Leadenhall Press facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
50 Leadenhall Street
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Illustration by Wm. Luker Jr. for the Leadenhall Press book "London City" (1891)
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The Leadenhall Press was a famous publishing company in London. It was started by Andrew White Tuer (1838–1900). The company began as a printing business called Field & Tuer in 1862. Andrew Tuer worked with Abraham Field (1830–1891). They printed things like registers and log books.
One of Tuer's clever inventions was Stickphast Paste. This was a glue made from vegetables. It became very popular in offices. The glue was made for many years, even after Tuer was gone. The money from this invention helped Tuer follow his dream of publishing books.
Contents
What Was the Leadenhall Press?
The Leadenhall Press was known for being very creative. It showed Tuer's love for printing and making books. The name "Ye Leadenhall Workes" first appeared in 1872. This was in the company's own magazine, Paper & Printing Trades Journal.
First Books and New Ideas
The company printed books for other publishers sometimes. But their first official book came out in 1879. It was Tuer's own book, called Luxurious Bathing. The next year, Tuer started something important. It was called the Printers' International Specimen Exchange. This was a yearly collection of printing examples. Printers and their workers would send in their best work.
Innovation in Publishing
In the 1880s, the Leadenhall Press became a leader in publishing. They released up to 40 books each year. Some books were cheap, costing only sixpence. Others were special, limited editions that cost much more.
The Press is often remembered for reprinting children's books. They also brought back old storybooks called chapbooks. These often had fun illustrations by Joseph Crawhall. The company published many of Tuer's own works too. But their books covered many different topics for all kinds of readers. Even their cheaper books were often designed with great care.
Famous Writers and Artists
The Leadenhall Press published many well-known writers and artists. They also published some who are not as famous today. Wilfrid Meynell helped choose books to publish. He also wrote some books under the name 'John Oldcastle'. The Press published the very first books by Jerome K. Jerome. He later became famous for Three Men in a Boat.
Other Notable Authors
Other authors who published with Leadenhall Press included:
- Andrew Lang
- Egypt expert W. M. Flinders Petrie
- Lady Florence Dixie, a writer who supported women's rights
- Max O'Rell
- Louis Fagan from the British Museum
- J. A. Fuller Maitland
- Grant Allen
- Count Eric Stenbock
Even Oscar Wilde had a poem in their collection A Book of Jousts in 1888. His mother, Lady Jane Wilde, wrote for their magazine Bairns' Annual.
Talented Illustrators
The Press quickly became known for its excellent art reproduction. The first edition of Songs of the North (1885) had art by famous artists. These included Burne-Jones, Whistler, and Frederick Sandys.
Besides Joseph Crawhall, other artists who illustrated books for the Press were:
- Randolph Caldecott
- Georgie Gaskin
- Tristram Ellis
- William Luker Jr.
- Cartoonists from Punch magazine like Phil May, Charles Keene, and Linley Sambourne.
The End of the Press
In 1892, Abraham Field retired and then passed away. The company then became The Leadenhall Press, Ltd. Fewer books were published in the 1890s. But the books were still very high quality. They often showed Tuer's interest in old and rare items.
Publishing stopped a few years after Andrew Tuer died in 1900. The company went back to its original business of printing and stationery. It finally closed down in 1927. Between 1879 and 1905, the Leadenhall Press published over 400 different books.
