Sampson Low
Sampson Low | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1797-11-18 London, England |
| Died | 1886-04-16 |
| Occupation(s) | Bookseller, publisher |
| Years active | 1819–1875 |
| Known for | Founder of Sampson Low publishing firm; editor of The Publishers' Circular |
Sampson Low (18 November 1797 – 16 April 1886) was a notable London-based bookseller and publisher during the nineteenth century.
Early years
Originating from London, he was the son of Sampson Low, a printer and publisher located on Berwick Street in Soho. Low undertook a short apprenticeship under Lionel Booth, who owned a circulating library, and subsequently gained experience at Longman & Co. In 1819, he established his own enterprise at 42 Lamb's Conduit Street, functioning as a bookseller and stationer with an integrated circulating library. His reading-room became a popular meeting place for writers, legal professionals, and politicians.
Sampson Low, Son and Company
In 1848, Low joined forces with his eldest son, Sampson Jr., to open a publishing office at Red Lion Court on Fleet Street. By 1852, they had moved their operations to Ludgate Hill where, with assistance from David Bogue, they launched an American department. Following Bogue’s retirement in 1856, Edward Marston became a partner. The company relocated several times: to 188 Fleet Street in 1867, then to St. Dunstan's House on Fetter Lane in 1887, and eventually settled at Paternoster Row.
The publishing house released works by authors such as William Black, William Henry Boulton, ECR Lorac, Julius Mendes Price, Nikolay Przhevalsky, Henry Morton Stanley, and Jules Verne. Additionally, it published photographic collections by the Polish Count Stanisław Julian Ostroróg (known professionally as "Walery") titled Celebrity Portraits in the late 1880s. The firm continued its operations until 1964; in 1968 Macdonald & Co. shared premises with Sampson Low at St Giles House on Poland Street and assumed control when Sampson Low ceased publishing activities in 1969.
Firm names
- Sampson Low, Son & Co.: Founded in 1848 by Sampson Low and his son Sampson Jr. (1822–1871), initially located on Fleet Street and later moving to Ludgate Hill.
- Sampson Low, Son & Marston: Created in 1856 by Sampson Low, Sampson Jr., and Edward Marston.
- Sampson Low, Marston & Company: Established in 1872 by Sampson Low, William Low, Edward Marston, and Samuel Warren Searle (died 1907).
- Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington: Functioning before 1879 under the leadership of Sampson Low, Edward Marston, Samuel Warren Searle, and William John Rivington (died 1914), with offices on Fleet Street and later at St. Dunstan's House in Fetter Lane.
Publishers' Circular and English Catalogue
In 1837, publishers dissatisfied with Bent's Literary Advertiser initiated their own trade periodical titled The Publishers' Circular, which was overseen by Low from its inaugural issue dated 2 October 1837. By 1867, ownership of the Circular had become exclusively his. Issued biweekly, it featured listings of newly released books that served as the foundation for an annual catalogue beginning in 1839. Utilizing these catalogues as a base, Low compiled the British Catalogue, with its first volume covering the years 1837–1852 published in 1853. This catalogue later developed into the English Catalogue: volume i (1835–63) released in 1864; volume ii (1863–72) in 1873; and volume iii (1872–80) appearing in 1882. Subject indexes were also produced in 1858 (covering publications from 1837–57) and again in 1876 (covering 1856–76).
Other professional activities
Low led a society aimed at protecting retail booksellers from price undercutting until it disbanded in 1852. In collaboration with his son in 1843, he contributed to founding the Royal Society for the Protection of Life from Fire, providing active support until its incorporation into the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1867. Beginning in 1837, he played an influential role within the Booksellers' Provident Institution, serving both on its committee and as vice-president. Around 1844, he took on responsibilities as literary agent and correspondent for Fletcher Harper of New York City, becoming an essential representative for American booksellers based in London.
Personal life and death
Sampson Low stepped away from his professional endeavors in 1875 and passed away at 41 Mecklenburgh Square on 16 April 1886. His interment took place at Highgate Cemetery on 22 April. His spouse, Mary, passed in May 1881 at the age of 83.
His firstborn, Sampson Low, Jr. (born 1822), despite facing health challenges, played a vital role in the family enterprise and authored The Charities of London (1850), which saw multiple editions up to 1870. He died in 1871 at Mecklenburgh Square. Following his brother’s demise, William Henry Low assumed an active position within the publishing firm until his own death in 1881.
Selected works
- Author, compiler, and editor
- Low's Comparative Register of the House of Commons 1827 to 1841, published in 1841
- Low's Comparative and Historical Register of the House of Commons 1841 to 1847, released in 1847
- Index to Current Literature, spanning 1859–60 (eight installments)
- Low's Literary Almanack and Illustrated Souvenir for 1873, issued in 1873
- Publisher
- The Bayard Series (series editor: James Hain Friswell)
- The Choice Series
- The Gentle Life series (series editor: James Hain Friswell)
- Standard Novels