William Preston (Freemason)

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For other persons named William Preston, see William Preston.

William Preston was a Scottish author, born in Edinburgh, on the 7 August 1742. He died on April 1, 1818. With the death of his father, Preston left college and found a job as a secretary to Thomas Ruddiman, with whom he carried out extensive research, required by the same in his classical and linguistic studies. With the death of Ruddiman, Preston became a printer for Walter Ruddiman, Thomas's brother, to whom he had been apprenticed.

After working in the printing office for about a year, he set out for London in 1760, intent upon making a name for himself as an author. One of his references was addressed to William Stranhan, the King's Printer, with whom Preston secured a position, which he retained for many years.

The exact date of Preston's initiation into Freemasonry is not known, but is thought to have been between 1762 and 1763, in London. His experiences from this point on made a deep impression upon him, inducing Preston to undertake