Henry R. (Henry Robert) Plomer

Henry Robert Plomer was an English biographer and bibliographer whose work centered on the history of printing and bookselling. Born in 1856 and dying in 1928, he is remembered for careful, readable studies of the English book trade and for reference works that helped map the world of printers and booksellers across several centuries.

Among his best-known books are A Short History of English Printing, 1476-1898 and major bibliographical dictionaries covering printers and booksellers in England, Scotland, and Ireland. He also produced works such as Abstracts from the Wills of English Printers and Stationers from 1492 to 1630, showing the depth of his archival interests and his talent for turning specialized research into useful reading.

Plomer's books are especially rewarding for listeners and readers who enjoy literary history, publishing history, and the material life of books. Even when he was dealing with detailed scholarship, his subject was always something vivid and human: the people who printed, sold, and preserved the written word.