John Stockdale

Contributions

1. A defence of the constitutions of government of the United States of America: Against the Attack of M. Turgot in his Letter to Dr. Price, Dated the twenty-second day of March, 1778 has translation publisher
2. A letter from Earl Stanhope, to the Right Honourable Edmund Burke. Containing a short answer to his late speech on the French Revolution has translation bookseller
3. A letter to the Earl of Shelburne on his speech, July 10, 1782, respecting the acknowledgement of American independence has translation publisher
4. An essay on the physical, moral and political reformation of the Jews, a work crowned by the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences at Metz: By the abbe Grégoire, a member of that society. Translated from the French translation publisher
5. An essay on the physical, moral and political reformation of the Jews, a work crowned by the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences at Metz: By the abbe Grégoire, a member of that society. Translated from the French translation paratext publisher
6. Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America has translation publisher
7. The Constitution of England, or an account of the English government, in which it is compared with the republican form. And occasionally with the other monarchies in Europe. By J.L. de Lolme translation publisher
8. The constitutions of the several independent states of America has translation publisher
9. The history of the Inquisitions, including the secret transactions of those horrific tribunals has translation publisher
10. Thoughts on the peace, and the probable advantages thereof to the United States of America has translation publisher

Knows

• John Adams diplomat politician writer
• John Almon bookseller journalist pamphleteer publisher
• John Debrett bookseller publisher
• Thomas Erskine abolitionist jurist military politician writer
• Thomas Jefferson philosopher politician translator writer
• Hester Lynch Thrale Piozzi writer
• James Phillips abolitionist bookseller editor entrepreneur publisher
• James Ridgway bookseller publisher
• Henry Delahoy Symonds bookseller publisher

Notes

Began his working life as a blacksmith and valet. Brother-in-law to James Ridgway, he moved to London and apprenticed with the publisher John Almon. In 1781, he used Almon's American connections to help set up on his own next door, after Debrett took over Almon's business, publishing pro-American works by Thomas Day and John Adams – who stayed with him in 1783 – amongst others. He also became Jefferson's main supplier of books until Jefferson got fed up with the endless delays. According to Eric Stockdale, Stockdale was "bitterly opposed to the [French] revolution" and sometimes worked to government commissions (p.81). He died bankrupt.

From his ONDB entry (Hannah Barker):

"Like that of Debrett, Stockdale's bookshop was reputed to be a fashionable lounging place; however, while Debrett was patronised by whigs, Pitt's supporters preferred to visit Stockdale's establishment. John Stockdale was described as 'a man of strong natural parts … [who] soon became conspicuous in his business, in spite of much eccentricity of conduct, and great coarseness of manners'. Stockdale was a prolific publisher, particularly in the 1780s and 1790s. One of his first successes was to persuade the owners of the London Courant to switch to him. His other publications included Ferguson's 'Roman Republic' (1783), the 'Debates of Parliament' (1784–90), Dr Johnson's works in 1787, an edition of 'Robinson Crusoe' (1795), and numerous others including topographical and cartographical items and music imprints.

Stockdale was indicted for a libel on the House of Commons after publishing John Logan's Review of the Charges Against Warren Hastings in 1788, which it was claimed was intended to vilify the Commons as corrupt and unjust in its impeachment of Hastings. Stockdale was ably defended by Erskine, who argued that the defendant should not be judged by isolated passages, but by the entire context of the publication and its general character and objects. Stockdale was acquitted in December 1789 in a case which was said to have been instrumental in the passing of Fox's Libel Act of 1792. Stockdale was again accused of libel in 1809 by Joseph Nightingale. This time he was not so fortunate and was fined £200."

See also Eric Stockdale, 'John Stockdale of Piccadilly' in 'Author/Publisher relations during the 18th and 19th centuries' (1983, Oxford Polytechnic Press).