George Philip (cartographer)
George Philip | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1800 Huntly, Aberdeenshire, Scotland |
| Died | 1882 |
| Occupation(s) | Cartographer, map publisher, bookseller |
| Known for | Founder of George Philip & Son Ltd. |
George Philip (1800–1882) was a Scottish cartographer, map publisher, and the founder of the publishing firm George Philip & Son Ltd.
Family
Originally from Huntly, Aberdeenshire, Philip relocated to Liverpool in 1819, where he worked as an assistant to the bookseller William Grapel. In 1834, he launched his own bookselling and stationery enterprise on Paradise Street in Liverpool, quickly broadening its scope to include educational books and maps. Growing demand necessitated a move to larger premises at Atlas Buildings on South Castle Street. George and his wife Jane had two children: George Jr. (1823–1902) and Jane (born 1827). George Jr. became a business partner in 1848.
George Philip & Son Ltd.
Throughout the 1840s, Philip expanded his publishing operations from the South Castle Street location, supported by his son George Jr., nephew Thomas Dash Philip (1829–1913), and daughter Jane Jr. By 1851, the family lived in an upscale Liverpool residence at 21 Great George Square. The company established a London branch in 1856 at 32 Fleet Street, later occupying neighboring offices. In 1859, the Liverpool headquarters moved to Caxton Buildings on South John Street, where mechanized equipment increased production efficiency.
Philip collaborated with distinguished cartographers including John Bartholomew the elder, August Petermann, and William Hughes to create copperplate maps that were initially hand-colored before switching to machine-colored lithographic maps by 1862. Their catalog featured products ranging from the premium Imperial Library Atlas (1864) to more economical atlases tailored for commercial and educational audiences. The firm's offerings encompassed atlases, geography and history texts, school textbooks, and educational tools. They also expanded internationally by supplying textbooks for Australian schools in 1865 and New Zealand schools in 1869. The introduction of board schools after 1870 stimulated increased demand for textbooks, stationery, atlases, and wall maps. Prominent authors such as geographer John Francon Williams contributed to their publications.
By 1867, Philip Son & Nephew operated large facilities at Atlas and Victoria Buildings on South Castle Street in Liverpool, employing over 300 workers across nine distinct departments: popular and standard books; educational resources; kindergarten materials; stationery; artists’ supplies; Sunday-school literature; novelty goods; photographic products; and nautical/engineering charts and literature. The company maintained an extensive showroom dedicated to school-related items and produced tourist maps, cycling guides, and international travel publications. Their expansion mirrored Liverpool’s economic growth.
In 1879, George Philip senior retired to Bickley, Kent. He passed away in 1882 leaving an estate valued at more than £95,000 (equivalent to over £11 million in 2018). Afterward, George Philip Jr. assumed leadership of three companies—George Philip & Son Ltd., Philip and Company Ltd., and Philip, Son and Nephew—all headquartered in Liverpool—and significantly grew them over the following twenty years.
George Philip Jr. died in 1902 at age 78 with an estate exceeding £112,000 (£13 million+ in 2018). His funeral was attended by family members including Thomas Dash Philip, who then took over management of the family enterprises.
The RMS Titanic Association
Philip Son & Nephew Ltd, based in Liverpool, was notable for preserving all Admiralty charts and navigational publications, servicing prominent shipping companies such as White Star Line and Cunard. In 1912, this firm provided the navigational charts and sailing instructions used during the fitting out of the RMS Titanic for its inaugural transatlantic journey. Additionally, J. Bruce Ismay—White Star Line's chairman and managing director who survived the Titanic disaster—procured personal stationery from Philip Son & Nephew Ltd for his residence in Liverpool.
George Philip & Son Ltd; Developments from the Twentieth Century
A 1917 image from the Getty Images Archive depicts employees of George Philip & Son Ltd engaged in globe assembly, showcasing their production range which included various sizes and the innovative Betts's Portable Terrestrial Collapsible Globe. In 1927, the company created a specialized map of Europe illustrating total solar eclipse trajectories for that century; this map was later adapted by the Science Museum for an exhibition commemorating the eclipse visible over North Wales and North West England. The business expanded its footprint with branches established in West Kirby, Formby, and Southport.
In 1947, George Philip & Son Ltd expanded by acquiring Stanfords bookshop and publishing house located in Covent Garden. British Pathé produced newsreels in 1949 and 1955 that documented the globe-making process at their factory in North West London, offering valuable perspectives on their manufacturing expertise.
Following more than 140 years as an independent company, George Philip & Son Ltd was acquired by Reed International in 1987, continuing operations under the name George Philip Ltd. A management buy-out in 1998 led to its integration within Octopus Publishing Group, which was subsequently purchased by Hachette Livre in 2001.
Additional Resources
- Archives of Philip, Son & Nephew (1879-1980s) relating to their Liverpool outlets, including photographic records, genealogical information, advertisements, renovation blueprints, meeting minutes, and financial documentation. These are housed at Liverpool Central Library, 3rd Floor research section.
- The Royal Geographical Society holds extensive archives on George Philip & Son Ltd primarily covering their publishing operations—catalogues, price lists, editions, and promotional materials—with a considerable portion still uncatalogued.
- An oil portrait of George Philip formerly displayed at George Philip Ltd’s London premises is currently owned by George Philip Properties Group.
External Links
- National Trust Collections: George Philip & Son Ltd.
- Betts's Patent portable globe crafted by George Philip & Son Ltd., London circa 1925—a collapsible metal-framed cloth globe preserved in its original box.
- David Rumsey Map Collection: George Philip & Son Ltd.
- Imperial War Museum, London: George Philip & Son Ltd.
- Philips' Handy Atlas of the Counties of England, 1895