St Peter’s Cook River, N.S.W. This print is …

William Kellet Baker (1806 - 1857)

An engraver, stationer, printer, lithographer, and publisher, William Baker arrived in New South Wales around 1834. By early 1835, he had established his business at the corner of King and Castlereagh streets in Sydney, offering services in lithographic and copperplate printing. Over the following years, Baker earned a solid reputation for his craftsmanship and dedication to his clientele, and by 1838, he had relocated to 19 King Street East. In 1841, Baker expanded his enterprise, operating under the name William Baker of the Hibernian Printing Office and Australian Stationery Warehouse. He began publishing books and almanacs, with The Sydney Almanack and Pocket Companion for 1842 being one of his more notable works. By 1842, he had moved to new premises on King Street East, where he continued to publish a wide range of printed materials, including music and poetry, under the Hibernian Press. The economic depression of the 1840s brought financial difficulties, and insolvency notices from 1847 reflect the challenges he faced. Nonetheless, Baker managed to sustain his business. In 1848, he expressed his heartfelt gratitude to his patrons for their support over the past 13 years, as he moved his operations to 117 King Street East. He continued to publish almanacs and other works, later noting in 1852 that he had been in business for 18 years, now operating from Parramatta Street, Sydney. In a tragic turn of events, William Baker was found dead in January 1857 on a public road near Maitland, having succumbed to apoplexy while selling his 1857 almanac. Reports following his death spoke of a well-respected man, known for his industrious nature and active involvement in various local societies. He left behind a widow and seven children. After his passing, one of his sons continued publishing almanacs, possibly until 1873.

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