Isaac Pitman & Sons

Founded by Sir Isaac Pitman and later run with his sons, Isaac Pitman & Sons grew out of the success of Pitman shorthand, the writing system he introduced in the 19th century. The firm became closely associated with practical learning, especially shorthand, typing, business training, and other educational subjects that matched the needs of modern offices and classrooms.

Over time, the company developed into a major British educational publisher. Records from the Science Museum Group describe it as established in Bath in 1886 as Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, later becoming Pitman Ltd, and note that it was purchased by Pearson in 1985.

Because this is a company rather than a single author, the most relevant historical figure behind the name is Sir Isaac Pitman himself: an English teacher, publisher, and the creator of Pitman shorthand. His influence on business education and practical publishing gave the Pitman name a long life well beyond his own lifetime.