John Marshall (publisher)

John Marshall (publisher)
Title page from Dorothy Kilner's Life and Perambulation of a Mouse, with one of Marshall's imprints
Born	Baptized November 28, 1756, London, St Mary Aldermary
Died	July 1824 London
Occupation	Publisher, printer, printseller
Spouse(s)	Eleanor Marshall
Children	Eleanor Elizabeth Marshall, John Marshall jnr.
Parent(s)	Richard Marshall (printer, publisher, printseller) and Ellenor Marshall

John Marshall (1756–1824) was a London publisher who specialized in children's literature, chapbooks, educational games and teaching schemes. He described himself as "The Children's Printer" and referred to children as his "young friends" He was the preeminent children's book publisher in England from about 1780 until 1800. After 1795 he became the publisher of Hannah More's Cheap Repository Tracts, and following a dispute with More he published his own similar series. About 1800 Marshall began to publish a series of miniature libraries, games and picture books for children. He died in July 1824 and his business was continued either by his widow or his unmarried daughter, both of whom were named Eleanor.

John Marshall was baptized 28 November 1756 in the parish church of St Mary Aldermary, London, the son of Richard Marshall (fl 1752–1779) and his wife Ellenor. His father was a junior partner, then full partner, and subsequently owner of the successful chapbook and popular print business at No. 4 Aldermary Churchyard, (off Watling Street), that had been established in 1755 by William and Cluer Dicey. He was bound apprentice to the printer Edward Gilberd of Watling Street 3 September 1771, but transferred to his father's business a year later, and became a freeman of the Stationers’ Company 6 October 1778. He inherited his father's business the following year.

John married Eleanor Blashfield 4 December 1788; they had two children, Eleanor Elizabeth born 8 March 1790 and John born 28 May 1792. He died during the summer of 1824.

Richard Marshall left 50% of his business to his son John, and 25% each to his nephew James and his widow. It continued to operate as John Marshall and Co. until November 1789 when the partnership was voluntarily wound up and John continued in business on his own. In October 1806 Marshall moved his business to 140 Fleet Street, where it remained until his death in 1824. According to his will (made in 1813) his business was to be left to his widow Eleanor Marshall, but probate was granted on 14 July 1824 to his unmarried daughter Eleanor Elizabeth Marshall. One of these ladies was the "E. Marshall" who continued to operate the business until c. 1829.

Richard's business was based on the sale of popular prints, maps, chapbooks, broadside ballads and other forms of street literature. These publications continued to represent an important part of the output of the press until the mid-1790s. There are examples of all of these categories of literature which contain John Marshall's imprint, but the extent of his involvement is difficult to ascertain as many of these works were undated and carried the imprint 'Printed and sold in Aldermary Churchyard'.