John Bushell
Encyclopedia
John Bushell was the first printer
in what is now Canada
.
Bushell was born in Boston
, Massachusetts
and was apprenticed as a printer there. He subsequently worked for a number of different printers and had his own printing business until 1751, when he left for Halifax
, Nova Scotia
.
An partner of Bushell's, Bartholomew Green
, following a century-long family tradition in the trade, had left Boston for Halifax in October 1751 and brought all the necessary equipment to set up a printing shop. He died shortly after his arrival and Bushell went to Halifax to continue the business.
Bushell's first publication was issued from his shop on Grafton Street on March 23, 1752. The Halifax Gazette
was published as a subscription newspaper and was a single broadside sheet, printed on both sides. This probably was the first work of any kind printed in Canada. He went on to print the Gazette until his death, when it was taken up by Anthony Henry. The paper's content ranged from elegies
, to excerpts from notable publications of the day, notices of upcoming dramatic productions around Halifax, and advertisements from booksellers about newly-arrived books.
Bushell's paper also advertised the availability of his press for miscellaneous printing jobs. This was not enough to keep him out of insolvency, and he was in debt during most of his life in Halifax.
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
in what is now Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Bushell was born in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and was apprenticed as a printer there. He subsequently worked for a number of different printers and had his own printing business until 1751, when he left for Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
.
An partner of Bushell's, Bartholomew Green
Bartholomew Green (printer)
Bartholomew Green Jr. was a son of Bartholomew Green, printer of the Boston News-Letter.Green married Hannah Hammond in 1724 and they had five children. He apprenticed with his father until he went on his own in 1725. Almost immediately he began printing the Boston Gazette which was a rival to his...
, following a century-long family tradition in the trade, had left Boston for Halifax in October 1751 and brought all the necessary equipment to set up a printing shop. He died shortly after his arrival and Bushell went to Halifax to continue the business.
Bushell's first publication was issued from his shop on Grafton Street on March 23, 1752. The Halifax Gazette
Halifax Gazette
The Halifax Gazette was Canada's first newspaper, established on March 23, 1752 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, it was published weekly by John Bushell...
was published as a subscription newspaper and was a single broadside sheet, printed on both sides. This probably was the first work of any kind printed in Canada. He went on to print the Gazette until his death, when it was taken up by Anthony Henry. The paper's content ranged from elegies
Elegy
In literature, an elegy is a mournful, melancholic or plaintive poem, especially a funeral song or a lament for the dead.-History:The Greek term elegeia originally referred to any verse written in elegiac couplets and covering a wide range of subject matter, including epitaphs for tombs...
, to excerpts from notable publications of the day, notices of upcoming dramatic productions around Halifax, and advertisements from booksellers about newly-arrived books.
Bushell's paper also advertised the availability of his press for miscellaneous printing jobs. This was not enough to keep him out of insolvency, and he was in debt during most of his life in Halifax.