142 HISTORY OF THE PRINTING PRESS IN DERBYSHIRE. 
more tender relations, for Blackwall married his predecessor’s 
widow also! At the upper end of Sadler Gate, another book-- 
seller, Jeremiah Roe, had a shop where he seems to have. 
combined the sale of books and quack medicines. This was his 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
By Jeremiah Roe, near the Market-Head in 
Derby, ave Sold as cheap as in London, 
A LL Sorts of Bibles, Common-Prayers, and all other Soits of 
Books ; also the beft Writing Paper from /Zolland with Shop 
Books, Pocket Books, and all other forts of Stationary Wares. He 
also fells the true Original DAFFY’s ELIXIR, and STOUGH- 
TONS ELIXIR. Gentlemen by fending their Orders to him for 
Books {hall have them expeditioufly answer’d. He also buys Lidvaries, 
or Parcels of old Books. 
In 1727, Mr. Cantrell’s stock of books was advertised ‘to be 
sold by Auction at Mr. Crompton’s Hall, in the market place 
in Derby.” ‘This Hall formed a portion of the Piazzas, removed 
when Rotten Row was finally obliterated, and the Iron-gate 
“widened,” under the late Mr. Alderman Roe’s auspices. It is 
thus described in Woolley’s MS., 1712 :— 
‘*Over against it (The Guildhall) stands a good handsome Hall, erected by 
Mr. Crompton, part on the Butchery on the West Side of the place, and part 
on pillars where the Market people that sell butter eggs and poultry stand, and 
behind it, part of the Rotten Row. It is said he built this Hall with a design 
to make an exchange with the Corporation for theirs: at present it is only 
used by some button makers that work in it.” 
The career of the Derby Post-Man was erratic. It seems to 
have been published in various shapes and sizes, and at uncertain’ 
dates. It was rechristened “ The British Spy: or Derby Post- 
Man,” No. 1 of which appeared, still with the imprint of J. 
Hodgkinson (then living in Sadler Gate), on May 31st, 1726.* 
The size of the sheet and capacity of the forme then became 
larger, but there was no difference in the quality of the information, 
* Timperley, (History of Printing, p. 638) dates the establishment of this 
paper in 1727, and Mr. Jewitt (Guide to the Bor ough of Derby, p. 68), in 1726, 
Both were quite unaware of the previous issue of the Derb by Post-Man in 1719, 
indeed I believe the fact is now stated for the first time. 
: ri, 
