James Lackington
Encyclopedia
James Lackington was a bookseller who is credited with revolutionizing the British book trade. A shoemaker's son trained as a cobbler, he showed early initiative, selling pies and cakes in the street when aged 10. Lackington taught himself to read and arriving in London in August 1773 with two shillings and sixpence, eventually became a wealthy man. He is best known for refusing credit
at his shop – no exceptions – and by instead receiving cash in return for every item was able to reduce the price of books throughout his store. He printed catalogues of his stock; the first contained 12,000 titles. He bought whole libraries and published writers' manuscripts. He also saved remaindered books from destruction and resold them at bargain prices, firmly believing that books were the key to knowledge, reason and happiness and that everyone, no matter their economic background, social class or gender, had the right to access books at cheap prices.
Lackington wrote two autobiographies: Memoirs of the First Forty-Five Years of the Life of James Lackington (1791) and The Confessions of James Lackington (1804), to which were appended Letters, on the bad consequences of having daughters educated at Boarding Schools. He considered himself to have been blessed with two happy marriages, the first to Nancy, who died of fever, then Dorcas.
Lackington's main bookstore in Finsbury Square
was called "The Temple of the Muses" and was said to have been large enough "that a mail-coach
and four were driven round the counters at its opening" (Mumby and Norrie, 1974) in 1793.
His love of books is exemplified in the tale that, on arriving in London
with his wife, he spent their last Half-crown on a book of poems. He explained "if I had bought a dinner we should have had it tomorrow and the pleasure would be over; but should we live fifty years we shall have these poems to feast on."
Lackington retired in 1798, leaving the "Temple of the Muses" in the hands of his third cousin George Lackington
.
Credit (finance)
Credit is the trust which allows one party to provide resources to another party where that second party does not reimburse the first party immediately , but instead arranges either to repay or return those resources at a later date. The resources provided may be financial Credit is the trust...
at his shop – no exceptions – and by instead receiving cash in return for every item was able to reduce the price of books throughout his store. He printed catalogues of his stock; the first contained 12,000 titles. He bought whole libraries and published writers' manuscripts. He also saved remaindered books from destruction and resold them at bargain prices, firmly believing that books were the key to knowledge, reason and happiness and that everyone, no matter their economic background, social class or gender, had the right to access books at cheap prices.
Lackington wrote two autobiographies: Memoirs of the First Forty-Five Years of the Life of James Lackington (1791) and The Confessions of James Lackington (1804), to which were appended Letters, on the bad consequences of having daughters educated at Boarding Schools. He considered himself to have been blessed with two happy marriages, the first to Nancy, who died of fever, then Dorcas.
Lackington's main bookstore in Finsbury Square
Finsbury Square
Finsbury Square is a square in central London. It was developed in 1777 on the site of a previous area of green space to the east of London known as Finsbury Fields, in the parish of St Luke's and near Moorfields. It is sited on the east side of City Road, opposite the east side of Bunhill Fields....
was called "The Temple of the Muses" and was said to have been large enough "that a mail-coach
Mail coach
In Great Britain, the mail coach or post coach was a horse-drawn carriage that carried mail deliveries, from 1784. In Ireland, the first mail coach began service from Dublin in 1789. The coach was drawn by four horses and had seating for four passengers inside. Further passengers were later allowed...
and four were driven round the counters at its opening" (Mumby and Norrie, 1974) in 1793.
His love of books is exemplified in the tale that, on arriving in London
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...
with his wife, he spent their last Half-crown on a book of poems. He explained "if I had bought a dinner we should have had it tomorrow and the pleasure would be over; but should we live fifty years we shall have these poems to feast on."
Lackington retired in 1798, leaving the "Temple of the Muses" in the hands of his third cousin George Lackington
George Lackington
George Lackington was an English bookseller and publisher, who inherited the business of his third cousin, James Lackington, on his retirement in 1798....
.