Margaret Rhames

Margaret Rhames and her husband Aaron were the heads of one of the most prolific Dublin printing families of the 18th century. While there is substantial documentation of her husband’s work, Rhames’ career is more difficult to trace. Her death notice indicates that she was the printer to the Commissioners of Revenue and likely would have dedicated a significant portion of her work to the compilation of notices and accounting documents. The set of books The Method of Teaching And Studying Les Belles Lettres, which is included in this exhibition, demonstrates that Rhames also undertook fairly extensive book printing tasks. Like many other women in print, Margaret took over her husband’s business after his death before eventually passing it along to her children. Printing continued to be the family trade for several generations with many members turning to sheet music publishing to establish a niche in the bustling market of the city.