Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Powell, Humphrey
POWELL, HUMPHREY (fl. 1548–1556), printer, was in 1548 engaged in printing in Holborn Conduit, London. In that year he published two works, ‘An Holsome Antidotus,’ 8vo, and ‘Certayne Litel Treatises,’ 8vo; and two other books, ‘Œcolampadius's Sermon’ and ‘Barclay's Eclogues,’ without date, were issued by him about the same time. In 1551 Powell removed to Dublin, where he became printer to the king, and established the first printing press in Ireland; he resided first ‘in the great toure by the Crane’ (probably in Crane Lane), but subsequently removed to St. Nicholas Street. The only book known to have issued from his press in Dublin was a verbal reprint of the English common prayer of 1549; it appeared in 1551, and a perfect copy is extant in Trinity College Library, Dublin. Powell is said to have continued printing in Dublin for fifteen years, but the only subsequent reference to him is the appearance of his name as a member of the Stationers' Company in the charter of 1556. Other Powells—Thomas, William, and Edward—were printers in London during Elizabeth's reign.
[Arber's Transcript, vol. i. pp. xxviii, xxix, xxxiii, vol. ii. pp. 66, 97, 692; Ames's Typogr. Antiq., ed. Herbert and Dibdin, iv. 310–11; Timperley's Encycl. pp. 314, 325; Hazlitt's Handbook, pp. 156, 588, and Collections, 3rd ser. p. 179; Cat. Trin. Coll. Library.]