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Printing

Printing

Printing reached Scotland from France in the early 16th Century but no records exist of it being recorded in the south west of the country until the 1780s when Peter McArthur introduced it to Kilmarnock. He was succeeded by John Wilson who was responsible for printing the first edition of 'Burns' Poetry' (one of the first ever books printed in Ayrshire). John Wilson also introduced printing to Ayr under the firm 'John and Peter Wilson'. Soon other towns in Ayrshire followed, with Irvine and Beith opening their own print shops. Before 1780, however, the closest printing press had been in Glasgow and even the availability of printed literature was not easy.

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