George Robertson (bookseller)
George Robertson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Glasgow, Scotland |
| Died | March 23, 1898 (aged 72) |
| Occupation(s) | Bookseller, publisher, entrepreneur |
| Known for | Pioneering Australian literature publishing; founder of a major bookselling and publishing business in Australia |
George Robertson (5 July 1825 – 23 March 1898) was a prominent Scottish-Australian entrepreneur known for his pioneering role as a bookseller and publisher specializing in Australian literature.
Originally from Glasgow, Scotland, Robertson relocated to Dublin during his youth, where he undertook an apprenticeship with a publishing house. After gaining experience at Currey and Company Booksellers in Scotland, he emigrated to Australia in 1852 alongside Samuel Mullen, bringing with them a selection of books. His first retail location was established on Russell Street in Melbourne, but he soon moved operations to Collins Street and, by approximately 1861, constructed a three-story building at 69 Elizabeth Street. The enterprise grew swiftly, concentrating primarily on wholesale book distribution. At that time, the absence of local publishers' agents meant Robertson had to navigate the complexities of predicting the market demand for bestsellers.
In 1873, he inaugurated more spacious facilities on Little Collins Street that incorporated services such as stationery sales, bookbinding, and lithography. Additionally, he expanded the business by opening branches in Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, and Auckland. Starting January 1875, Robertson began publishing the quarterly periodical Melbourne Review, which featured a variety of high-quality essays. This magazine ceased publication around July 1885 but experienced a short-lived revival in 1891 under the editorship of Henry Gyles Turner; however, it remains uncertain if any issues were actually released during this period.
Robertson stepped down from active management in 1890, entrusting the company to his son Charles. The firm later evolved into Robertson and Mullens Ltd. following its merger with Melville and Mullens in 1922.
Dedicated to fostering Australian literary culture prior to its broad acceptance, Robertson was responsible for publishing significant works such as Adam Lindsay Gordon's Sea Spray and Smoke Drift (1867), Henry Kendall (poet)'s Leaves from Australian Forests (1869), and James Brunton Stephens' The Black Gin and other Poems (1873).