edinburghcityofprint
Clark Constable Letterhead
Clark Constable Limited Letterhead showing the company crest of a tall ship to the left with the inscription 'Founded in 1760' under the ship.
Archibald Constable (1774-1827), printer, moved to Edinburgh in 1788 and became an apprentice bookseller to Peter Hill. In 1795 he married the daughter of David Willison, an Edinburgh printer, and established his own bookselling business. In 1833 his son Thomas (1812-1881) took over the family printing, publishing and book selling business and moved to 11 Thistle Street, New Town, Edinburgh. The company name changed from Willison to T. And A. Constable Ltd. In 1839 Thomas Constable was appointed Her Majesty's Printer and Publisher in Edinburgh. From 1853 he began to print books for London publishers. In 1859 he was appointed Printer to the University of Edinburgh. By 1861 he was employing more compositors than any other printers in Edinburgh. By 1869 Thomas' son, Archibald, had joined him as partner. In 1878 Walter Biggar Blaikie (1847-1928) joined the partnership and in 1881 Thomas Constable died. In 1921 T. and A. Constable Ltd. became a limited company and additional directors were taken on. In 1929 a new factory was built for the company on Hopetoun Street, Edinburgh. In 1936 the business of the Edinburgh Press, established 1876, was incorporated under the name of T. and A. Constable Ltd. The company was active in 1976.
Edinburgh City of Print is a joint project between Edinburgh City of Print is a joint project between the City of Edinburgh Museums and the Scottish Archive of Print and Publishing History Records (SAPPHIRE). The project aims to catalogue and make accessible the wealth of printing collections held by the City of Edinburgh Museums. For more information about the project please visit www.edinburghcityofprint.org
Clark Constable Letterhead
Clark Constable Limited Letterhead showing the company crest of a tall ship to the left with the inscription 'Founded in 1760' under the ship.
Archibald Constable (1774-1827), printer, moved to Edinburgh in 1788 and became an apprentice bookseller to Peter Hill. In 1795 he married the daughter of David Willison, an Edinburgh printer, and established his own bookselling business. In 1833 his son Thomas (1812-1881) took over the family printing, publishing and book selling business and moved to 11 Thistle Street, New Town, Edinburgh. The company name changed from Willison to T. And A. Constable Ltd. In 1839 Thomas Constable was appointed Her Majesty's Printer and Publisher in Edinburgh. From 1853 he began to print books for London publishers. In 1859 he was appointed Printer to the University of Edinburgh. By 1861 he was employing more compositors than any other printers in Edinburgh. By 1869 Thomas' son, Archibald, had joined him as partner. In 1878 Walter Biggar Blaikie (1847-1928) joined the partnership and in 1881 Thomas Constable died. In 1921 T. and A. Constable Ltd. became a limited company and additional directors were taken on. In 1929 a new factory was built for the company on Hopetoun Street, Edinburgh. In 1936 the business of the Edinburgh Press, established 1876, was incorporated under the name of T. and A. Constable Ltd. The company was active in 1976.
Edinburgh City of Print is a joint project between Edinburgh City of Print is a joint project between the City of Edinburgh Museums and the Scottish Archive of Print and Publishing History Records (SAPPHIRE). The project aims to catalogue and make accessible the wealth of printing collections held by the City of Edinburgh Museums. For more information about the project please visit www.edinburghcityofprint.org