Details

Name

Blackie & Son Ltd

Brief Biography

1809-1991, Scottish

Occupation

publisher; printer

Description

The firm was founded in 1809 by John Blackie, snr. in partnership with two friends Archibald Fullerton and William Somerville and was known then as Blackie, Fullerton & Co. Blackie branched into printing in 1819, using the printing works of Edward Khul at 8 East Clyde Street, Glasgow, under the name of 'Khull, Blackie & Co.' The bookselling side continued separately in Edinburgh as Fullerton, Somerville & Co. When Khull retired from the business in 1826, he took his original printing works with him. Somerville retired in 1821 and the firm was renamed Blackie, Fullerton & Co, Fullerton retired in 1831 and John Blackie, jnr became a partner with his father and the firm was renamed Blackie & Son. Thereafter, all aspects of the business came under the ultimate control of members of the Blackie family. In 1827, John Blackie, snr, entered into partnership with Hutchison & Brookman, printers and stereotypers, Glasgow. There were four partners: John Blackie, snr, George Brookman, William Lang and R Hutchison. Purchasing the firm of Andrew & J M Duncan in 1829, they moved Hutchison & Brookman into these premises. Robert Hutchison retired in 1837, and the firm, known at that date as George Brookman & Co, was newly established as W G Blackie & Co. The two companies, Blackie & Son and W G Blackie & Co were eventually amalgamated after Blackie & Son became a public limited company in 1890, changing its name to Blackie & Sons Ltd. The business had quarters at 16/18 William IV Street Charing Cross, London and 17 Stanhope Street, Glasgow, Scotland, and opened offices in both Canada and India. They ceased publishing in 1991.