Nichols family correspondence

John Nichols (1745-1826), English master printer, editor, author, and antiquarian, inherited his printing business from his partner William Bowyer. Nichols printed for learned societies and published many county histories, including his own History and Antiquities of the Town and County of Leicester (1795-1812). Nichols purchased a share in the popular Gentleman's Magazine in 1778; he and his descendants edited and printed the monthly until 1856. He also produced collections of literary anecdotes of eighteenth century authors, a biography of Hogarth, and literary editions. In 1810 he became a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in London.

John Bowyer Nichols (1779-1863), the son of John Nichols by his second wife, succeeded his father as owner of Nichols & Co. and as editor of the Gentleman's Magazine. He too was a noted antiquarian, publishing a number of county histories and printing many antiquarian articles in his magazine. His extensive involvement in the Parliamentary printing business resulted in his testifying twice before Parliamentary commissions investigating the high cost of official printing. Nichols was a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and an original member of the Novomagians, their select dining club. His many antiquarian works included Historical Notices of Fonthill Abbey, Wiltshire (1836).

John Gough Nichols (1806-1873), the eldest son of John Bowyer Nichols, began attending meetings of the Society of Antiquaries with his father when he was twelve years old. Nichols grew up to become a prominent antiquarian, helping to found the Camden Society (1838), the Archaeological Institute (1844), and the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society (1855). Among his publications are Autographs of Royal, Noble, Learned and Remarkable Personages (1829) and Examples of Decorative Tiles, Sometimes termed Encaustic (1841–5). While he was best known as an antiquary and scholar, he continued to run the family printing business until his death in 1873, and he edited the Gentleman's Magazine until its sale in 1856.