Francis Finlay was born in County Down and enjoyed the patronage of William Drennan, whose Fugitive Pieces, 1815, was the first book he printed. In 1812 he joined the Belfast Monthly Magazine, and when it ceased in 1814, he set up a printing office off Joy Street. He later moved to Cornmarket, where he founded the Northern Whig in 1824. He was in favour of Catholic Emancipation and supported the tenant right movement. During the course of his career he was imprisoned twice for libel and fined heavily.

Born:	1793
Died:	1857