Arthur Henry Bullen
Encyclopedia
Arthur Henry Bullen, often known as A. H. Bullen, (9 February 1857, London
- 29 February 1920, Stratford-on-Avon) was an English editor
and publisher, a specialist in 16th and 17th century literature, and founder of the Shakespeare Head Press, which for its first decades was a publisher of fine editions in the tradition of the Kelmscott Press.
His father George Bullen (d. 1894) was librarian at the British Museum
. A. H. Bullen's interest in Elizabethan dramatists and poets started at the City of London School
, before he went to Worcester College, Oxford
to study classics. His publishing career began with a scholarly edition of the Works of John Day
in 1881 and continued with series of English Dramatists and a seven-volume set of Old English Plays, some of which he had discovered in manuscript and published for the first time. He was also the first person to publish some early lyric poems
. Bullen wrote more than 150 articles for the Dictionary of National Biography
, lectured on Elizabethan dramatists at Oxford University and taught at Toynbee Hall
.
In 1891 he and H. W. Lawrence went into partnership as the publishers Lawrence & Bullen. This lasted until 1900 when Bullen moved on to publish as A. H. Bullen. With Frank Sidgwick as partner, he then formed the Shakespeare Head Press and published a collected Shakespeare and collected Yeats
from their base
in Stratford-on-Avon. Bullen was admired by literary figures like Swinburne
and was well known in his time for his enthusiastic scholarship and for rediscovering forgotten works of literature, like those of Thomas Campion
. Because he modernised as he published, his texts are not used as standard editions by scholars today. After Bullen's death the press was continued by a partnership including Basil Blackwell
, the Oxford bookseller. It continues today as an imprint of Wiley-Blackwell, now printing on normal commercial presses. It is not to be confused with an Australian imprint of the same name, publishing mostly children's books, sold in the 1970s by Kerry Packer
's group to the American Western Publishing Company and now (?) part of Random House
.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
- 29 February 1920, Stratford-on-Avon) was an English editor
Editor in chief
An editor-in-chief is a publication's primary editor, having final responsibility for the operations and policies. Additionally, the editor-in-chief is held accountable for delegating tasks to staff members as well as keeping up with the time it takes them to complete their task...
and publisher, a specialist in 16th and 17th century literature, and founder of the Shakespeare Head Press, which for its first decades was a publisher of fine editions in the tradition of the Kelmscott Press.
His father George Bullen (d. 1894) was librarian at the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
. A. H. Bullen's interest in Elizabethan dramatists and poets started at the City of London School
City of London School
The City of London School is a boys' independent day school on the banks of the River Thames in the City of London, England. It is the brother school of the City of London School for Girls and the co-educational City of London Freemen's School...
, before he went to Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in the eighteenth century, but its predecessor on the same site had been an institution of learning since the late thirteenth century...
to study classics. His publishing career began with a scholarly edition of the Works of John Day
John Day (dramatist)
John Day was an English dramatist of the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods.-Life:He was born at Cawston, Norfolk, and educated at Ely. He became a sizar of Caius College, Cambridge, in 1592, but was expelled in the next year for stealing a book...
in 1881 and continued with series of English Dramatists and a seven-volume set of Old English Plays, some of which he had discovered in manuscript and published for the first time. He was also the first person to publish some early lyric poems
Lyric poetry
Lyric poetry is a genre of poetry that expresses personal and emotional feelings. In the ancient world, lyric poems were those which were sung to the lyre. Lyric poems do not have to rhyme, and today do not need to be set to music or a beat...
. Bullen wrote more than 150 articles for the Dictionary of National Biography
Dictionary of National Biography
The Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...
, lectured on Elizabethan dramatists at Oxford University and taught at Toynbee Hall
Toynbee Hall
Toynbee Hall is a building in Tower Hamlets, East London which is the home of a charity working to bridge the gap between people of all social and financial backgrounds, with a focus on eradicating poverty and promoting social inclusion....
.
In 1891 he and H. W. Lawrence went into partnership as the publishers Lawrence & Bullen. This lasted until 1900 when Bullen moved on to publish as A. H. Bullen. With Frank Sidgwick as partner, he then formed the Shakespeare Head Press and published a collected Shakespeare and collected Yeats
William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and playwright, and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British literary establishments, in his later years he served as an Irish Senator for two terms...
from their base
The Chaucer Head Bookshop
The Chaucer Head Bookshop is a general and second hand bookseller currently located in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. It was founded in 1830 in Birmingham before moving to Stratford-upon-Avon in 1960.-The Building:...
in Stratford-on-Avon. Bullen was admired by literary figures like Swinburne
Algernon Charles Swinburne
Algernon Charles Swinburne was an English poet, playwright, novelist, and critic. He invented the roundel form, wrote several novels, and contributed to the famous Eleventh Edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica...
and was well known in his time for his enthusiastic scholarship and for rediscovering forgotten works of literature, like those of Thomas Campion
Thomas Campion
Thomas Campion was an English composer, poet and physician. He wrote over a hundred lute songs; masques for dancing, and an authoritative technical treatise on music.-Life:...
. Because he modernised as he published, his texts are not used as standard editions by scholars today. After Bullen's death the press was continued by a partnership including Basil Blackwell
Basil Blackwell
Sir Basil Blackwell was born Henry Blackwell in Oxford, England. He was the son of the founder of Blackwell's bookshop in Oxford, which went on to become the Blackwell's family publishing and bookshop empire, located on Broad Street in central Oxford...
, the Oxford bookseller. It continues today as an imprint of Wiley-Blackwell, now printing on normal commercial presses. It is not to be confused with an Australian imprint of the same name, publishing mostly children's books, sold in the 1970s by Kerry Packer
Kerry Packer
Kerry Francis Bullmore Packer, AC was an Australian media tycoon. The son of Sir Frank Packer and Gretel Bullmore, the Packer family company owned controlling interest in both the Nine television network and leading Australian publishing company Australian Consolidated Press, which were later...
's group to the American Western Publishing Company and now (?) part of Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
.