John Ross (printer)

John Ross
Bornc. 1729
DiedOctober 1807
OccupationsPrinter, publisher
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John Ross (c. 1729 – 1 October 1807) was a Welsh publisher and printer, originally from Scotland. He was one of the busiest printers in Wales during his working life and published three editions of Peter Williams' Bible.

Early life

Ross was born in Scotland around 1729.

Career

Ross apprenticed as a printer in London and started printing in Carmarthen in 1763, working for a couple of years with Rhys Thomas. He was the first trained printer in Wales.

Between 1764 and 1772, he worked on Lammas Street, then moved to Priory Street. In 1781, he returned to Lammas Street.

Ross published the first edition of Beibl Peter Williams (English: Peter Williams' Bible) in 1770. It was the first Bible to be published in Wales.

In 1771, he published the medical book Pob Dyn ei Physygwr ei Hun, a Welsh translation of the book Every Man his Own Physician by John Theobald.

In the late 18th century, he co-published a few books with his former-apprentice John Daniel, including issue no. 3 of the periodical Cylchgrawn Cymraeg in 1793.

Ross continued working until the year of his death.

Personal life

Blue plaque for John Ross on the wall of Capel Heol Awst on Lammas Street, Carmarthen

Ross was a dissenter and one of the trustees of Capel Heol Awst in 1781.

In 1785, he was one of the two sheriffs of Carmarthen.

Death

John Ross died in Carmarthen in the last week of October 1807, aged 78. His daughter (or sister), Ann Scott, kept the business going for a while after Ross' death; she died on 24 September 1842, aged 107.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Llewelyn Davies, William (1959). "ROSS, JOHN (1729? - 1807), printer and publisher at Carmarthen". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  2. 1 2 Matthew, H. C. G.; Harrison, B., eds. (23 September 2004). "The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/69915. Retrieved 13 July 2026. (Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.)
  3. ↑ Rees, Eiluned (1992). A Nation and its Books (PDF). Llansteffan, Dyfed: National Library of Wales.
  4. ↑ Evans, W. Eilir (1 January 1895). "Welsh Publishing and Bookselling". The Library. s1-VII (1): 391–397. doi:10.1093/library/s1-VII.1.391.
  5. 1 2 3 "Carmarthen Town Blue Plaque Trail" (PDF). Carmarthen Civic Society.
  6. ↑ Lloyd, Sir John E. (ed.). "Literature, and Literary Associations". A History of Carmarthenshire. Cardiff, London: Carmarthenshire Society.
  7. ↑ "Cymru'r Byd - Llyfrau". BBC. 2007. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  8. ↑ Llewelyn Davies, Sir William (1959). "EVANS, a family of printers at Machynlleth, Barmouth, and Carmarthen". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. Retrieved 13 July 2026.