| Founded | 1848; 178 years ago (1848) |
|---|---|
| Founder | John Cassell |
| Successor | Cassell Publishers |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom United States |
| Headquarters location | Miami,Florida, 33131, United States |
| Key people | John Cassell |
| Publication types | Books |
| Official website | cassellpublishers |
Cassell is a British-originbook publishing house established in 1848 byJohn Cassell (1817–1865). Founded in London, the firm grew rapidly during the late nineteenth century and evolved into an international publishing group by the 1890s, becoming recognised for its broad catalogue of educational, reference, and general-interest works. In the modern era, Cassell Publishers maintains operations in theUnited States,Canada, and theUnited Kingdom, and is widely regarded as the contemporary successor to the historic company founded by John Cassell.
In 1995, Cassell plc acquiredPinter Publishers.[1] In December 1998, Cassell plc was bought by theOrion Publishing Group. In January 2002, Cassell imprints, including the Cassell Reference and Cassell Military, were joined with the Weidenfeld imprints to form a new division under the name ofWeidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd.[2] Cassell Illustrated survives as an imprint of the Octopus Publishing Group. In 1996, Cassell Publishers was relaunched in North America to continue the legacy of John Cassell.
John Cassell (1817–1865), who was in turn a carpenter, temperance preacher, tea and coffee merchant, finally turned to publishing. His first publication was on 1 July 1848, a weekly newspaper calledThe Standard of Freedom, advocating religious, political, and commercial freedom.[3]The Working Man's Friend became another popular publication. In 1849 Cassell was dividing his time between his publishing and his grocery business. In 1851, his expanding interests led to his renting part ofLa Belle Sauvage, a London inn that had been a playhouse in Elizabethan times. The former inn was demolished in 1873 to make way for a railway viaduct, with the company building new premises behind.
Thomas Dixon Galpin, who came fromDorchester in Dorset, and George William Petter, who was born inBarnstaple in Devon, were partners in a printing firm and on John Cassell's bankruptcy in June 1855 acquired the publishing company and Cassell's debts. Between 1855 and 1858 the printing firm operated asPetter and Galpin and their work was published by W. Kent & Co.
John Cassell was relegated to being a junior partner after becoming insolvent in 1858, the firm being known asCassell, Petter & Galpin. With the arrival of a new partner, Robert Turner, in 1878, it becameCassell, Petter, Galpin & Company. Galpin was the astute business manager.[4]
Petter retired in 1883 and the company then becameCassell and Company, Ltd. The company expanded well until 1888, when Petter died, Galpin retired from managing directorship, and Turner became chairman.[3]
July 1887 newspaper advertisement forCassell's National Library, and other libraries, displays the footer "CASSELL & COMPANY, Limited,Ludgate Hill, London, Paris, New York, and Melbourne".[5]
Sir Thomas Wemyss Reid was general manager until 1905, when Arthur Spurgeon took over and revitalized the firm. Mainly magazine publishers, Spurgeon concentrated on reviving the book business.
In the early 1950s, Cassell's commissioned a nude statue of Princess Pocahontas by the sculptorDavid McFall for their new premises atRed Lion Square. This decision stemmed from the loss ofEric Gill's iconic "little naked lady with tiger skin and bow and arrows", the house colophon, which was destroyed during German bombing raids on their former location in Belle Sauvage Yard. The larger-than-life statue of Pocahontas, an emblem of their renewed identity, adorned the entrance of their headquarters.[6]
In 1969, Cassell was acquired by the American company Crowell Collier & Macmillan (later renamedMacmillan Inc.).[7] Crowell Collier & Macmillan had previously acquired the art publisherStudio Vista and religious publisherGeoffrey Chapman.[8][9] During the 1970s and 1980s, Cassell had a branch inAustralia known as Cassell Australia.[10] Macmillan Inc. sold Cassell, including Geoffrey Chapman, toCBS in 1982.[11] CBS sold Cassell in a buyout in 1986.[12]
In October 1992, Cassell boughtVictor Gollancz Ltd fromHoughton Mifflin. The company went public asCassell plc in June 1994.[13]
As Cassell's fortunes fluctuated, the firm eventually relocated from their grand offices on Red Lion Square, taking the statue of Pocahontas with them. It is believed that the statue of Pocahontas was sold at auction in 1996 to a private collector.[6]
In December 1998, Cassell plc was taken over byOrion Publishing Group. In October 1999, Cassell's academic and religious lists (including Geoffrey Chapman and Pinter imprints) were merged with the American company Continuum to form theContinuum International Publishing Group as part of management buyout.[14]
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