The History of the Catnach Press: at Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Alnwick and Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, in Northumberland, and Seven Dials, London — John Shaqi
The History of the Catnach Press: at Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Alnwick and Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, in Northumberland, and Seven Dials, LondonHindley, Charles
History
The History of the Catnach Press: at Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Alnwick and Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, in Northumberland, and Seven Dials, London
Hindley, Charles
Ballads -- Publishing -- England -- History -- 19th century; Ballads, English -- England -- Bibliography; Catnach, James, 1792-1841; Chapbooks -- Publishing -- England -- History -- 19th century; Children's literature -- Publishing -- England -- History -- 19th century; England -- Imprints; Printing
But the grave question arose in our own minds of the How, When, and Where:
could we find out and interview this said Mr. John Morgan, Poet! First we
made enquiry at the office of Mr. Taylor, Printer of Ballads, &c., 92 and
93, Brick Lane, Spitalfields, but, they "had not the least idea where we
could find him. In fact they had only heard of him as a ballad-writer, and
knew nothing about where he lived, never having employed him: had perhaps
printed some of his ballads. Thought Mr. Such, of the Borough, might give
some information, but, sure to find out all about him in the Seven Dials
district."
Mr. H. Such, Machine Printer and Publisher, 177, Union Street, Borough,
S.E., on being applied to could give us no positive information as to the
whereabout of Mr. John Morgan--he knew him, but where he lived he could
not tell. Mr. Fortey or Mr. Disley, in the Dials-way, would be most likely
to know.
Mr. William S. Fortey, (late A. Ryle, successor to the late J. Catnach),
Printer, Publisher, and Wholesale Stationer, 2 and 3, Monmouth Court,
Seven Dials, London, W., on being applied to could not exactly tell where
Mr. John Morgan did live, it was somewhere Westminster-way: it was very
uncertain when he should next see him, because he did not sometimes call
in for weeks together, yet he might by chance see him to-morrow, or the
next day. Anyway, we felt that we had no right to press the question any
further, more particularly so because Mr. Fortey had been very civil and
obliging to us on other occasions--in fact we have been under great and
lasting obligations to him, so changed the conversation.
Mr. Henry Disley, Printer, 57, High Street, St. Giles', London, who we
found to be a very genial sort of a man, and that he had formerly been in
the service of James Catnach; he was working in his front shop at a small
hand-press on some cards relative to a forthcoming FRIENDLY LEAD,[1] to be
held at a public-house in the immediate neighbourhood, while Mrs. Disley
was hard at work colouring some Christmas Carols, and which she did with a
rapidity that was somewhat astonishing. In answer to our inquiry whether
he knew of one John Morgan--who was--as we described him, "something of a
song writer." Well! both Mr. and Mrs. Disley together--"did know
him--should think they did." But when we came to enquire about his private
address they knew nothing about that. He (Mr. Morgan) wrote ballads for
them at times: often called on them--whenever he did it was always to sell
a _good_ ballad he had on hand, or to tell them what _bad_ times it was
with him: but as to where he lived, beyond that it was somewhere
Westminster-way, they did not know--in fact, had not the least idea. But,
most likely, Mr. Fortey, him in Monmouth Court, did. Yes! come to think of
it, he would be sure to know.
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