Jeremiah Garnett (1793–1870) was an English journalist, active in the politics of Lancashire and the founding of The Guardian.
Jeremiah, younger brother of Richard Garnett (philologist) and elder brother of Thomas Garnett (manufacturer), was born at Otley in Yorkshire, 2 October 1793. After being apprenticed to a printer at Barnsley, he entered the office of Wheeler's Manchester Chronicle about 1814, and with a brief interruption continued there until 1821, when he joined John Edward Taylor in establishing the Manchester Guardian. Garnett was printer, business manager, and sole reporter during the first years of the journal. He took his notes using an improvised form of shorthand, then prepared type for printing without a written copy.
As the paper gained ground his share in the literary management increased, and in January 1844 he became sole editor upon the death of his partner, a position which he held until his retirement in 1861. During these forty years he is said to have had a great influence on the public opinion of Manchester and Lancashire generally, the admirable management of The Guardian causing it to be largely read, both by tories and leaguers, who had little sympathy with its moderate liberal politics. He was active as a police commissioner, and in obtaining a charter of incorporation for the city. His correspondence and advice were politically influential, but his public appearances were infrequent. The most important was on the occasion of the expulsion of Thomas Milner Gibson and John Bright from the representation of Manchester in 1857, which was almost entirely due to his initiative.
His nephew was Richard Garnett, the author of his entry in the Dictionary of National Biography (1900), who says,
"As a man he was upright and benevolent, but singularly averse to display; as a writer for the press his principal characteristics were strong common-sense and extreme clearness of style."
After his retirement he lived in Scotland and at Sale, Cheshire, where he died on 27 Sept. 1870.[1]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Garnett, Jeremiah". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.