John Meres (d. 1761; fl. 1738–1761)

MEERE, MEARS, MEERES, or MERES (JOHN), printer and publisher in London, Old Bailey, 1738–61. The relationship of this printer to Hugh Meere (1708–24) is not very clear, nor is there any certain evidence as to the date upon which he took over the two newspapers, the Daily Post and the London Evening Post. S. Neville's name appeared in the imprints to both down to the year 1735, and possibly later. John Meres was certainly established in the Old Bailey in 1738, for in that year he got into trouble for inserting a paragraph in the Daily Post reflecting on the King of Sweden. As he refused to find sureties for good behaviour, he was committed to Newgate, where he quickly thought better, and his two sureties were Robert Gosling, bookseller of St. Dunstan's in the West, and George Strahan, bookseller of St. Michael's, Comhill. [S. P. Dom., Geo. II, Bundle 46, nos. 4, 5, 6, 7.] In 1740 he was again in trouble for printing in the Daily Post a paper reflecting on the embargo on provisions. On December 2nd he was called to the Bar of the House of Commons, and committed to the custody of the Sergeant at Arms, and was not released until February 10th, 174⁰/₁, and with Mrs. Nutt (q.v.), a pamphlet seller, was cautioned for selling the London Evening Post. John Meres died in 1761, and was succeeded by his son, also named John, who gave up the Daily Post in 1772.