Sarah Harding (printer)

Her mother was a well-known Dublin printer, Elizabeth Sadlier, and it is possible that it was this connection that drew John into the printing business.

Following her husband's imprisonment for publishing an unauthorised version of the lord lieutenant's speech on the opening of the parliamentary session, Harding took over the printing business.

It was not for the Hardings' skill or refinement as printers that Swift chose them, but due to their willingness to "issue ephemeral, adventurous, even dangerous papers of controversy".

The Hardings risked prosecution again after John's publishing of Swift's Drapier's Letters, with the couple arrested and but on trial in November 1724, but were not convicted.

She was imprisoned again briefly for publishing On wisdoms defeat in a learned debate (1725) which was deemed "an impudent and insolent paper", and is attributed at times to Swift.