George Routledge | |
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| Born | (1812-09-23)23 September 1812 Brampton, Cumberland, England |
| Died | 13 December 1888(1888-12-13) (aged 76) Russell Square, London, England |
| Occupation | Book publisher |
| Organization | George Routledge & Sons |
| Spouse(s) | Maria Elizabeth Warne (m. 25 Jan 1837 — 25 March 1855, her death) Mary Grace Bell (m. 11 May 1858) |
George Routledge (23 September 1812 – 13 December 1888) was an Englishbook publisher and the founder of the publishing houseRoutledge.
He was born inBrampton, Cumberland on 23 September 1812.[1]
Routledge gained his early experience of business with Thurnam & Sons, booksellers, atCarlisle. Moving to London in 1833, he started in business for himself as a bookseller in 1836, and as a publisher in 1843. He made his first serious success by reprinting the Biblical commentaries of an American writer,Albert Barnes.[2]
Routledge's fame as a publisher, however, rests mainly on popular books. A series ofshilling volumes, the "Railway Library",[3][4][5] was an immense success, including as it didHarriet Beecher Stowe'sUncle Tom's Cabin, and he also published in cheap form some of the writings ofWashington Irving,James Fenimore Cooper,Bulwer-Lytton andBenjamin Disraeli. He also brought out a number of shilling books in "Routledge's Universal Library"[6] (also known as "Morley's Universal Library",[7] the series being edited byHenry Morley).
Once styledRoutledge, Warne & Routledge, his firm changed its name to that ofGeorge Routledge & Sons in 1865.[8] A branch of the business was established in New York in 1854.[9] An illustrated children's book,Wide Awake Stories, was published by George Routledge & Sons, Ltd.
Routledge married Maria Elizabeth Warne, who died on 25 March 1855, aged 40. He married, secondly, on 11 May 1858, Mary Grace Bell, the eldest daughter of Alderman Bell of Newcastle upon Tyne. There were children from each marriage.[1]
His sonRobert Warne Routledge became a partner on 9 November 1858, and the firm becameRoutledge, Warne, & Routledge.[1]
His sonEdmund Routledge became a partner in July 1865, and the firm becameGeorge Routledge & Sons.[1]
He died on 13 December 1888, at 50Russell Square, London.[1]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Routledge, George".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 23 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 780–781.| International | |
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