RICHARD WATTS, circ. 1815.
Richard Watts, a printer of Crown Court, Strand, who, from 1802–9, had held the office of printer to Cambridge University, distinguished himself towards the close of the first quarter of the present century as a cutter and founder of Oriental and foreign characters, of which he accumulated a considerable collection. His first printing office was at Broxbourne, whence in 1816 he removed to Crown Court, Temple Bar, and here, chiefly under the patronage of the Bible {363}
Society and the Mission Presses in India and elsewhere, he produced the punches of a large number of languages hitherto unknown to English typography. He received the assistance and advice of many eminent scholars in his work, some of whom personally superintended the execution of certain of the founts. His collection increased at a rapid rate, and at the time of his death included almost every Oriental language in which, at that time, the Scriptures had been printed. His death occurred in 1844 at Edmonton, in which place his foundry appears to have been for some time located.
He was succeeded in business by his son, Mr. William Mavor Watts, who printed a broadside specimen of the founts, numbering 67 languages and dialects, of which several were shown in different sizes of character. This number was largely augmented during the following years, and, in the specimen prepared by Mr. Watts for the Exhibition of 1862, nearly 150 versions were exhibited. To this specimen was prefixed an interesting note respecting the origin of many of the founts. The collection was subsequently acquired by Messrs. Gilbert and Rivington, in whose possession it still remains and increases.
HUGH HUGHES, 1824.
This artist, described as a very able engraver, was for some time in partnership with Robert Thorne at the Fann Street Foundry. In 1824, he commenced a foundry of his own in Dean Street, Fetter Lane, whence he published a specimen of Book and Newspaper type, without date, which, besides Romans, Scripts, and Egyptians, included also Saxon, Greek, Flowers, and Music.
He appears specially to have applied himself to the production of this last-named character, and attained the reputation of being the best music type cutter in the trade. Savage, in his Dictionary of Printing, shows a specimen of Hughes music, observing that “the English musical types have never to my knowledge undergone any improvement till within a few years, when Mr. Hughes cut two new founts,” (Nonpareil and Pearl), “which are looked upon as the best we have and the largest of which I have used for this article (‘Music’).” Hughes’ system appears to have been that originally introduced by Breitkopf in 1764, and the scheme of a pair of cases by which his specimen is accompanied shows that a complete fount comprised as many as 238 distinct characters. Besides music of the modern notation, Hughes had matrices for the Gregorian Plain Chant Music, of which a specimen is also shown by Savage.
After the death of Mr. Hughes, which took place before 1841, the punches and matrices of his different music founts, Gregorian and modern, were purchased by Mr. C. Hancock, of Middle Row, Holborn, by whom they were considerably {364} improved, and who, subsequently, after his removal to Gloucester Street, Queen Square, issued a specimen. Of the disposal of the other contents of Mr. Hughes’ foundry we have no information.