William Woodfall

William edited the London Packet from 1772 to 1774, then joined the Morning Chronicle as publisher, editor, and reporter.

[2] In 1770 London papers began to report Parliamentary debates fully, against the rules of the House of Commons.

He would walk down to the House of Commons "with a hard-boiled egg in his pocket, take his seat in the gallery, sit out the longest debate and -- not being allowed to take notes -- return to his printing office and write out fifteen or sixteen small columns of speeches.

His son Thomas, a publisher and printer of theatre bills, married the actress Clementina Collins in 1796.

Edmund Burke sued him for libel and, in 1779, Woodfall was found guilty of printing and publishing a leaflet supporting the acquittal of Admiral Augustus Keppell and sentenced to 12 months in Newgate Prison.