Simmons was born in
Canterbury, the son of William Simmons, a 'Peruke' or wig maker in the city. He attended the
King's School, Canterbury between 1749 and 1755 and then served an apprenticeship as a stationer in London from 1757. He obtained his freedom in 1764. In 1767 he became a
freeman of Canterbury by 'patrimony' and went into business as a
stationer. In 1768, Simmons set up a bi-weekly newspaper the
Kentish Gazette in rivalry with the long-standing
Kentish Post whose new proprietor had refused an offer of partnership. After a four-week local trade war, which also involved two other Canterbury printers and stationers
William Flackton and
Thomas Smith, Kirkby agreed terms and went into a long-term partnership with Simmons. The firm traded in the High Street and later at the King's Arms Printing Off & Library, St George's Street. As well as newspaper proprietors, they were stationers, bookbinders, printers and publishers, ran a
circulating library, and sold patent medicines. == Politics ==