Family Background
Baptised Samuel Kent Rousseau in St Ann's Church, Blackfriars, London on 20 November 1763, he was the eldest son of Phillip Rousseau, a printer working for William Bowyer, and his wife Susannah. Phillip died in 1814 and was buried at St Bride's Church, Fleet Street.
Bowyers, which was later taken over by John Nichols (printer), took on Samuel as an apprentice in 1778. He was later joined by his younger brother, James, but whereas James spent the rest of his working life as a compositor and editor for Nichols, Samuel preferred to set up his own business, although he was occasionally employed by Nichols in collecting epitaphs, and other remains of antiquity for The Gentleman's Magazine.
According to Timperley, Samuel Rousseau was "a singular instance of patient perseverance in the acquirements of the ancient languages". Whilst working as an apprentice and journeyman, he taught himself Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Persian, Arabic, and the Syriac language. To these he added French and several other modern tongues.
On 27 May 1787, he married Mary Silvester at Tottenham. They had two daughters, one called Elizabeth.
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