150-YEAR OLD FIRM.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16418, 11 January 1919, Page 7

150-YEAR OLD FIRM.

The great publishing hauso of John Murray recently attained its 150 th birthday. There is something of romance in the story of the firm (states the "Daily News")- The first John Murray, a kinsman of tto Dukes of Atholl, was a lieutenant of Marines, who at one time called himself Mac Murray. It was in 17C8 that Lieutenant John Murray retired on half-pay at the age'of 23, and purchased a bookselling business at . the sign of the "Ship," No. 32 Fleet street, opposite St. Dunstan's Church. He put a ship in full sail, which sign the firm still uses, at the head of hi s invoices. The firm remained in Fleet street till 1812, when they moved into Albemarle street, where they have remained. From its foundation the head of the firm has been-'a John Mnrray, and the heir is Lieutenant-Oolonel John Murray, commanding a battalion of the Royal Scots in Flanders. With the exception of a short period the Murrays have al•vays lived at the firm's premises, or (as at the present time) next door. The biggest names ?u the literature of the past 150 years are on the Murrays' roll. Byron, Soott, Jane Austen, George Borrow, Thomas Campbell, Coleridge Benjamin Disraeli, Groto, Hallamj Washington Irving, Southey—to take a few at random —owed much to the house of Murray—Byrtra in particular. They also published for Dr. Livingstone Mr and _ the famous letters of Queen Victoria in more recent times.