Scottish Book Trade Archive Inventory

University of Aberdeen

MS 3233

This collection comprises two distinct units - the business archive of Aberdeen University Press, and the company's printed archive. The business archive comprises principally the business records of Aberdeen University Press, 1900 - 1991, its predecessor, Arthur King and Co., 1869-1900, and associated companies, The Rosemount Press, 1903-1932; Wm Jackson and Co., 1914-1952; John Avery and Co., 1884 - 1958; John Milne, The Central Press Ltd, 1944 - 1977; G. Cornwall and Sons, 1857 - 1972; and the White Heather Publishing Co., 1963 - 1977. The business records are supported by a large volume of printed material produced by or relating to Aberdeen University Press, 1817 - 1996, The Rosemount Press, 1889 - 1923, and other printing companies (both local and national), 1881 - 1951. There are also press cuttings, manuscript notes, obituaries and photographs relating to the history of the Press and its employees, 1886 - 1971; and two small collections of material about the history of printing in Aberdeen, 1904 - 1970; and the history of printing and publishing outside Aberdeen, 1912 - 1979. Personal papers of Theodore Watt, 1898 - 1948, and Harold Watt, 1946 - 1992, relating to their education, professional commitments and family are also deposited. The printed archive contains 269 examples of the book output of the Press and of its constituent printing and bookbinding houses, published between 1840 and 1982. It is a fairly random fraction (less than 1 percent) of the Press' total output in this period, with most examples in the collection dating from the twentieth century, but is wide-ranging in regard of subject matter and printing styles represented. Additionally, given its broad chronological coverage, the archive reflects changes in printing and binding technology, and in book design and typography, which took place between the early nineteenth - late twentieth centuries.

The Aberdeen University Press (hereafter AUP) registered as a Public Company in 1900, although its history dates back to 1840, when brothers, George and Robert King founded a printing and publishing firm in Diamond Street, Aberdeen. By the late nineteenth century their company was producing much of Aberdeen University's printing and also establishing a reputation among London publishers. During the twentieth century it specialised in diverse and difficult type-settings, including foreign language, mathematical and technical work, and by the early 1970s approximately 50 percent of the business of the Press consisted of printing educational books and journals, and 50 percent of general printing and bookbinding. The firm's interest in publishing was marginal, being limited to a few books of specialist or local interest. The company was taken over by the British Bank of Commerce in 1970, of which John Milne, The Central Press (Aberdeen) Ltd, also became a wholly-owned subsidiary, as did G. Cornwall and Sons Ltd and its subsidiary, The White Heather Publishing Co. Ltd, in 1972. A subsequent take-over by Robert Maxwell of Permagon Press, Oxford in 1978, prompted a major change of direction at the Press, when it adopted a new policy to develop the publishing side of its activities. In the same year a new Publishing Director, Colin MacLean, was appointed to pursue this policy and the company's publishing activities developed rapidly thereafter. Eventually, in 1988, the printing and publishing activities of the press were formally separated and taken up by two different companies. The publishing activities continued under the same name, The Aberdeen University Press Ltd. The printing side of the company became a subsidiary of BPCC Ltd, and traded under a new name, BPCC - AUP Aberdeen Ltd. Sadly the fortunes of the publishing company AUP Ltd became enmeshed with the collapse of Robert Maxwell's publishing empire, following his death in 1992. It was discovered that the AUP owed debts of 1.1 million pounds, mainly to its holding company Maxwell Communications Corporation, which was, itself, in severe financial difficulty. As a consequence, early in 1992, AUP was put into administration and ceased trading. TAUPIA Ltd (The Aberdeen University Press in Administration) was created in 1993. The company went into formal liquidation in 1993, and was finally wound up in 1996.

25 boxes and 48 volumes

Item level lists are available in the Reading Room, Special Libraries and Archives, University of Aberdeen. Very brief collection level description available on Aberdeen University Library Catalogue, accessible online http://www.abdn.ac.uk/diss/library/

National Library of Scotland

MS 3713

Letters addressed mostly to members of the publishing firm of A. and C. Black to William Tait, publisher of Tail's Edinburgh Magazine. The letters to Adam Black (1784-1874), founder of the firm, are concerned with his activities both as publisher and as Lord Provost of Edinburgh, and those to William Tait with articles for the Magazine. There are also some letters addressed to Thomas Spencer Baynes (1823-87), who was in charge of the ninth edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica, of which the firm of A. and C. Black had the copyrights. Included are several letters addressed to John Stark, who printed for Adam Black, and five (ff. 1-6) which have no apparent connection with the Blacks or Tait but which relate mainly to publishing and bookselling.

NLS Catalogue of Maunscripts Acquired Since 1925 Volume 2

National Library of Scotland

Acc 8166

'Printing', 1903-1943; 'Bookbinding', 1893-1920

The Edinburgh Printing and Kindred Trades Employers’ Association was formed in April 1917 by the amalgamation of The Edinburgh Master Printers Association, The Edinburgh and Leith Master Lithographers Association, The Edinburgh and District Jobbing Printers and the Association of Master Bookbinders and Papers Rulers. In 1954 the name changed to the Edinburgh Master Printers Association. The Edinburgh Printing and Kindred Trades Employers’ Association played a large part in the development of printing as one of Edinburgh’s major industries. Its function was to co-ordinate and regulate the printing industry in Edinburgh, to promote printing generally, to liaise with the Scottish and British Employers’ Associations and to negotiate on the Employers behalf with the Trade Unions. The Association's major achievement however was its part, in close collaboration with the unions, in setting up the Apprentices Selection and training scheme. Under the scheme, one of the first in Britain, all prospective apprentices had first to pass a three-part selection process, consisting of psychological examination carried out by Professor Drever of Edinburgh University, a physical examination and an intelligence test. Once selected the apprentice spent five years at his trade with regular evening and day release classes, before emerging as a competent journeyman.

14.80 Linear Metres

A list is available in paper and electronic form.

National Library of Scotland

MS 23230-23234

Correspondence of Archibald Constable and A. Constable and Co., 1801-1827.

Paper catalogues available at National Library of Scotland; see also Archibald Constable: Letters (1801-1827); Archibald Constable to John Bradfute (Letters) (1805).

National Library of Scotland

MS 7200

Volume of letters, mostly addressed to Archibald Constable, publishers, including correspondence with William Hazlitt, Leigh Hunt and James Hogg, with annotations by Thomas Constable, 1801 - 1827.

Archibald Constable (1774-1827), printer, moved to Edinburgh in 1788 and became an apprentice bookseller to Peter Hill. In 1795 he married the daughter of David Willison, an Edinburgh printer, and established his own bookselling business. In 1833 his son Thomas (1812-1881) took over the family printing, publishing and book selling business and moved to 11 Thistle Street, New Town, Edinburgh. The company name changed from Willison to T. And A. Constable Ltd. In 1839 Thomas Constable was appointed Her Majesty's Printer and Publisher in Edinburgh. From 1853 he began to print books for London publishers. In 1859 he was appointed Printer to the University of Edinburgh. By 1861 he was employing more compositors than any other printers in Edinburgh. By 1869 Thomas' son, Archibald, had joined him as partner. In 1878 Walter Biggar Blaikie (1847-1928) joined the partnership and in 1881 Thomas Constable died. In 1921 T. and A. Constable Ltd. became a limited company and additional directors were taken on. In 1929 a new factory was built for the company on Hopetoun Street, Edinburgh. In 1936 the business of the Edinburgh Press, established 1876, was incorporated under the name of T. and A. Constable Ltd. The company was active in 1976.

Summary guide to contents of items within National Library of Scotland: Catalogue of Manuscripts acquired since 1925, Volume V (Edinburgh, 1986) (detailed persons and places index within the volume). See also Archibald Constable: Correspondence; Letters of Archibald Constable to John Bradfute (1805).

Stirling University Library Special Collections

MS 17, 18

Letters from Archibald Constable to John Bradfute, 1805: wishes to meet to consider Ross and Blackwood affair, and has sent index of list of debts still outstanding in that matter.

0.01 Linear Metres

Data about collection held on Stirling University Library web-based catalogue; See also Archibald Constable: Letters (1801-1827); See also Archibald Constable: Correspondence.