George Robertson (publisher)
Encyclopedia
George Robertson was a Scottish
-Australia
n publisher and founding member of Angus & Robertson
publishing.
Robertson, the son of the Rev. John Robertson, was born at Halstead
, Essex
, England
. He was educated at the Southwestern Academy, Glasgow
and trained as a bookseller with James Maclehose, bookseller to the University of Glasgow
. He emigrated to New Zealand
as a young man, and, two years later (in 1882), he relocated to Sydney
, where he found employment at the local branch of George Robertson and Company, booksellers of Melbourne. He was in no way related to the founder of that firm.
In January 1886 he joined D. M. Angus in partnership, at first in Market Street, Sydney and later, in Castlereagh Street. After Angus' death in 1900 Robertson continued in partnership with Frederick Wymark and Richard Thomson who had acquired Angus' share of the business, until in 1907 the partnership was converted into a public company and continues under the name of Angus & Robertson Ltd.
Around 1895 the publishing side of the business began to be developed and many successful volumes were launched. Among the earlier authors were Henry Lawson
, Banjo Paterson
and Victor Daley
. Robertson could recognize quickly a promising author and was willing to take considerable risks in backing his judgment.
During the last 30 years of his life the number of volumes he published exceeded the total number brought out in the same period by all the other publishers in Australia. The Australian Encyclopaedia, published in two volumes in 1926, is one of the most important books published in Australia.
He was married twice, first to Elizabeth Stewart Bruce in 1881, and, in 1910, to Eva Adeline Ducat. He died at the age of 73 and was survived by his second wife and his children (three daughters and a son) from his first marriage.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
-Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n publisher and founding member of Angus & Robertson
Angus & Robertson
Angus & Robertson is a bookstore chain in Australia. Its first bookstore was opened in 110½ Market Street, Sydney by Scotsman David Angus in 1884; it sold second-hand books. In 1886, he went into partnership with fellow Scot, George Robertson with whom he had worked earlier.- Bookselling history...
publishing.
Robertson, the son of the Rev. John Robertson, was born at Halstead
Halstead
Halstead is a town and civil parish located in Braintree District of Essex, England, near Colchester and Sudbury. It has a population of 11,053. The town is situated in the Colne Valley, and originally developed on the hill to the north of the river...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was educated at the Southwestern Academy, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and trained as a bookseller with James Maclehose, bookseller to the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
. He emigrated to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
as a young man, and, two years later (in 1882), he relocated to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, where he found employment at the local branch of George Robertson and Company, booksellers of Melbourne. He was in no way related to the founder of that firm.
In January 1886 he joined D. M. Angus in partnership, at first in Market Street, Sydney and later, in Castlereagh Street. After Angus' death in 1900 Robertson continued in partnership with Frederick Wymark and Richard Thomson who had acquired Angus' share of the business, until in 1907 the partnership was converted into a public company and continues under the name of Angus & Robertson Ltd.
Around 1895 the publishing side of the business began to be developed and many successful volumes were launched. Among the earlier authors were Henry Lawson
Henry Lawson
Henry Lawson was an Australian writer and poet. Along with his contemporary Banjo Paterson, Lawson is among the best-known Australian poets and fiction writers of the colonial period and is often called Australia's "greatest writer"...
, Banjo Paterson
Banjo Paterson
Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson, OBE was an Australian bush poet, journalist and author. He wrote many ballads and poems about Australian life, focusing particularly on the rural and outback areas, including the district around Binalong, New South Wales where he spent much of his childhood...
and Victor Daley
Victor Daley
Victor James William Patrick Daley was an Australian poet.He was born at the Navan, County Armagh, Ireland, and was educated at the Christian Brothers at Devonport in England. He arrived in Australia in 1878, and became a freelance journalist and writer in both Melbourne and Sydney...
. Robertson could recognize quickly a promising author and was willing to take considerable risks in backing his judgment.
During the last 30 years of his life the number of volumes he published exceeded the total number brought out in the same period by all the other publishers in Australia. The Australian Encyclopaedia, published in two volumes in 1926, is one of the most important books published in Australia.
He was married twice, first to Elizabeth Stewart Bruce in 1881, and, in 1910, to Eva Adeline Ducat. He died at the age of 73 and was survived by his second wife and his children (three daughters and a son) from his first marriage.