Publisher

The bookseller, Thomas Woodfall, was the son of William Woodfall and from a family of Woodfall who published many works of the 18th-19th century. Thomas Woodfall is a publisher and printer of theatre bills. His grandfather, Henry Woodfall, was the printer and publisher of the Public Advertiser.  After his grandfather retired his father, William Woodfall, shared the business with his uncle, Henry Sampson Woodfall. In 1769, William Woodfall founded the Morning Chronicle as writer, editor, and reporter.  In 1789, he founded The Diary, or Woodfall’s Register, that reported on parliamentary debates. He had a nickname of “Memory” Woodfall. He memorized what happened in the House of Commons and wrote it down afterwards. He published the diary from March 30, 1789 to August 31, 1793 under the name “Adams”. Woodfall acted on the stage in Scotland. He was sued by Edmund Burke for libel, and was found guilty in 1779 for printing and publishing a leaflet supporting the acquittal of Admiral Augustus Keppel. In 1789, he gave The Morning Chronicle to James Perry. In 1793, he took back The Public Advertiser. In 1758, his uncle, Henry Sampson Woodfall, took over the control of the newspaper The Public Advertiser. Henry Sampson Woodfall published the famous letters of Junius in 1769-1772. The publishing of a Letter to the King by Junius led Thomas Woodfall’s father, uncle, and 3 others to be sued for libel. Thomas Woodfall’s cousin, George Woodfall, son of Henry Sampson Woodfall, was also in the family printing business. Thomas Woodfall’s great-grandfather Henry Woodfall was the author of the ballad Darby and Joan, he worked at Darby, a printer in London. Thomas Woodfall’s great-uncle, George Woodfall, was also a bookseller at Charing Cross.