James Ridgway

Contributions

1. Address of the National Assembly of France to the People, showing what they have already done, what they further intend, and answering their calumniators. With an Appendix, consisting of such authentic documents as explain more fully the changes in government alluded to in the address. The whole presenting a clear and short view of the late extraordinary Revolution in France, and of the principles on which the new Constitution is founded translation has paratext publisher
2. Address of the National Assembly of France to the People, showing what they have already done, what they further intend, and answering their calumniators. With an Appendix, consisting of such authentic documents as explain more fully the changes in government alluded to in the address. The whole presenting a clear and short view of the late extraordinary Revolution in France, and of the principles on which the new Constitution is founded paratext uncertainty author
3. A Detail of the wonderful Revolution at Paris, or, an Exact Narrative of all that passed in the Capital of France, particularly the siege and capture of the Bastille from the 11th of July, 1789, to the 23rd of the same month: By M. D.-C. Dedicated to the District of Petit St. Antoine, and translated into English by a French Gentleman, many Years resident in England translation has paratext publisher
4. A letter to Mr. Secretary Dundas, in answer to his speech on the late proclamation. Together with two letters addressed to Lord Onslow, Chairman of the meeting at Epsom, June 18, 1792, convened to address His Majesty on the late proclamation has translation publisher
5. An authentic copy of the new constitution of France, adopted by the National Convention, June 23, 1793 translation publisher
6. An essay on privileges, and particularly on hereditary nobility: Wiritten (sic) by the Abbé Sieyès, a member of the national assembly, and translated into English, with notes, by a foreign nobleman, now in England translation has paratext publisher
7. British Mercury publisher
8. Ca-ira translation publisher
9. Declaration of Rights, adopted by the Convention, on Monday, June 23 translation publisher
10. Decree for the establishment of decadary feasts translation has other edition publisher
11. Decree of the French National Convention, passed October 5th, 1793, for the reform of the calendar translation publisher
12. French calendar for the second year of the Republic, beginning Sept. 22, 1793, explained by the corresponding days of our style, in opposite columns translation has paratext has other edition publisher
13. French calendar for the third year of the Republic, beginning Sept. 22, 1794, explained by the corresponding days of our style, in opposite columns translation has other edition publisher
14. Lessons to a Young Prince, on the Present Disposition in Europe to a General Revolution has translation publisher
15. Magna Charta. The great charter of King John. A true copy from the original French translation publisher
16. Miscellaneous articles by Thomas Paine. Consisting of a letter to the Marquis of Lansdowne. A letter to the authors of the Republican. A letter to the abbe Syeyes. Thoughts on the peace, and the probable advantages thereof. First letter to Mr. Secretary Dundas. Letter to Lord Onslow. Second letter to Mr. Dundas. And a letter to the People of France has other edition publisher
17. New French Constitution adopted by the Convention, Aug. 22, 1795 translation has other edition publisher
18. Patriot's calendar, for the year 1795, containing the usual English almanack, the French calendar, with the corresponding days of our stile, the French declaration of rights, and republican constitution, the American constitution, Magna Charta translated, the Bill of Rights, a chronological table of the French Revolution, Chenier's hymn to liberty in French, the words and music of Ca-Ira, the Marsellois hymn, the Carmagnole and the Chant Civique, a collection of the best odes and fugitive pieces of poetry in favour of liberty, with a new and correct map of France, and another of the northern theatre of war, &c. &c. translation has other edition publisher
19. Reasons for preserving the life of Louis Capet: as delivered to the national convention translation publisher
20. Reflections on the English revolution of 1688 and that of the French, August 10, 1792 translation has other edition publisher
21. Reflections on the formation and distribution of wealth. By M. Turgot, Comptroller General of the Finances of France, in 1774, 1775, and 1776. Translated from the French translation publisher
22. Report made to the National Convention on the national calendar, by Fabre d'Eglantine, one of the deputies of Paris translation publisher
23. Royal Recollections on a Tour to Cheltenham, Gloucester, Worcester, and Places Adjacent, in the Year 1788 has translation publisher
24. The Correspondence of the Revolution Society in London, with the National Assembly, and with various societies of the friends of liberty in France and England publisher
25. The Marseilles march translation publisher
26. The Marseilles march translation publisher
27. The negro as there are few white men translation has paratext bookseller
28. The new constitution of France. Literally translated from the original copy, presented to the people of France for their consideration. By the Committee of the Constitution translation publisher
29. The patriot's calendar for the year 1794, containing the useful English almanack, the decree of the French National convention for the alteration of the style, the interesting report of Fabre D'Eglantine on that subject, translated at length, the French calendar, reprinted from the Paris edition, with an accurate translation of the same, the Declaration of the Rights of man, the musick and words of the four French national airs, the Marseilles hymn, Ca-ira, the Chant civique, and the Carmagnole, with a collection of the best odes and fugitive pieces written in favour of liberty, and a chronological table of the principal events of the French revolution has other edition publisher
30. The Spirit of the French Constitution, or the Almanach of Goodman Gerard for the Year 1792. Being the third year of the aera of Liberty. A work crowned by the Society of the Friends of the Constitution, held at the Jacobins', Paris. By J.M. Collot d'Herbois, member of the society: Translated, at the request of the author, by John Oswald, member of the society and author of a Review of the Constitution of Great Britain translation has paratext publisher
31. Treachery no crime, or the system of courts. Exemplified in the life, character, and late desertion of General Dumourier, in the virtue of implicit confidence in kings and ministers, and in the present concert of princes, against the French republic translation has paratext publisher

Knows

• John Almon bookseller journalist pamphleteer publisher
• John Bew bookseller journalist publisher
• Edmund Burke philosopher politician writer
• John Debrett bookseller publisher
• George Dyer writer
• Daniel Isaac Eaton bookseller journalist pamphleteer publisher translator writer
• William Godwin journalist novelist philosopher writer
• Thomas Hardy politician
• Thomas Holcroft journalist novelist playwright poet translator
• William Holland publisher
• John Horne Tooke cleric journalist linguist politician writer
• Joseph Johnson publisher
• John Lawrence editor writer
• Thomas Paine journalist philosopher revolutionary writer
• Sampson Perry journalist pamphleteer physician publisher writer
• Thomas Spence journalist publisher writer
• John Stockdale bookseller publisher
• Henry Delahoy Symonds bookseller publisher
• John Thelwall journalist publisher writer
• David Williams cleric philosopher writer
• Alvise Zenobio translator writer

Member of

• London Corresponding Society political organisation publisher
• London Revolution Society political organisation publisher
• Society for Constitutional Information political organisation
• Society of the Friends of the People political organisation

Notes

Whig pamphleteer turned radical publisher whose shift in political alignment characterized by the publication of satirical works by David Williams. Ridgway learnt his trade under John Almon, was brother-in-law to John Stockdale, and became the main printer for the L.C.S. His activities on behalf of the L.C.S. brought him to the notice of the authorities and he was spied on throughout this period by George Lynam who regularly reported on his movements and actions. Ridgway enjoyed a de facto partnership with H.D. Symonds throughout the 1790s although they rarely shared an imprint out of political prudence. If one was imprisoned for libel or sedition, the other would supervise his partner's business and vice versa. Robinson, "The importance of James Ridgway in the world of political pamphlet publishing during the revolutionary period was, however, beyond dispute and fully recognized by his contemporaries: “scarcely any books are read but Political Pamphlets, the fashionable Booksellers are Stockdale, Jordan, Debrett and Ridgway,” one contemporary noted in 1793, whilst even a hostile source conceded that in the 1790s, Ridgway’s imprint on a title page was worth between £1,000–1,500 in the sales that it would generate". Imprisoned in Newgate with H.D. Symonds in May 1793 for four years for publication of Paine's 'Letter addressed to the Addressers', a cheap edition of 'The Rights of Man part II', and Charles Pigott's 'The Jockey Club'. See Ralph Manogue, 'The Plight of James Ridgway, London Bookseller and Publisher, and the Newgate Radicals 1792-1797', The Wordsworth Circle Vol. 27, No. 3 (SUMMER, 1996), pp. 158-166; also Peter Robinson, 'Henry Delahay Symonds and James Ridgway’s Conversion from Whig Pamphleteers to Doyens of the Radical Press, 1788–1793', in The Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America, vol.108, no.1 (March 2014), pp.61-90.