James, John and Sandy, The Ballantyne Brothers

While studying some of the great authors of the nineteenth century, I ran across a website dedicated to the legacy of Sir Walter Scott. This particular website had some real gems on the subject of Scott's relation to the Ballantyne family.

One of the things that I found so intriguing about the Ballantynes in relation to Scott was that Scott had known James Ballantyne, the eldest of the three brothers, since they were both young men at Kelso Grammar School.

Sir Walter Scott first met James Ballantyne (1772-1833) when attending Kelso Grammar School in 1783. The oldest son of a thriving local merchant, he shared Scott's love of literature, and the two rapidly became good friends. Like Scott, James went on to study Law at Edinburgh University, returning to Kelso in 1795 to set up in practice as a solicitor. The following year he launched the staunchly pro-Tory newspaper the Kelso Mail, which he both edited and printed.

It was very interesting to see the way that James had thought it was so important to take care of his brother and "teach him the trade" before relocating to Edinburgh.

James Ballantyne

In 1799, James privately printed the two pamphlets with which Scott began his writing career: An Apology for Tales of Terror (containing ballads and translations intended for publication in Matthew Gregory Lewis's much-delayed anthology Tales of Wonder) and the ballad 'The Eve of St. John'. Thus began a literary and business partnership that would last Scott's lifetime. Scott was so pleased with the typographical excellence of these two slim volumes that he offered James the opportunity of printing the collection of Border ballads that he was in the process of gathering. When these eventually appeared as the two large octavo volumes of Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border (1802), there was general astonishment in the British book-trade that a small-town printer could produce work of such quality. Scott immediately urged his friend to relocate to Edinburgh, but James wished first to train up the younger of his two brothers, Alexander ('Sandy'), to take over the running of the Kelso Mail. Sandy, father of the Victorian children's writer, R.M. Ballantyne, would eventually buy James's entire interest in the Kelso Mail in 1806.

After training Sandy how to run the Kelso Mail, James immediately headed out to Holyrood House, in Edinburgh.

Scott finally persuaded James to move to Edinburgh in 1803, loaning him £500 to increase the liquid capital of his business. James initially set up his presses in two small rooms in Holyrood House, but thriving business soon led him to seek larger premises. Orders flooded in from Edinburgh publishers and Scott was instrumental in securing for Ballantyne the right to print Session papers. James first moved to Foulis Close in the Canongate then, in 1805, to Paul's Work, situated between the Canongate and Leith Wynd.

It is always sad to see what happens when one brother decides to take the wrong path. Unfortunately John Ballantyne, the middle brother, to some extent did this. He had a bad reputation as a "high living man about town."

On the face of it, John Ballantyne (1774-1821), with his hard-won reputation as the black sheep of the family, was a bad choice. After serving an apprenticeship at a London banking house, he had been taken on as a partner in his father's business in Kelso. In 1797, however, John set up a rival store. Although it initially prospered, mismanagement, and all-round high living brought John near ruin by 1806.

John Ballantyne

With difficulty, James dissuaded him from emigrating to the West Indies and offered him a clerical post in his printing office, provided that he mend his ways and make up with his now estranged wife. In this new capacity John impressed Scott with his inventive approach to book-keeping. Rapidly tiring of office drudgery, he leapt at the chance to head the publishing firm which was founded in 1809. Based in Hanover Street, it would trade under the name of John Ballantyne and Co. Scott acquired a half-share in the business (again a closely guarded secret), and James and John were allotted a quarter share each. Profits were to be divided in the same proportion and matters of policy to be decided jointly. Later in 1809 Scott renegotiated his position with James Ballantyne's printing company, obtaining a half-share in the business through a new injection of capital.

Not very often do you find a publisher and author who work tremendously together. James Ballantyne and Walter Scott had a very close relationship. This gave James the capability to make friendly edits and comments on the books Scott was publishing that he never could have made otherwise. It seems that Scott had deep faith in the editing capabilities of James.

James's role extended far beyond that of business partner or printer. His and Scott's was a unique literary relationship. Scott consulted James on the artistic merit and likely commercial success of each work. James read Scott's proofs, acting as editor rather than mere proof-reader. He would point out inconsistencies in detail and gaps in the text, insert names of speakers in dialogue, correct punctuation and grammatical errors, and remove close verbal repetitions. The annotated proofs were then sent back to Scott who made further alterations. James made further editorial interventions on post-authorial proofs, making changes that were probably never inspected by Scott.

One of the things that plagued Scott and the Ballantynes for quite a while was the debt that had piled up on the account of James Ballantyne and Co.

The Ballantyne Press

In autumn 1815 James proposed marriage to Christina Hogarth. Her father would only consent if James could prove himself free from debt. Scott agreed to discharge James from his liabilities for the publishing house's debts on condition that Scott assume ownership of James Ballantyne and Co., retaining James as a salaried manager. The irrepressible John, meanwhile, had reinvented himself as a successful auctioneer in his publishing house's old premises. He had even succeeded in selling off a good deal of his own stock by putting it in other people's sale catalogues. Esteeming his ability to drive a hard bargain and his skill in confidential bill discounting, money-changing, loan raising, and double accountancy, Scott continued to employ him as his literary agent.

James's financial worries (which had been building up) eased when, in 1817, he purchased the Edinburgh Weekly Journal along with his brother-in-law George Hogarth. By now, however, John's decades of hard living were catching up with him. After several years of ill health, he died on June 16, 1821 of pulmonary consumption. Shortly before his death, Scott had offered to write biographical introductions for a project that John had long cherished: a series of reprints of popular novels and romances at readily affordable prices. Scott saw through the publication of 'Ballantyne's Novelists' Library' in memory of his dead friend.

The loyalty of Scott to his friends, alive or dead, really struck me as something we should all aspire to. The fact that he continued to work with his friends from years past even under difficult circumstances and did not try to blame the failure of his business on them really spoke to the character of Scott.

Thus in the financial crisis of 1826, when the failure of Hurst, Robinson & Company brought in its wake that of Archibald Constable and the Ballantyne Press. James found himself liable for half of the company's debts. He was forced to sell his new home and all the family valuables but permitted to continue living at St. John Street. Under the surveillance of the trust appointed to administer Scott's earnings, James was permitted to stay on as manager of the printing business. A salary of £400 p.a. with no benefits meant a steep decline in his standard of living. Sandy Ballantyne, who had invested all his own spare capital in the Ballantyne Press, was permitted to resume management of the Edinburgh Weekly Journal.

Sadly, this was the beginning of the end for the Ballantyne brothers. But we know better than to remember it this way. In God's providence, this would be part of the reason that R.M. Ballantyne would go to work in Canada, and subsequently become the great author and man he did.

James, who had been devastated by the loss of his wife in 1829, died shortly after Scott on January 26, 1833. His son, John Alexander Ballantyne, took over management of the Ballantyne Press with the help of John Hughes (who had risen up from the post of compositor). Business continued to thrive for a few years but by mid-century they were suffering serious competition from other steam presses. In Edinburgh, Blackwood's had emerged as serious rivals, and the publishing world was increasingly centred on London. Their Edinburgh printing works finally closed in 1916.

For more of this article go to The Walter Scott Website.