James Lackington
James Lackington | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Wellington, Somerset, England |
| Died | November 22, 1815 (aged 69) Budleigh Salterton, Devon, England |
| Occupation(s) | Bookseller, Publisher, Methodist preacher, Philanthropist |
| Known for | Pioneering bookseller who transformed the UK book industry; founder of the "Temple of the Muses" bookstore |
James Lackington (born 31 August 1746 in Wellington, Somerset – died 22 November 1815 in Budleigh Salterton, Devon) was a pioneering British bookseller who transformed the book industry in the United Kingdom. He gained recognition for his policy of refusing credit at his London establishment, which allowed him to offer books at substantially lower prices. His bookstore grew to become the largest in Britain, boasting an inventory exceeding 500,000 titles.
Early life
The son of a shoemaker and one among eleven siblings, Lackington began as an apprentice to a cobbler. Without formal schooling, he educated himself by purchasing inexpensive editions of plays and classical works from flea markets.
"Temple of the Muses" bookstore
In August 1773, Lackington relocated to London accompanied by his wife Nancy. Demonstrating his dedication to literature, he spent his final half-crown on a poetry book instead of food. By 1774, he had leased a shop that sold both footwear and books.
He acquired entire collections and published manuscripts, salvaging remaindered volumes to resell at discounted prices. Committed to making knowledge affordable across social strata, his business expanded swiftly.
By 1794, together with partner Robert Allen, he inaugurated the "Temple of the Muses" on Finsbury Square. The premises were so spacious that a mail coach with four horses could drive around inside. A plaque declared it the "Cheapest Bookstore in the World." Housing over half a million books, it sold roughly 100,000 copies yearly and generated income near £5,000 (equivalent to about $700,000 today).
That same year, Lackington introduced an in-store token bearing his portrait and motto. Renowned for his marketing acumen, he used a flag to announce his presence and traveled by stagecoach emblazoned with “Small profits do great things.” His catalogues featured up to 12,000 titles and fulfilled orders reaching as far as the United States.
Lackington also collaborated with Hughes, Harding, Mavor & Jones to publish early editions of Mary Shelley's then-unknown Frankenstein. As both publisher and bookseller, he issued several versions of his autobiography to strengthen his public image amid criticism from rivals.
During the Gordon Riots of 1780, he served as a member of the Honourable Artillery Company.
Autobiographies
Lackington wrote two autobiographical works: Memoirs of the First Forty-Five Years of the Life of James Lackington (1791), which saw multiple editions, and The Confessions of James Lackington (1804), later supplemented with Letters, on the bad consequences of having daughters educated at Boarding Schools. Examination of different editions of his Memoirs reveals his deliberate use of literary quotations in introductory sections as a tool for self-promotion.
Personal life
Lackington married twice; his first wife Nancy passed away from fever, after which he wed Dorcas. In 1798, he retired to an estate in Gloucestershire and became a part-time Methodist preacher and philanthropist supporting Wesleyan initiatives. He handed over ownership of the Temple of the Muses bookstore to his third cousin George Lackington. The Temple was destroyed by fire in 1841 and was never reconstructed.
In 1812, he settled in Budleigh Salterton where he died in 1815. A blue plaque at Temple Methodist Church—an institution he founded—commemorates him.
Tributes
The Canadian speculative fiction quarterly available online, Lackington's Magazine, is named to commemorate him. Its cover art celebrates both notable book collections and the literary periods of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries linked to Lackington.