Elizabeth Omer Delahoy

Elizabeth Omer Delahoy (1784-1867) was the daughter of John Omer, a cheesemonger and member at  John Townsend’s Independent congregation in Jamaica Row, Bermondsey (the Omers were previously Huguenots). In 1805 John Omer opened a circulating library in Deptford on Butt Lane and later operated as a bookseller in Chatham c. 1813-26. He may also have sold as Townsend and Omer in Fleet Street in 1808 (the Townsend may have been his minister or his minister's son). James Delahoy (c. 1757-c. 1835) was a printer first at Blackfriars and sometime after 1785 at Deptford. His wife, Sophia, died in 1828. The Delahoys appear to be Anglican (the children were all baptized into Anglican churches), but may have joined with a dissenting congregation at some point, for he published works by Andrew Burn, Thomas Wilson, and Timothy Priestley, including the latter's commentary on the Bible (Delahoy's address appeared on the volume's advertisements). Between 1786 and 1811 he and his son, James Delahoy, Jr. (1780-1812), appeared on 37 imprints from their location at 6 Deptford Bridge. In 1808 James Delahoy, Jr., married Elizabeth Omer (1784-1867). He continued to operate his father's business  until his untimely death in 1812, at which time Elizabeth assumed control of the Albion Printing Office in Deptford, operating from that location and in Greenwich at least through 1822, the year of her last imprint. During that time she published John Ryland’s Six Views of Believer’s Baptism in 1821, Philip Doddridge’s The Principles of the Christian Religion in 1820 (a work sold by Mrs. Cox at 39 High Street, Southwark, another dissenting woman bookseller), and several sermons by William Chapman, minister at the Greenwich Road Chapel (Congregational), most likely the church she attended.  For Elizabeth Delahoy's publishing record, see her entry at https://www.nonconformistwomenwriters1650-1850.com/women-printers-and-booksellers-1690-1825/delahoy-elizabeth-omer.