Introduction
Ann Rollason (1760s – 1846) was a printer and bookseller who published the Coventry Mercury from 1813 to her death.
Life
Ann wa born in 1768 or 1769, and had at least 3 siblings. She married the owner of the Coventry Mercury. Her husband, Noah, died in 1813. He had been the lead and owner of the Coventry Mercury newspaper. Ann had been involved in managing the business, but when she became a widow, she was allowed to both own and control the activity. One of the partners William Reader was particularly useful. He had been a partner since 1808 and he and others assisted. Reader was retained as a manager when their partnership agreement ended in 1822. Ann did not chose to renew it, but she instead relied more on her eldest son who had been in the business since 1820. The business expanded into magazines and stationary and even patent medicines. By the time she died and left the business to her son, it was worth £14,000.