William Tegg
William Tegg | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1816 Cheapside, London, England |
| Died | 1895-12-23 13 Doughty Street, London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Publisher, bookseller |
| Years active | 1845–1890 |
| Known for | Educational books publishing, exporting, and reprints under pseudonym "Peter Parley" |
William Tegg (1816–1895) was a London-based English publisher.
Life
Born in Cheapside, London, William was the son of the publisher Thomas Tegg. Although he initially trained as an engraver, he eventually joined his father’s extensive publishing and bookselling enterprise. Upon Thomas Tegg's passing in 1845, William assumed control of the business. Following his father's instructions, he liquidated part of the inventory and operated the company on a reduced scale.
Tegg focused primarily on educational books and achieved considerable success in exporting them. His business premises moved several times within the City of London, starting at 12 Pancras Lane in 1847, relocating to 85 Queen Street, Cheapside by 1850, and returning to Pancras Lane in 1860.
He cultivated strong connections with prominent literary and theatrical personalities including George Cruikshank, Charles Dickens, Edmund Kean, Charles Kemble, and Dion Boucicault. Beyond his publishing career, Tegg was also engaged in civic duties as a member of the common council of the City of London.
In 1890, he withdrew from active business and passed away on 23 December 1895 at his residence at 13 Doughty Street, London, where he had lived since 1883.
Family
William Tegg married Hannah née Veargitt in 1836.
Published works
Tegg’s approach to publishing involved producing compilations and cost-effective reprints of established works. He released popular children's literature under the pseudonym "Peter Parley," inspired by Samuel Griswold Goodrich’s writings. Notable titles published by Tegg include:
- The Cruet Stand: a Collection of Anecdotes (1871)
- Epitaphs . . . and a Selection of Epigrams (1875)
- Proverbs from Far and Near, Wise Sentences . . . (1875)
- Laconics, or Good Words of the Best Authors (1875)
- The Mixture for Low Spirits, being a Compound of Witty Sayings, 4th edition (1876)
- Trials of W. Hone for Publishing Three Parodies (1876)
- Wills of their Own, Curious, Eccentric, and Benevolent, 4th edition (1879)
- The Last Act, being the Funeral Rites of Nations and Individuals (1876)
- Meetings and Greetings: Salutations of Nations (1877)
- The Knot Tied, Marriage Ceremonies of all Nations (1877)
- Posts and Telegraphs, Past and Present, with an Account of the Telephone and Phonograph (1878)
- Shakespeare and his Contemporaries, together with the Plots of his Plays, Theatres, and Actors (1879)
- Trials of Charles I and Some Other Regicides (1861)
Notes
Attribution