William Dugdale (publisher)

William Dugdale (29 March 1800 – 11 November 1868) was an English publisher, printer, and bookseller of politically subversive publications and pornographic literature in England during the 19th century. By the 1850s he had become "the principal source of such publications in the country". Despite the numerous police raids on his shops and spending many years in prison he remained in the book trade for over forty years.

William Dugdale was the first son born to Quaker John Dugdale, son of John and Jennet Dugdale (also Quakers), and Ann Platt, daughter of William and Elizabeth Platt. John the elder worked as a linen draper; John the younger was a hosier and tailor. William's mother, Ann, was born on 16 February 1772 in Chester. Her father was a clock and watch-maker in Manchester. She died at the age of 38 on 2 January 1810.

John and Ann married on 29 June 1797. They had six children, all born in Stockport. Three of the children: Jennet, Samuel and Jabez died before reaching the age of 5; they, plus their mother, died within three years of each other of unknown causes.

William, Thomas and John Lambert, once they reached the age of 9, were educated at Ackworth School, a boarding school for Quaker boys and girls: William attended from 1809–1813, Thomas from 1812–1816, and John from 1814-1817.

On 4 May 1826, William married Hannah Pinnell in St. Anne Soho parish, Westminster. Hannah, the daughter of Robert Pinnell and Fanny Warren, was baptized on 23 May 1803 in Warminster. Hannah died Aug 1855, buried 14 August 1855 at Nunhead Cemetery in London. William and Hannah had 4 children:

At the age of 18 Dugdale moved to London where he was employed by William Benbow, a radical publisher of obscene books. Two years later he was implicated (though not prosecuted) in the Cato Street Conspiracy. In 1822 he started his own publishing and book-selling business, initially of a general nature but specializing over time in pornography. Ashbee described him as "one of the most prolific publishers of filthy books". Although Dugdale published some original works many were translations done by James Campbell Reddie and reprints of previously published erotica. Eventually, William's two brothers, Thomas and John, as well as William's son, became booksellers and joined the family trade.

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