John Wilson was a native of Kilmarnock and served for a
while as a magistrate in the town. He took over the print shop in
the town in 1780 which had previously been owned by a Mr. McArthur
who had been the very first printer in Ayrshire. Wilson is
remembered as the printer of the first edition of the poems of
Burns, but his successful business should be seen as an indicator
of the progressive state of literacy in the area at the time. It
was established during the time known as the 'Scottish
Enlightenment' when more Scots than ever before had
access to an education which resulted in a greater demand for
newspapers and books.
As well as Burns' 'Kilmarnock Edition', Wilson printed an
edition of 'Paradise Lost' in 1785, and an edition of 'Virgilii
Bucolica, Georgica, et Aeneis' in 1789 and was also the principle
bookseller in the town. His shop was in an old building, which
stood where Portland Street opens into the Cross, and his
print-shop was in the attic next to the Star Close Inn, which stood
on Waterloo Street. A Mrs. Buntine, sister of the owner of the Star
Cross Inn, Mr. James Robertson stated that she frequently noticed
visits to the print works by the poet.
Wilson eventually moved to Ayr and set up another
printing-shop there. He also, in partnership with his brother,
established in 1803, the 'Ayr Advertiser', Ayrshire's first
newspaper. He died at Ayr in May 1821 and was buried in Kilmarnock
next to Kilmarnock High Church.
Years before his death Burns had mischievously already
penned an epitaph to him which appeared in print within the 'First
Edition':
"who'er thou art, O reader, know
That Death has murdered Johnnie,
And here his body lies fu' low -
For soul he ne'er had ony."
