Frank Burrelle
Encyclopedia
Frank Burrelle is the founder of Burrelle’s Press Clipping Bureau, today known as BurrellesLuce
, a company providing media relations planning, media monitoring and media measurement services to public relations
agencies
, corporations, government agencies, universities and non-profit organizations throughout the United States
.
and attended school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. After he graduated, he pursued a career as a law clerk
and tried his hand at the mining
business before moving to New York City
. In 1888, Frank overheard two businessmen complaining that it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with all the news about their company. The idea for a press clipping service was born. With the help of his wife, Burrelle started Burrelle’s Press Clipping Bureau.
Burrelle was quick to get involved in organizations related to his business. As second vice president of the New York Press Club
, Burrelle presided over the first of the Fall/Winter series of Club dinners in 1892, according to The New York Times
. An active member for many years, he left the New York Press Club
, a small bequest in his will.
broke out at 2 West 19th Street—the site of the four-story brownstone
which served Burrelle as both residence and office. This blaze destroyed much of the furniture in the press clipping bureau and consumed thousands of irreplaceable press clippings, including Burrelle’s personal collection of “principal articles and engravings relating the cause and effect of the late war with Spain
." Befittingly, that building today houses a café
called the NewsBar that sells newspapers and magazines alongside breakfast and lunch fare.
to New Orleans. Mr. Burrelle who was accompanied by his second wife had been returning home from a trip to South America
. Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home, which as today is a mecca
for society and celebrity
funerals, handled the final arrangements.
Arthur Wynne, the long-time general manager
of the press clipping business and friend to Frank Burrelle, soon took the reins of the business, which eventually developed into BurrellesLuce
BurrellesLuce
BurrellesLuce provides media relations planning, monitoring, and measurement services.-History:Founded in 1888 by Frank Burrelle and Robert Luce, BurrellesLuce is one of many media monitoring service providers in the United States. This company’s CEO and chairman is Robert C. Waggoner, who also...
, a company providing media relations planning, media monitoring and media measurement services to public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
agencies
Advertising agency
An advertising agency or ad agency is a service business dedicated to creating, planning and handling advertising for its clients. An ad agency is independent from the client and provides an outside point of view to the effort of selling the client's products or services...
, corporations, government agencies, universities and non-profit organizations throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Personal life
Burrelle grew up in OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and attended school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. After he graduated, he pursued a career as a law clerk
Law clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. Law clerks are not court clerks or courtroom deputies, who are administrative staff for the court. Most law clerks are recent law school graduates who...
and tried his hand at the mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
business before moving to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In 1888, Frank overheard two businessmen complaining that it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with all the news about their company. The idea for a press clipping service was born. With the help of his wife, Burrelle started Burrelle’s Press Clipping Bureau.
Burrelle was quick to get involved in organizations related to his business. As second vice president of the New York Press Club
New York Press Club
The New York Press Club is a membership organization of and for journalists and media professionals in the New York City metropolitan area. The club is a private, non-profit corporation and is not affiliated with any government office or agency and does not advocate or participate in any political...
, Burrelle presided over the first of the Fall/Winter series of Club dinners in 1892, according to The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
. An active member for many years, he left the New York Press Club
New York Press Club
The New York Press Club is a membership organization of and for journalists and media professionals in the New York City metropolitan area. The club is a private, non-profit corporation and is not affiliated with any government office or agency and does not advocate or participate in any political...
, a small bequest in his will.
A setback
In 1903, a fireFire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
broke out at 2 West 19th Street—the site of the four-story brownstone
Brownstone
Brownstone is a brown Triassic or Jurassic sandstone which was once a popular building material. The term is also used in the United States to refer to a terraced house clad in this material.-Types:-Apostle Island brownstone:...
which served Burrelle as both residence and office. This blaze destroyed much of the furniture in the press clipping bureau and consumed thousands of irreplaceable press clippings, including Burrelle’s personal collection of “principal articles and engravings relating the cause and effect of the late war with Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
." Befittingly, that building today houses a café
Café
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
called the NewsBar that sells newspapers and magazines alongside breakfast and lunch fare.
Death
Burrelle died on Tuesday, January 25, 1910 at age 55, at sea on the way from Costa RicaCosta Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
to New Orleans. Mr. Burrelle who was accompanied by his second wife had been returning home from a trip to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home, which as today is a mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
for society and celebrity
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
funerals, handled the final arrangements.
Arthur Wynne, the long-time general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
of the press clipping business and friend to Frank Burrelle, soon took the reins of the business, which eventually developed into BurrellesLuce
BurrellesLuce
BurrellesLuce provides media relations planning, monitoring, and measurement services.-History:Founded in 1888 by Frank Burrelle and Robert Luce, BurrellesLuce is one of many media monitoring service providers in the United States. This company’s CEO and chairman is Robert C. Waggoner, who also...