» 18th Century booksellers

When Bookselling was a Dangerous Business

Illustration de Edward Baines - History of the Wars of the French Revolution, 1817.jpg via Wikimedia Commons

In 1789, George III’s recovery from the illness which precipitated the Regency Crisis triggered nationwide rejoicing that “exceeded every thing before known.” But were they really “grateful testimonies of a nation’s love”? On 3rd April, the King issued a Royal Proclamation ordering that a day of thanksgiving be observed throughout the Kingdom to mark his…
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Written on April 24, 2026 at 11:56 am, by Jane Davis

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Categories: Blog, Homepage, In-depth
Tags: 18th Century book trade, 18th Century booksellers, 18th Century London, 18th Century print trade, Company of Stationers, Daniel Holt, Enlightenment ideas, Henry Delahay Symonds, James Lackington, Jeremiah Samuel Jordan, John Aitkin, John Jebb, John Reeves, Joseph Johnson, King George III's return to health., London Corresponding Society, Louis XVI, Richard Phillips, Rights of Man, Royal Proclamation Against Seditious Writings and Publications., Temple of the Muses, The Association for Preserving Liberty and Property against Republicans and Levellers., The French Revolution, The Regency Crisis, The Repeal of Shop Tax, Thomas Paine, William Blake

The Elephant in the Bookshop: The Paradox of an “Invisible” Workforce in London’s 18th Century Book Trade

Imagine stepping inside The Temple of the Muses in Finsbury Square — the bookshop famed in Georgian London as the largest in Europe. Shelves teem with novels, histories, pamphlets and curiosities. Priceless tomes sit side by side with cheap editions. Amid the bustle, male shop assistants in black frock-coats stand behind the circular counter underneath…
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Written on February 23, 2026 at 12:47 pm, by Jane Davis

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Categories: Blog, Homepage, In-depth, My Books
Tags: 18th Century book trade, 18th Century booksellers, 18th Century print trade, 18th century women, Doctrine of coverture, Dorcas lackington, Elizabeth Cox, Elizabeth Omer Delahoy, Georgian London, James Lackington, Longhollow: a Country Tale, Lucy Peacock, Martha Gurney, Mary Bryan, Mary Cooper, Mary Lewis, Mrs James Lackington, Rebecca Edwards, Sonnets and Metrical Tales, The Temple of the Muses

The Radical Idea of Affordable Books

Today, we take it for granted that books are within our grasp, but it wasn’t always so. By the late 18th century, literacy in England was steadily improving. Based on the ability to write their signature at the time of their marriages, historians estimate that approximately half of the population could read. But owning a…
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Written on January 28, 2026 at 12:17 pm, by Jane Davis

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Categories: Blog, Homepage, In-depth
Tags: 18th Century booksellers, Dorcas lackington, Finsbury Square, Georgian England, James Lackington, Making Reading Affordable, The Temple of the Muses