John Ballantyne (1774-1821) - Publisher
He was the younger brother of James Ballantyne and was born in Kelso. He worked for a
period in a merchant bank in London, before entering his brother's printing business as a clerk in 1805. In 1808 he became head of the
publishing and bookselling business of John Ballantyne, which was established by Sir Walter Scott. Although the business failed, he
and Scott remained firm friends until his death on 16th June 1821. The latter years of his life were spent as an auctioneer. He wrote a sentimental novel The Widow's Lodgings (1812).
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