John Anthony Galignani

On the fall of Napoleon in 1814 the father commenced issuing guide-books[1] and founded 'Galignani's Messenger,' which was at first a tri-weekly but speedily became a daily paper, circulated among English residents all over Europe, as the stamp duty and postage rendered London journals expensive.

The elder son, while still under age, opened a bookshop at Cambrai, but returned to Paris at or before his father's death, when he became the chief partner.

Sir Walter Scott, for instance, on visiting what he calls the 'old pirate's den' in 1826, was, 'after some palaver,' offered a hundred guineas for sheets of his 'Life of Napoleon.'

Having a country house at Étiolles, of which parish William was for more than twenty years mayor, they presented the adjoining town of Corbeil with a hospital and extensive grounds.

They were also liberal contributors to British charities in Paris, and erected at Neuilly a hospital for indigent English (now converted into an orphanage).

The latter bequeathed a site and funds for the erection at Neuilly of the 'Retraite Galignani freres' for a hundred inmates, fifty of them to pay five hundred francs yearly for their maintenance, the other fifty to be admitted gratuitously and to comprise ten booksellers or printers, twenty savants, and ten authors or artists, or parents, widows, or daughters of such.