Page:Notes by the Way.djvu/351

 NOTES BY THE WAY.

��281

��Thomas Sotheran.

His son Henry.

George Willis.

��The third firm of booksellers noticed is that of Sotherans, founded by Thomas Sotheran. In 1841 he took into partnership his son Henry, whose great energy rapidly increased the business. In 1856 Mr. George Willis (at that time one of the largest book- sellers in London : his windows, full of literary treasures, under the Piazza at Co vent Garden, attracted many literary loungers) joined Sotherans, thus putting a stop to the great competition between the two firms, which had run up prices of choice books tremendously at auction sales. Henry Sotheran, who ultimately bought out Willis, died in 1905, and now his son Henry Cecil Sotheran is the sole proprietor. It will be remembered that it was through the firm of Sotherans that Mrs. Rylands purchased the Althorp Library in 1892 for something over 200,000?., Messrs. Sotheby acting as agents for Earl Spencer, and the late J. Arnold Green representing Mrs. Rylands. Further particulars as to the purchase will be found in the note about the Rylands Library (ante, pp. 29-30). Mrs. Rylands died at Torquay on February 4th, 1908.

Section VIII. of the Jubilee number is devoted to trade changes during the fifty years. On June 3rd, 1858, Edward Moxon, the poets' publisher, died, and the name no longer exists as that of a separate firm. Edinburgh knows Adam & Charles Black no more, and the firm now occupies the former Soho Bazaar in Soho Square. Blackwoods remain true to Edinburgh, but have a branch in Pater- noster Row. Chambers es also remain in Edinburgh; but they have forsaken the Row, and, like the Blacks, have gone to Soho Square.

Jackson & Walford, whose premises were in St. Paul's Church- j ac t son & yard, published among their books Hep worth Dixon's ' London Walford. Prisons.' In 1868 the business was transferred to Hodder & Stoughton, and is now carried on at Warwick Square. The firm are the publishers of The British Weekly and of The Bookman, so successfully established by Dr. Robertson Nicoll.

The Oxford Press in 1858 published through Parkers of Oxford, The Oxford but in 1863 the agency was transferred to Macmillans. This Press, arrangement terminated in 1880, and now the whole of the pub- lications of the Press are issued under the direction of Mr. Henry Henry Frowde, who was appointed manager in 1874. Frowde.

Among other well-known faces in 1858 was that of S. W. Part- ridge, founder of the firm of Partridge & Oakey, now Partridge & Co. Among other works he wrote ' Upward and Onward,' which had a very large sale ; he retired in 1882, and gave himself up to his books and works of philanthropy. He died on the 10th of July, 1903, at the age of ninety-two, fuU of years and honour, loving and beloved.

��Edward Moxon.

��The

Chamberses.

�� �