A Dictionary of the Booksellers and Printers who Were at Work in England, Scotland and Ireland from 1641 to 1667/Harper (Thomas)
HARPER (THOMAS), printer in London; Little Britain, 1614-56. The son of William Harper, of Woolraston, co. Salop, minister. Apprentice to Melchisedeck Bradwood, September 29th, 1604. [Arber, iii. 549.] Took up his freedom October 29th, 1611. First book entry July 14th, 1614, at which time he appears to have been in partnership with his brother William. [Ibid.] In 1634 he bought the printing business of George Wood and William Lee, which had previously belonged to Thomas Snodham, who in his turn had succeeded Thomas East or Este. Wood brought several actions against Harper in the Court of Requests and the Court of Chancery, in all of which he was non-suited. In 1639 Harper was in partnership with Richard Hodgkinson. [Sayle, 866.] During the early years of the Rebellion he was more than once in trouble for printing pamphlets against the Parliament. [Commons Journals, ii, 168.] He died March 22nd, 165556. [Smyth's Obituary, p. 41.] Many notable books came from his press, amongst them George Ruggle's Ignoramus, 1630; John Weever's Ancient Funeral Monuments, 1631; Camden's Annales, 1635, and Camden's Remaines, 1636. He also printed music for John Playford.