Historedia
Person

William Smellie

Events
2
Episodes
3
Years
1768–1777

Every event in Historedia whose sources name William Smellie, with the role they cite and all of that event’s episodes. This is not a biography, and mentions are grouped by name, so two people with the same name can share this page.

Events and episodes

  1. Launch of the Encyclopædia Britannica

    1768

    Role: Editor of the first edition

    1. 1768 · Edinburgh, ScotlandWilliam Smellie hired to edit the first edition

      Colin Macfarquhar and Andrew Bell hired the 28-year-old Scottish printer William Smellie to edit the first edition of the Britannica.

    2. December 1768 · Edinburgh, ScotlandFirst weekly numbers published in Edinburgh

      The first of 100 weekly instalments of the Encyclopædia Britannica appeared in Edinburgh beginning in December 1768, launching the serial publication.

  2. Start of Encyclopædia Britannica Second Edition

    1777

    Role: Compiler of nearly all articles in the first edition

    1. 1777 · Edinburgh, ScotlandSecond Edition begins publication in Edinburgh

      The Encyclopædia Britannica's Second Edition began publication in Edinburgh in 1777, edited by James Tytler, though the supplied passages do not confirm the specific start date.

Sources

  1. William Smellie (encyclopedist) Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-08
  2. Encyclopædia Britannica Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-27