Henry Adlard

I had never heard of Henry Adlard until a couple of days ago when I was  doing some work on Eliza Acton’s cookery book which was published in 1845; it has the most beautiful etchings as illustrations, including the one which is my featured picture. The centre piece of the picture is a turtle, but actually there are no recipes for turtle in the book, only mock-turtle which is made form calves’ heads…. um… not something which would be very popular today!

I couldn’t find much information about Henry Adlard, except he was a master printer, born in 1800, and by the time he was sixty he was a ‘historical engraver printer’,  and employed thirty-six men and one boy. Among those men were his sons, James, an engraver & lithographer, and Thomas,  a printer. James went on to become a printer in his own right, and like his father was master printer employing 30 men and 20 boys.

Although I have not as yet found much more than the barest details about Henry, I have come across a court report from 1837, when he was called as an expert witness, I think, in a case of forgery.

He was such an incredible artist, and such a skilled and well-respected etcher and engraver and indeed a master printer, it seems incredible there is not more readily available information about him… but maybe I am looking in the wrong places!