Thomas Gardner (ca. 1712 – 1765; fl. 1735–1765)

Identifiers

Occupations

  • Printer
  • Bookseller
  • Publisher
  • Newspaper Proprietor

Thomas Gardner, printer, publisher, bookseller, and newspaper proprietor, 1735–65; in Little Bartholomew Close / Bartholomew Close; at Cowley's Head without Temple Bar in the Strand / opposite St. Clement's Church in the Strand (later numbered 200, Strand), 1739–1765.

A Dictionary of the Printers and Booksellers who were at work in England, Scotland and Ireland from 1726 to 1775, by Henry Plomer et al. (1932)

GARDNER, (THOMAS), printer and publisher in London, Cowley's Head, without Temple Bar, Strand, 1735–56. In the Country Journal or Craftsman for April 26th, 1735, is an advertisement of a proposed issue of an Exposition of the Common Prayer, for which he amongst others was prepared to receive subscriptions. In 1739 a certain Thos. Barker of Witham in Essex desires that letters may be directed to him "To be left at Mr. Thos. Gardner's, Printer, without Temple Bars in ye Strand, London". In that year he published, but did not print, An Examination of a pamphlet entitled His Catholic Majesty's Manifesto. [B.M. T. 1110 (1).] In 1743 he printed a pamphlet entitled Old England's Te Deum, for William Shropshire, the bookseller (q.v.). [S.P. Dom. Geo 2, Bundle 62 (62).] In 1756 he began the publication of a periodical called The Universal Visitor. In Boswell's Life of Johnson occurs the following passage: "Johnson. Old Gardner the bookseller employed Rolt and Smart1 to write a monthly miscellany called The Universal Visitor. There was a formal written contract, which Allen the printer saw. They were bound to write nothing else; they were to have, I think, a third of the profits of this sixpenny pamphlet; and the contract was for ninety-nine years. I wish I had thought of giving this to Thurlow, in the cause about literary property. What an excellent instance would it have been of the oppression of booksellers towards poor authors (smiling)! Davies, zealous for the honour of the trade, said Gardner was not properly a bookseller. Johnson. Nay, sir; he certainly was a bookseller. He had served his time regularly, was a member of the Stationer's Company, kept a shop in the face of mankind, purchased copyright, and was a bibliopole sir, in every sense."

1 Richard Rolt and Christopher Smart.