Macmillan and Co Founded

Photographic Portrait of Alexander Macmillan, age about 73

Macmillan and Company, one of the most important publishing houses of the Victorian period, was founded in Cambridge in 1843 by the Scottish brothers Alexander and Daniel Macmillan. As befitted a university town and its clientele, the publishing house focused on academic literature in its first ten years, before branching into fiction. After Daniel died, Alexander moved the headquarters of the firm to London in 1858 and continued to expand the range of literature he published. Macmillan's Magazine, a shilling monthly, was launched in 1859. In the 1860s Macmillan published illustrated books by two Victorian authors who have retained readerships up to the present. Macmillan published both 19th century illustrated editions of Christina Rossetti's Goblin Market: the 1862 edition, illustrated by the poet's brother Dante Gabriel; and the 1893 edition, illustrated by Laurence Housman. Macmillan also brought out both of Lewis Carroll's Alice books, illustrated by John Tenniel. 

Associated Place(s)

Event date:

1843