Harding, Joseph (1783-1843), publisher and printer

Joseph Harding was born at Finchley on 26 June 1783, the son of Benjamin Harding and his wife Frances (née Green), and he died at the same place on 19 December 1845.

His obituary in the Gentleman's Magazine is as follows:

'JOSEPH HARDING, ESQ.

'Dec. 19. At Finchley, in his 61st year, Joseph Harding, Esq. late of Pall Mall.

'Mr. Harding was the youngest brother and assistant of Mr. John Harding, the agricultural bookseller of St. James's-street. He afterwards became a printer in St. John's-square, under the firm of Harding and Wright. He then joined the well-known bookselling firm of Lackington, Hughes, Mavor, and Co. in Finsbury-square; and on the retirement from business of Mr. George Lackington, became the head of that establishment, which he removed from Finsbury-square to Pall Mall East. This firm published many very extensive works, chiefly by subscription; among others, Mr. Ormerod's History of Cheshire; perhaps the most successful, and one of the ablest, of our modern County Histories; Dugdale's Monasticon, in eight volumes, an immense undertaking, under the editorship of Dr. Bandinel, Mr. Caley, and Sir Henry Ellis; but we believe almost the whole labour of this arduous task was sustained by the latter gentleman; and Dugdale's St. Paul's, edited by Sir Henry Ellis; Wood's Athenæ Oxonienses, edited by Dr. Bliss; and Portraits of Illustrious Personages of Great Britain, with Lives, by Edmund Lodge, Esq. This last work was a little mine of wealth to Mr. Harding. It was first published in folio with large plates, and was tolerably successful, having a very fair list of subscribers. But it occurred to Mr. Harding, that the work would be more profitable in a smaller size, and he re-engraved all the portraits in a large octavo form; when the work became exceedingly popular, and edition after edition was called for. Mr. Harding made a public exhibition of the original drawings, which we believe were afterwards sold by auction. He also sold the copyright and plates by auction to Mr. Smith of Fleet-street, for a great sum. Mr. Harding was a shrewd clever man of business; from which he retired in 1836 with a very handsome fortune.'

Harding's other publications include the Works of Henry Fielding in 10 volumes (with J. Johnson), 1806, and
Camoens' Lusiad in 3 volumes, 1807.

Gentleman's Magazine, Jan. 1844, p. 101
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