Ann Ward (1715/16 – 10 April 1789) was a British printer and business owner.

Biography

Little is known about Ann's early life, save that she married a York printer, Caesar Ward, in 1738. Caesar, and his brother-in-law Richard Chandler bought the '' York Courant'' newspaper. Chandler committed suicide in 1744 and Caesar Ward was declared bankrupt in 1744. When Caesar died in 1759, the paper passed to Ann Ward and she continued to run it until her death in 1789. in York, the Wards owned a book shop above the Black Swan pub in

Coney Street Coney Street is a major shopping street in the city centre of York, in England. The street runs north-west from the junction of Spurriergate and Market Street, to St Helen's Square. New Street leads off the north-east side of the street, as ...

and the printers were based off Coney Street in a former ''

bagnio Bagnio is a loan word into several languages (from ). In English, French, and so on, it has developed varying meanings: typically a brothel, bath-house, or prison for slaves. In reference to the Ottoman Empire The origin of this sense seems to ...

'' in Leopard's Yard. Ann Ward worked with the printer David Russell, who became a part-owner of the business but his name did not appear on publications. Ann bought back Russel's share in the company in 1787 so she could pass the whole business to her son-in-law George Peacock. As a printer, Ann is best known for her role in the publication of the first edition of

Laurence Sterne Laurence Sterne (24 November 1713 – 18 March 1768) was an Anglo-Irish novelist and Anglican cleric. He is best known for his comic novels ''The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman'' (1759–1767) and ''A Sentimental Journey Thro ...

's ''

The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman ''The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman'', also known as ''Tristram Shandy'', is a humorous novel by Laurence Sterne. It was published in nine volumes, the first two appearing in 1759, and seven others following over the next sev ...

'' in 1760. Sterne had originally approached

Robert Dodsley Robert Dodsley (13 February 1703 – 23 September 1764) was an English bookseller, publisher, poet, playwright, and miscellaneous writer. Life Dodsley was born near Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, where his father was master of the free school. H ...

in London to print the book, but after a disagreement he took it to Ward in York. "The Book shall be printed here", Sterne wrote to Dodsley in October 1759. Ward also printed other important publications. The first guide book to the city of York was printed by Ward in 1787. It was a 32-page volume detailing York's public buildings and a directory of principal merchants and tradespeople in the city. Ward also issued a two volume history of

York Minster York Minster, formally the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, is an Anglicanism, Anglican cathedral in the city of York, North Yorkshire, England. The minster is the seat of the archbishop of York, the second-highest of ...

detailing the site and its clergy based on the 1737 ''Eboracum'' by

Francis Drake Sir Francis Drake ( 1540 – 28 January 1596) was an English Exploration, explorer and privateer best known for making the Francis Drake's circumnavigation, second circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition between 1577 and 1580 (bein ...

. In 1779 Ward published a book of poems by

William Mason William, Willie, or Willy Mason may refer to: Arts and entertainment *William Mason (poet) (1724–1797), English poet, editor and gardener *William Mason (architect) (1810–1897), New Zealand architect *William Mason (composer) (1829–1908), Ame ...

. An 18th-century short-title catalogue records almost a hundred titles printed by Ann Ward.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ward, Ann 1710s births 1789 deaths People from York Women printers British printers 18th-century English businesswomen 18th-century English businesspeople