Blackie & Son

Founded in Glasgow in 1809 by John Blackie as part of the firm Blackie, Fullarton & Company, the business later became known as Blackie & Son. It began printing in 1819 and built its reputation first through subscription publishing, including religious and reference works.

Over time, the company expanded into single-volume books and became especially well known for educational publishing and children's literature. Its growth was closely tied to the wider rise of mass reading and formal schooling in Britain, and its books reached generations of families, pupils, and home readers.

Blackie & Son remained active for well over a century, with operations in Glasgow and London, and continued publishing until 1991. Today it is remembered as one of Scotland's notable publishing houses, with surviving archives offering a window into the history of schoolbooks, children's publishing, and Victorian and later print culture.