Famous British Publishers

Vote for Your Favourite British Publishers

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 1 
Robert Maxwell
(British Politician and Member of Parliament for Buckingham from 1964 to 1970)
Robert Maxwell
4
Birthdate: June 10, 1923
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Solotvyno, Ukraine
Died: November 5, 1991
Media magnate Robert Maxwell set up Pergamon Press, served as a Labour MP, and acquired media houses such as the Mirror Group and Macmillan. Apart from his lavish lifestyle, he is remembered for embezzling the Mirror Group pension funds. He died after falling off his yacht in the Atlantic Ocean.
 2 
Iain Dale
(Broadcaster)
Iain Dale
3
Birthdate: July 15, 1962
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Cambridge ,England
 3 
Chris Anderson
(Entrepreneur)
Chris Anderson
4
Birthdate: 1957 AD
Birthplace: Pakistan
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 4 
Richard Desmond
(Publisher, Autobiographer, Businessperson)
Richard Desmond
3
Birthdate: December 8, 1951
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Hampstead
 5 
Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook
(Newspaper publisher)
Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook
4
Birthdate: May 25, 1879
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Maple, Vaughan, Canada
Died: June 9, 1964
 6 
Felix Dennis
(Publisher)
Felix Dennis
3
Birthdate: May 27, 1947
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, England
Died: June 22, 2014
 7 
Harold Sidney Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere
(Publisher)
Harold Sidney Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere
3
Birthdate: April 26, 1868
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Hampstead, England
Died: November 26, 1940
 8 
David Garnett
(Writer)
David Garnett
3
Birthdate: March 9, 1892
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Brighton, England
Died: February 17, 1981
 9 
Mackenzie Bowell
(Canadian Politician and Newspaper Publisher)
Mackenzie Bowell
3
Birthdate: December 27, 1823
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Rickinghall, England
Died: December 10, 1917
 10 
Nigel Nicolson
(Novelist)
Nigel Nicolson
3
Birthdate: January 19, 1917
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Ebury Street, Westminster, London, England
Died: September 23, 2004
 11 
Adam Osborne
(He introduced the Osborne 1, the first commercially successful portable computer)
Adam Osborne
3
Birthdate: March 6, 1939
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Bangkok, Thailand
Died: March 18, 2003
 12 
John Walter
(Publisher)
John Walter
3
Birthdate: January 1, 1738
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: London, England
Died: November 16, 1812
 13 
Victor Gollancz
(Author and publisher)
Victor Gollancz
3
Birthdate: April 9, 1893
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: London, England
Died: February 8, 1967
 14 
William Thomas Stead
(British Journalist, Editor and Publisher Known for His Work ‘The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon’)
William Thomas Stead
3
Birthdate: July 5, 1849
Sun Sign: Cancer
Died: April 15, 1912
 15 
John Newbery
(Publisher)
John Newbery
3
Birthdate: July 1, 1713
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Berkshire, England
Died: December 22, 1767
 16 
Allen Lane
(Publisher)
Allen Lane
3
Birthdate: September 21, 1902
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Bristol, England
Died: July 7, 1970
 17 
David Astor
(British Newspaper Publisher, Editor of ‘The Observer’ and Member of the 'Astor Family')
David Astor
3
Birthdate: March 5, 1912
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: London, England
Died: December 7, 2001

Born to Waldorf Astor, the owner of The Observer, David Astor followed in his father’s footsteps and transformed the family-owned newspaper into its progressive avatar, as its editor. Educated at Eton, he had later joined Oxford but left without a degree. He later promoted creative arts in prisons.

 18 
Eliza Haywood
(British author)
Eliza Haywood
3
Birthdate: 1693 AD
Birthplace: England
Died: February 25, 1756
 19 
C.P. Scott
(British Journalist and the Editor of 'The Guardian’ from 1872 to 1929)
C.P. Scott
3
Birthdate: October 26, 1846
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Bath, England
Died: January 1, 1932

Legendary British journalist C.P. Scott is best remembered as the editor of the iconic Manchester Guardian, which later became known as The Guardian. As part of its liberal stance under his editorship, the Guardian took up many controversial issues, such as the Irish Home Rule.

 20 
Fred Harvey
(Entrepreneur)
Fred Harvey
3
Birthdate: June 27, 1835
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: London, England
Died: February 9, 1901
 21 
Vere Harmsworth, 3rd Viscount Rothermere
(British newspaper publisher)
Vere Harmsworth, 3rd Viscount Rothermere
3
Birthdate: April 27, 1925
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: London, England
Died: September 1, 1998
 22 
Wynkyn de Worde
(Publisher)
Wynkyn de Worde
2
Birthplace: Unknown
Died: 1534 AD
 23 
Ephraim Chambers
(Encyclopaedist)
Ephraim Chambers
2
Birthdate: 1680 AD
Birthplace: Kendal, England
Died: May 15, 1740
 24 
John Playford
(Bookseller)
John Playford
2
Birthdate: 1623 AD
Birthplace: Norwich, England
Died: November 30, 1686
 25 
Henry Labouchère
(Politician)
Henry Labouchère
2
Birthdate: November 9, 1831
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: London, England
Died: January 15, 1912
 26 
Sir Roger L'Estrange
(Pamphleteer)
Sir Roger L'Estrange
2
Birthdate: December 17, 1616
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Hunstanton, England
Died: December 11, 1704
 27 
William Nicholson
(Chemist and inventor)
William Nicholson
2
Birthdate: December 13, 1753
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: London, England
Died: May 21, 1815

William Nicholson is best remembered for discovering the electrolysis of water, which revolutionized the chemical industry. His inventions also include his own hydrometer and launched the first independent science journal. Inspired by his writer friend Thomas Holcroft, he also penned An Introduction to Natural Philosophy, his best-known written work.

 28 
William Heinemann
(Publisher)
William Heinemann
2
Birthdate: May 18, 1863
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Surbiton, England
Died: October 5, 1920
 29 
Benjamin Harris
(Publisher)
Benjamin Harris
2
Birthdate: 1673 AD
Birthplace: England
Died: 1716 AD
 30 
Edward George Warris Hulton
(Writer)
Edward George Warris Hulton
1
Birthdate: November 29, 1906
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Harrogate, England
Died: October 8, 1988
 31 
Ernest Benn
(Publisher)
Ernest Benn
1
Birthdate: June 25, 1875
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Oxted, England
Died: January 17, 1954
 32 
Edward Blount
(English publisher)
Edward Blount
1
Birthdate: 1562 AD
Birthplace: United Kingdom
Died: 1632 AD
 33 
Nicholas Moore
(Poet)
Nicholas Moore
1
Birthdate: November 16, 1918
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Cambridge, England
Died: January 26, 1986
 34 
Edward Cave
(Editor, Publisher)
Edward Cave
1
Birthdate: February 27, 1691
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Rugby, Warwickshire, England
Died: January 10, 1754
 35 
Jacob Tonson
(Bookseller)
Jacob Tonson
1
Birthdate: November 12, 1655
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: London, England
Died: March 17, 1736
 36 
Edmund Curll
(Bookseller)
Edmund Curll
1
Birthdate: 1675 AD
Birthplace: West Country, England
Died: December 11, 1747
 37 
Joseph Moses Levy
(Publisher)
Joseph Moses Levy
1
Birthdate: December 15, 1812
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: London, England
Died: October 12, 1888
 38 
Richard Pynson
(British-French Printer )
Richard Pynson
1
Birthdate: 1448 AD
Birthplace: Normandy, France
Died: 1529 AD
 39 
Marchamont Needham
(Journalist)
Marchamont Needham
1
Birthdate: 1620
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: England
Died: October 31, 1678
 40 
Emery Walker
(Engraver)
Emery Walker
1
Birthdate: April 2, 1851
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: London, England
Died: July 22, 1933

Emery Walker was an English photographer, engraver, and printer. He is best remembered for his participation in several organizations, such as the Art Workers Guild, the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society, and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, that were closely associated with the Arts and Crafts movement between 1880 and 1920.

 41 
Stephen Daye
(American printer)
Stephen Daye
1
Birthdate: 1594 AD
Birthplace: London, England
Died: December 22, 1668
 42 
Ellah Wakatama Allfrey
(Editor)
Ellah Wakatama Allfrey
1
Birthdate: September 16, 1966
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Harare, Zimbabwe
 43 
John Walter
(Publisher)
John Walter
1
Birthdate: October 8, 1818
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: London, England
Died: November 3, 1894
 44 
Adam Lowe
(Writer, Performer and Publisher)
Adam Lowe
0
Birthdate: 1985 AD
Birthplace: Leeds, England
 45 
Francis Meynell
(Poet)
Francis Meynell
1
Birthdate: May 12, 1891
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: London, England
Died: July 10, 1975
 46 
Val McCalla
(Media entrepreneur)
Val McCalla
0
Birthdate: October 3, 1943
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
Died: August 22, 2002
 47 
Thomas East
(Publisher)
Thomas East
0
Birthdate: 1540 AD
Birthplace: London, England
Died: 1608 AD
 48 
Frederick Barclay
(Publisher)
Frederick Barclay
0
Birthdate: October 27, 1934
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Hammersmith, England
 49 
Henry Muddiman
(Journalist)
Henry Muddiman
0
Birthdate: February 5, 1629
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: England
Died: March 7, 1692
 50 
Jonathan Cape
(Publisher)
Jonathan Cape
0
Birthdate: 1879 AD
Birthplace: London, England
Died: 1960 AD