Cassell, John (sold)

John Cassell (January 23, 1817 - April 2, 1865) was an English entrepreneur, coffee trader, and publisher active in London during the middle part of the 19th century. Cassell was born at the Ring o' Bells Inn, which his father owned, in Manchester, England. His father unfortunately died young leaving his wife and children in poverty. Cassell took work as a child laborer and was in time apprenticed as a joiner. Around 1833 he fell in with the temperance movement - possibly a response to early unpleasant memories from the Ring o' Bells. He traveled on foot form Manchester to London preaching the importance of Temperance to anyone who would listen. His work with this unfortunate movement led to his first publications, the 'Teatotler Times', the 'Standard of Freedom' and the 'Working Man's Friend'. Later he began issuing 'Cassell's Magazine'. In addition to his publishing concerns, Cassell owned and operated a wholesale coffee and tea business and a coffee-house on Fenchurch Street known as a meeting place for writers, artists, and other liberal reformers including George Cruickshank, William and Mary Howitt, and Ellen Wood. In 1854 Cassell's publishing business was taken over by Thomas Galpin (1828 - 1910) and George Petter (1824 - 1888) although Cassell stayed on as an editor, later buying in once again as a full partner. Despite a rich life and a promising career, Cassell died at just 48 of a cancerous tumor. He is buried at Kensal Green Cemetary. The company, 'Cassell, Petter & Galpin', which at the time of his death employed 500 people, continued to prosper under the management of the remaining partners, Petter and Galpin.