Walter Ruddiman
Encyclopedia
Walter Ruddiman was a Scottish
printer, publisher and newspaper
proprietor based in Edinburgh
. Born in Alvah, near Banff
, in the North-East of Scotland
, he was the youngest son of the farmer James Ruddiman (c. 1680 – c. 1739) and nephew of the printer, scholar and librarian Thomas Ruddiman
(1674–1757) whose business was also based in Edinburgh. Walter Ruddiman moved to Edinburgh sometime shortly after 1745 and was eventually admitted as a burgess of the city on 11 September 1754. Around the same time he also married Janet Bradefute with whom he had four children, Thomas, John, Walter and Janet.
Ruddiman's most important publishing venture was his Weekly Magazine, established (through its first issue) on 7 July 1768. It was a weekly broadsheet which commercially described itself as a digest of "all the Magazines, Reviews, Newspapers, &c. published in Great Britain
[...] being a Register of the Writings and Transactions of the Times"; a description that allowed Ruddiman to avoid the stamp duty
carried at that time by newspapers but not by literary periodicals. The magazine was a great success in Edinburgh and further afield with a circulation of around 3000 copies per week throughout the 1770s. Ruddiman's eldest son, Thomas (1755–1825) became a partner in April 1772.
Between 1771 and 1774 the Weekly Magazine notably carried new poetry by the young poet Robert Fergusson
and the popular reaction to his work, especially that in Scots
, prompted Ruddiman and his son to publish the first general edition of Fergusson's writing, Poems by Robert Fergusson, which appeared in January 1773. Ruddiman's magazine also featured poet John Mayne
's poem on Hallowe'en in 1780.
In the later 1770s, the Weekly Magazine was brought to the notice of the London
exchequer
for carrying news articles, making it liable for tax. As a result, in 1777, Ruddiman created a new distinct title, Ruddiman's Weekly Mercury, for news and the Magazine, which became free of news content, became non-liable for stamp duty. In December 1779, from the 47th volume, it was retitled the Edinburgh Magazine, or, Weekly Amusement. Although these developments had the effect of splitting the readership in terms of circulation, the aggrergate of the sales for both publications remained solid in the region of 3 to 3.5 thousand.
Ruddiman's wife predeceased him by five years and they are both buried in Edinburgh's Greyfriars kirkyard
. Their son Thomas inherited his father's business.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
printer, publisher and newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
proprietor based in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. Born in Alvah, near Banff
Banff, Aberdeenshire
Banff is a town in the Banff and Buchan area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Banff is situated on Banff Bay and faces the town of Macduff across the estuary of the River Deveron...
, in the North-East of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, he was the youngest son of the farmer James Ruddiman (c. 1680 – c. 1739) and nephew of the printer, scholar and librarian Thomas Ruddiman
Thomas Ruddiman
Thomas Ruddiman was a Scottish classical scholar.-Life:He was born at Raggal, Banffshire, where his father was a farmer, and educated at the University of Aberdeen. Through the influence of Dr Archibald Pitcairne he became an assistant in the Advocates' Library, Edinburgh...
(1674–1757) whose business was also based in Edinburgh. Walter Ruddiman moved to Edinburgh sometime shortly after 1745 and was eventually admitted as a burgess of the city on 11 September 1754. Around the same time he also married Janet Bradefute with whom he had four children, Thomas, John, Walter and Janet.
Ruddiman's most important publishing venture was his Weekly Magazine, established (through its first issue) on 7 July 1768. It was a weekly broadsheet which commercially described itself as a digest of "all the Magazines, Reviews, Newspapers, &c. published in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
[...] being a Register of the Writings and Transactions of the Times"; a description that allowed Ruddiman to avoid the stamp duty
Stamp duty
Stamp duty is a tax that is levied on documents. Historically, this included the majority of legal documents such as cheques, receipts, military commissions, marriage licences and land transactions. A physical stamp had to be attached to or impressed upon the document to denote that stamp duty...
carried at that time by newspapers but not by literary periodicals. The magazine was a great success in Edinburgh and further afield with a circulation of around 3000 copies per week throughout the 1770s. Ruddiman's eldest son, Thomas (1755–1825) became a partner in April 1772.
Between 1771 and 1774 the Weekly Magazine notably carried new poetry by the young poet Robert Fergusson
Robert Fergusson
Robert Fergusson was a Scottish poet. After formal education at the University of St Andrews, Fergusson followed an essentially bohemian life course in Edinburgh, the city of his birth, then at the height of intellectual and cultural ferment as part of the Scottish enlightenment...
and the popular reaction to his work, especially that in Scots
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
, prompted Ruddiman and his son to publish the first general edition of Fergusson's writing, Poems by Robert Fergusson, which appeared in January 1773. Ruddiman's magazine also featured poet John Mayne
John Mayne
John Mayne , was a Scottish poet born in Dumfries, South West Scotland. In 1780, his poem The Siller Gun appeared in its original form in Ruddiman's Magazine, published by Walter Ruddiman in Edinburgh. It is a humorous poem descriptive of an ancient custom in Dumfries of shooting for the "Siller...
's poem on Hallowe'en in 1780.
In the later 1770s, the Weekly Magazine was brought to the notice of the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
exchequer
Exchequer
The Exchequer is a government department of the United Kingdom responsible for the management and collection of taxation and other government revenues. The historical Exchequer developed judicial roles...
for carrying news articles, making it liable for tax. As a result, in 1777, Ruddiman created a new distinct title, Ruddiman's Weekly Mercury, for news and the Magazine, which became free of news content, became non-liable for stamp duty. In December 1779, from the 47th volume, it was retitled the Edinburgh Magazine, or, Weekly Amusement. Although these developments had the effect of splitting the readership in terms of circulation, the aggrergate of the sales for both publications remained solid in the region of 3 to 3.5 thousand.
Ruddiman's wife predeceased him by five years and they are both buried in Edinburgh's Greyfriars kirkyard
Greyfriars Kirk
Greyfriars Kirk, today Greyfriars Tolbooth & Highland Kirk, is a parish kirk of the Church of Scotland in central Edinburgh, Scotland...
. Their son Thomas inherited his father's business.