Sampson Low the Publisher

In 1819, at the age of 22, Sampson Low set up his first bookshop at 42 Lamb's Conduit Street in Camden. Initially his mother Mary who had been twice widowed, became his housekeeper and assisted him in the business. Three years later, in 1822, Sampson opened a circulating library and a reading room on the same site.

 

There is an image of a trading card on this page. This would have been issued c.1822 by Sampson Low to advertise the newly opened library and reading room. Many literary figures and politicians frequented the reading room at this time and during the years that followed. 

 

In 1837 a committee of London Publishers established 'The Publishers' Circular' and appointed Sampson Low as its managing editor. 'The Publishers' Circular' was the leading journal for the British book trade and was issued fortnightly. Its lists of new books were compiled into annual catalogues and from these Low published his first 'British Catalogue' (later named the 'English Catalogue') in 1853. In 1867 Low became the owner of 'The Publishers' Circular' and it continued under his direction until 1883.

 

In 1844 Sampson Low met Fletcher Harper, one of four brothers who created and ran the New York based American publishing company, Harper & Bros. Low subsequently became their literary agent and one of the principal American booksellers in London during the mid-nineteenth century. Within the Sampson Low collection of letters around twenty are written by American clients. There is an image of the four Harper brothers on this page which was taken c.1860 with Fletcher Harper seated on the left.

 

The publishing company started by Sampson Low underwent several changes in name and partnership during the nineteenth century. In 1848 Low and his eldest son Sampson Low Jr. established Sampson Low, Son & Co. and the company moved to Fleet Street. A few years later they relocated to 47 Ludgate Hill close to St Paul’s Cathedral. In 1856 Low’s bookseller assistant Edward Marston (1825-1914), who had worked with Sampson Low for several years, was made a partner and the company was renamed Sampson Low, Son & Marston.

 

In 1867 the publishers moved back to Fleet Street where they remained until 1887. Edward Marston later wrote a book about his life in publishing titled 'After Work: Fragments from the Workshop of an Old Publisher' (1904). Several chapters are devoted to his time working alongside Sampson Low. 

 

Following Sampson Low Jr.'s death in 1871, Sampson’s son William Low joined the company along with Samuel Warren Searle (1834-1907) and it was renamed Sampson Low, Marston & Company. Possibly after the death of William Low in 1881, William John Rivington (1845-1914) joined them and the name changed once more to Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington. Sampson Low retired in 1875 at the age of 78.

 

During his publishing career of fifty years, Sampson Low also wrote, compiled and edited the following works:

• Low's Comparative Register of the House of Commons 1827 to 1841 (pub. 1841)
• Low's Comparative and Historical Register of the House of Commons 1841 to 1847 (pub. 1847)
• Index to Current Literature, comprising a Reference to every Book in the English Language as published, and to original Literary Articles, 1859–60 (eight numbers only)
• Low's Literary Almanack and Illustrated Souvenir for 1873 (pub. 1873)​

​

Of the many clients that Sampson Low managed, some of the most prominent authors included the likes of R.D. Blackmore, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Wilkie Collins and Elizabeth Gaskell. Their letters are all included in this exhibition.