When he was sixteen years old, John Newbery went to live with a printer named William Ayers. He was William Ayers's apprentice. William Ayers taught John Newbery how to be a printer. After some time, William Ayers sold his printing shop to William Carnan. William Carnan also taught John Newbery how to be a printer. In 1737 William Carnan died. When he died, he gave the printing shop to his brother Charles Carnan and also to John Newbery. They shared the shop and worked together.