The book trade became popular in the United Kingdom in the 14th century. Publishers and printers gradually established control over it, satisfying the population’s interest in religious materials, almanacks and forecasts. In the 19th century, the A & C Black publishing company played an important role in the publication and distribution of literature in the UK. Offering a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books, it has encouraged readers to appreciate its unique style and format for centuries. Learn more at london1.one.
History of the founding and development
The publishing business of Adam and Charles Black began in 1807 in Edinburgh. Having founded a bookstore after his 23rd birthday, publisher and politician Adam Black set the goal of popularising the recognisable style of literature in his own format. As his business grew, he acquired the copyright to the Encyclopædia Britannica in 1827. This allowed his nephew Charles Black to join the business. By the way, the company had formally established its current name in 1834.
In 1839, A & C Black began publishing a series of guidebooks known as Black’s Guides. In 1851, the company acquired the copyrights to Scottish writer Walter Scott for £27,000. Upon Adam’s retirement in 1870, he handed over control of the business to his three sons. Thus, James Tait Black, Francis Black and Adam William Black sold half a million copies of the 9th edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, which had been previously disapproved by their father. In 1889, they continued their joint business in a larger space called Soho Bazaar on London’s Soho Square.
A & C Black reached the height of its popularity with the launch of the annual Who’s Who in 1897. That series attracted an audience with the opportunity to delve into the biographical details of famous people in Great Britain. In 1899, W.W. Callender and Adam Rimmer Black took over the company’s management. They have published A & C Black Colour Books: 20 Shilling Series, which is still collected by bibliophiles. In 1902, the company published Pelham Grenville Wodehouse’s first book, The Pothunters and then a number of his other works. The last head of the family business was Charles Archibald Adam Black, Archibald Black’s son, who took over in 1973.
In 1989, A & C Black acquired Christopher Helm Publishers and later Pica Press. Charles Archibald Adam Black sold the company to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc in 2000. Continuing to produce a range of reference books, the company acquired T. & A. D. Poyser and its back-list in 2002. The company continued its expansion by purchasing Methuen Drama from Methuen Publishing in 2006, and Arden Shakespeare from Cengage Learning in 2008. In 2016, A & C Black’s Music list became part of Collins Learning, a division of one of the world’s largest publishing companies HarperCollins.
Adam Black, Edinburgh News
Recognition and significance of A & C Black’s work
A & C Black has established itself as a major player in the UK’s traditional publishing industry. Over its history, it has published over 30 book series, including Black’s Atlas of North America, Ecclesiastical History of England, The Making of the Nations, Social Life in England and many others. Throughout its existence, the publishing house has also acquired and collaborated with dozens of companies, including S. W. Partridge & Co., Gay & Hancock, EP Publishing, Ernest Benn Ltd., T. Fisher Unwin, Williams & Norgate and others.
History Archive