be identified by the words sold by, but sold by encompasses a number of roles. Booksellers or individuals who owned the copyright are generally identified by the words printed for, but nothing should be concluded in this regard without further evidence, especially since "printed for" could signify that the named person was a distributor rather than a copyright holder. Trade publishers, who distributed books and pamphlets but did not own the copyright or employ a printer—and were not printers themselves—might be identified by the words printed and sold by. Furthermore, works from this period often display false imprints, whether to evade copyright restrictions, to conceal the name of the copyright holders, or to dupe unwitting customers. Ultimately, one must proceed with caution in using the following lists: designations in the imprints may not reliably reflect the actual trades or roles of the people named, and the formulas used in imprints do not consistently mean the same thing.

David Foxon discussed the "meaning of the imprint" in his Lyell Lecture delivered at Oxford in March 1976, with particular attention to "publishers" in the eighteenth-century context:

The fullest form of an imprint is one which names three people, or groups of people:
     London: printed by X (the printer), for Y (the bookseller who owned the copyright), and sold by Z.
In the eighteenth century the printer's name is rarely given, at least in works printed in London, and the form is more commonly:
     London: printed for Y, and sold by Z.
Very often in this period, and particularly for pamphlets, it is further abbreviated to:
     London: printed and sold by Z.
It is this last form which is my present concern. Z is usually what the eighteenth century called 'a publisher', or one who distributes books and pamphlets without having any other responsibility—he does not own the copyright or employ a printer, or even know the author.

D. F. McKenzie coined the term "trade publisher" for these publishers in his Sandars Lectures, also in 1976, on the grounds that their principal role was to publish on behalf of other members of the book trade (Treadwell 100).

Michael Treadwell cautions that "In this period the imprint 'London: Printed and sold by A.B.' normally means 'Printed at London, and sold by A.B.' and must not be taken to mean that A.B. is a printer in the absence of other evidence." Further, "The imprint 'published by' occurs only rarely in Wing and is almost always associated with the name of a trade publisher" (104). While there are exceptions to the rule, it is "certain," he explains, "that anyone who made a speciality of distributing works for others will show a far higher proportion than normal of imprints in one of the 'sold by' forms" (116), which appear in the imprint as "sold by," "printed and sold by," or "published by" (104). Treadwell gives Walter Kettilby as an example of "a fairly typical copyright-owning bookseller" (106)—his role is almost always designated by the phrase "printed for" on imprints.

A final caution: publisher is a word that should be used with some deliberation. Samuel Johnson defines it simply as "One who puts out a book into the world," but "published by" rarely appears on the imprint until later in the eighteenth century, and then primarily associated with newspapers and pamphlets. Treadwell observes that John Dunton names only five publishers among the 200 binders and booksellers in his autobiographical Life and Errors (1705) wherein he undertakes "to draw the Character of the most Eminent [Stationers] in the Three Kingdoms" (100). Treadwell also remarks, however, that "in law, anyone who offered a work for sale 'published' it. In this sense every work had one or more 'publishers', and every bookseller, mercury, and hawker was a 'publisher'" (114).

See:

  • Terry Belanger, "From Bookseller to Publisher: Changes in the London Book Trade, 1750–1850," in Book Selling and Book Buying. Aspects of the Nineteenth-Century British and North American Book Trade, ed. Richard G. Landon (Chicago: American Library Association, 1978).
  • Bricker, Andrew Benjamin. "Who was 'A. Moore'? The Attribution of Eighteenth-Century Publications with False and Misleading Imprints," in The Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America 110.2 (2016).
  • John Dunton, The Life and Errors of John Dunton (London: Printed for S. Malthus, 1705).
  • John Feather, "The Commerce of Letters: The Study of the Eighteenth-Century Book Trade," Eighteenth-Century Studies 17 (1984).
  • David Foxon, Pope and the Early Eighteenth-Century Book Trade, ed. James McLaverty (Oxford University Press, 1991).
  • Samuel Johnson, Dictionary of the English Language, (printed for J. and P. Knapton; T. and T. Longman; C. Hitch and L. Hawes; A. Millar; and R. and J. Dodsley, 1755).
  • D.F. McKenzie, The London Book Trade in the Later Seventeenth Century (Sandars lectures in bibliography, 1977).
  • Michael Treadwell, "London Trade Publishers 1675–1750," The Library sixth series, vol. 4, no. 2 (1982).

Printed by Peter Williamson

  • Meston, William. Mob contra mob; or the rabblers rabbled. Wrote by a Buchan poet, in the style of Hudibras. In six canto's. [Edinburgh]: Parliament-House: printed by Peter Williamson in one of his new portable printing-presses, 1769. ESTC No. T172629. Grub Street ID 210056.

Author

  • Williamson, Peter. French and Indian cruelty; exemplified in the life and various vicissitudes of fortune, of Peter Williamson, a disbanded soldier. Containing a particular account of the Manners, Customs, and Dress, of the savages; of their sealping, burning, and other Barbarities, committed on the English, in North-America, during his Residence among them: Being at eight Years of Age, stolen from his Parents and sent to Pinsylvania, where he was sold as a Slave: Afterwards married and settled as a Planter, 'till the Indians destroy'd his House and every Thing he had, and carried him off a Captive; from whom, after several Months Captivity, he made his Escape, and serv'd as a Volunteer and Soldier in many Expeditions against them. Comprehending in the whole, a summary of the transactions of the several provinces of Pensylvania (including Philadelphia), New York, New-England, New Jersey, &c &c From the Commencement of the War in these Parts; particularly, those relative to the intended Attack on Crown Po. York: printed for the author, by N. Nickson. 1757. And sold at his shops in Stonegate and Coffee-Yard, [1757]. ESTC No. T94606. Grub Street ID 314178.
  • Williamson, Peter. Some considerations on the present state of affairs. Wherein the defenceless situation of Great-Britain, is pointed out, and an easy rational and just scheme for it's security, at this dangerous crisis; proposed, in a militia, formed on an equal Plan, that can neither be oppressive to the Poor, nor offensive to the Rich, as practised by some of his Majesty's Colonies abroad; interspersed with an account of the first settlement of the province of Pensylvania, the Origin of the Quarrel, between some of the Traders there, and the Indians; and an impartial Representation of the Debates betwixt the Governor and Assembly, in relation to that Quarrel. Likewise a short description of the air, soil, produce, &c. of the several Colonies on the Continent of North America. The whole concluded with a summary detail of the Education, Manners, and Religion of the Indians, not heretofore mention'd. Written by Peter Williamson, Author of the French and Indian Cruelty. York: printed for the author, and sold by all the booksellers in town, 1758. ESTC No. T84022. Grub Street ID 304442.
  • Williamson, Peter. French and Indian cruelty; exemplified in the life and various vicissitudes of fortune, of Peter Williamson, containing, a particular account of the Manners, Customs, and Dress, of the savages; of their scalping, burning, and other Barbarities, committed on the English in North America, during his Residence among them: Being at eight Years of Age stolen from his Parents, and sent to Pensylvania, where he was sold as a Slave: Afterwards married and settled as a Planter, till the Indians destroyed his House, and every Thing he had, and carried him off a Captive; from whom, after several months captivity, he made his Escape, and served as a Volunteer and Soldier in many Expeditions against them. Comprehending in the whole, a summary of the transactions of the several provinces of Pensylvania, New-York, New-England, New-Jersey, &c. From the Commencement of the War in these Parts; particularly, those relative to the intended Attack on Crown Point and Niagara. And an accurate and succinct De. Glasgow: printed by J. Bryce and D. Paterson, for the benefit of the unfortunate author, [1758]. ESTC No. T94620. Grub Street ID 314192.
  • Williamson, Peter. French and Indian cruelty; exemplified in the life and various vicissitudes of fortune, of Peter Williamson, a disbanded soldier. Containing a particular account of the ... savages; ... Comprehending in the whole, a summary of the transactions of the several provinces of Pensylvania [sic], ... Written by himself. York: printed and sold by J. Jackson: and by all the booksellers in town, 1758. ESTC No. N28658. Grub Street ID 17885.
  • Williamson, Peter. French and Indian cruelty: exemplified in the life, and various vicissitudes of fortune, of Peter Williamson. Containing, a particular account of the Manners, Customs, and Dress, of the savages; of their scalping, burning, and other Barbarities, committed on the English in North-America, during his Residence among them: Being at eight Years of Age stolen from his Parents, and sent to Pennsylvania, where he was sold as a Slave: Afterwards married and settled as a Planter, till the Indians destroyed his House, and every Thing he had, and carried him off a Captive; from whom, after several Months Captiviev, he made his Escape, and served as a Volunteer and Soldier in many Expenditions against them. Comprehending in the whole, a summary of the transactions of the several provinces in America; particularly, those relative to the intended Attack on Crown-Point and Niagara. And An accurate and succinct Detail of the Operations of the French and English Forces at the Siege of Oswegu, where the. London: printed for the unfortunate author, and sold by R. Griffiths, opposite Somerset-House, in the Strand, [1759]. ESTC No. T94608. Grub Street ID 314180.
  • Williamson, Peter. A brief account of the war in N. America: shewing, the principal causes of our former miscarriages: as also, the necessity and advantage of keeping Canada, and the maintaining a friendly correspondence with the Indians. To which is added, a description of the natives, .. By Peter Williamson, formerly a planter in the back-settlements of Pensylvania. Edinburgh: printed for the author, and sold by R. Griffiths, London; and by N. Bell in York; A. Kincaid, A. Donaldson, Mrs. Yair, J.Paton, W. Gibb, and J. Mitchell in Edinburgh; and by all the other booksellers in G. Britain and Ireland, [1760?]. ESTC No. N62544. Grub Street ID 44878.
  • Williamson, Peter. French and Indian cruelty; exemplified in the life and various vicissitudes of fortune of Peter Williamson who was carried off from Aberdeen in his infancy, and sold as a slave in Pensylvania. Containing the history of the author's adventures in N. America; his Captivity among the Indians, and manner of his escape; the customs, dress, &c. of the Savages; military operations in that quarter; with a description of the British Settlements, &c. &c. To which is added, an account of the proceedings of the magistrates of Aberdeen against him on his return to Scotland; A brief History of his Process against them before the Court of Session, and a short Dissertation on Kidnapping. Edinburgh: printed for the author, and sold by him at his shop in the Parliament House, MDCCLXII. [1762]. ESTC No. T94607. Grub Street ID 314179.
  • Williamson, Peter. French and Indian cruelty, exemplified in the life, and various vicissitudes of fortune, of Peter Williamson, who was carried off from Aberdeen in his infancy, and sold for a slave in Pensylvania [sic]. Containing, the history of the author's surprizing adventures in North-America; ... To which is added, an account of the proceedings of the magistrates of Aberdeen against him ... Dublin: printed by Messrs. Adams and Ryder, for the author: and sold by him at Mr. Maxwell's; at R. Bell's, at J. Watson's; and at the Printing-Office, in Cope-street, 1766. ESTC No. N28660. Grub Street ID 17888.
  • Williamson, Peter. The travels of Peter Williamson, among the different nations and tribes of savage Indians in America; ... In three parts. Written by himself. Edinburgh: printed for the author, and sold by him and by R. Fleming, 1768. ESTC No. T177639. Grub Street ID 214547.
  • Williamson, Peter. Williamson's directory, for the city of Edinburgh, Canongate, Leith, and suburbs, from the 25th May 1773, to 25th May 1774. Containing, An Alphabetical List of the Names and Places of Abode of the Members of the College of Justice, Public and Private Gentlemen, Merchants, and other eminent Traders; Mechanics, and all Persons in public Business; where, at one View, you have a plain Direction, pointing out the Streets, Wynds, Closes, Lands, and other Places of their Residence in and about this Metropolis. Together With Separate Lists of the Magistrates, Court of Session, and Court of Exchequer; the Constables of Edinburgh, Cariongate and Leith; Carriers, &c. Edinburgh: printed by and for Peter Williamson, and sold at his printing-house in Dunbar's Close, Lawn-Market, by John Wilson, Bookseller Front of the Exchange, and by William Coke, Book-Seller on the Shore, Leith, MDCCLXXIII. [1773]. ESTC No. T126819. Grub Street ID 176687.
  • Williamson, Peter. Williamson's directory for the city of Edinburgh, Canongate, Leith, and Suburbs: from June, 1780, to June, 1781. Containing, An Alphabetical List of the Names and Places of Abode of the Members of the College of Justice, public and private Gentlemen, Merchants, and other eminent Traders, Mechanics, and all Persons in public Business:-Where, at one View, you have a plain Direction, pointing out the Streets, Wynds, Closes, Lanes, and other Places of their Residence, in and about this Metropolis. Edinburgh: printed by P. Williamson; and sold at his penny-post office, East Corner of the Luckenbooths, M.DCC.LXXX. [1780]. ESTC No. T131752. Grub Street ID 180723.
  • Williamson, Peter. French and Indian cruelty exemplified, in the life, and various vicissitudes of fortune, of Peter Williamson, who was carried off from Aberdeen in his infancy, and sold for a slave in Pennsylvania. Containing, the history of the author's surprising adventures in North America; his Captivity among the Indians, and Manner of his Escape; the Customs, Dress, &c. of the Savages; Military. Operations in that Quarter; with a Description of the British Settlements, &c. &c. To which is added, an account of the proceedings of the magistrates of Aberdeen against him on his Return to Scotland; a brief History of his Process against them before the Court of Session, and a short Dissertation on Kidnapping. Edinburgh: printed for, and sold by J. Stewart, Bookseller, Lawn-Market, 1787. ESTC No. N28659. Grub Street ID 17886.
  • Williamson, Peter. Williamson's Edinburgh directory, from June 1788, to June 1790. ... Edinburgh: printed by W. Darling, for P. Williamson; and sold at his general penny-post office, Luckenbooth, 1788. ESTC No. N33686. Grub Street ID 22139.
  • Williamson, Peter. The trial of divorce, at the instance of Peter Williamson Printer in Edinburgh, against Jean Wilson, Daughter of John Wilson, Bookseller in Edinburgh, his Spouse. Containing the whole proceedings at large. With a prefatory introduction, Giving some Account of the Adulterous Gallants and Reasons for suing the Divorce, and for publishing the Proceedings in it. Edinburgh: printed for and sold by the booksellers in Edinburgh, Leith, &c, MDCCLXXXIX. [1789]. ESTC No. T94604. Grub Street ID 314177.
  • Williamson, Peter. French and Indian cruelty exemplified, in the life, and various vicissitudes of fortune, of Peter Williamson, who was carried off from Aberdeen in his infancy, and sold for a slave in Pensylvania. Containing, the history of the author's surprising adventures in North America; his Captivity among the Indians, and Manner of his Escape; the Customs, Dress, &c. of the Savages; Military Operations in that Quarter; with a Description of the British Settlements, &c. &c. To which is added, an account of the proceedings of the magistrates of Aberdeen against him, on his Return to Scotland; a brief History of his Process against them before the Court of Session; and a short Dissertation on Kidnapping. Edinburgh: printed for and sold by the booksellers, M.DCC.XCII. [1792]. ESTC No. T93598. Grub Street ID 313263.
  • Williamson, Peter. Williamson's Edinburgh directory, from June 1794, to June 1796, ... [Edinburgh]: Printed by W. Darling. for P. Williamson; and sold at his house, and by all the booksellers in town and country, [1794]. ESTC No. N33687. Grub Street ID 22140.
  • Williamson, Peter. French and Indian cruelty exemplified in the adventurous life, and various vicissitudes of fortune, of Peter Williamson, who was carried off from Aberdeen in his infancy, and sold for a slave in Pensylvania [sic]. Containing the history of the author's surprising adventure in North America; his captivity among the Indians and manner of his escape: with the military operations in that quarter. [London?]: Printed in the year, 1794. ESTC No. N47443. Grub Street ID 32136.
  • Williamson, Peter. Sufferings of Peter Williamson, one of the settlers in the back parts of Pennsylvania. Written by himself. Printed at Stockbridge [Mass.]: [By Loring Andrews], 1796. ESTC No. W25359. Grub Street ID 335331.