James Lackington

James Lackington

James Lackington (Born in Wellington, Somerset 1746; died 1815 in Budleigh Salterton, Devon) was a bookseller who is credited with revolutionizing the British book trade. A shoemaker's son, he showed early initiative, selling pies and cakes in the street when aged 10. Lackington taught himself to read and eventually became a wealthy man. He is best known for refusing credit at his shop – no exceptions – and by instead receiving cash in return for every item was able to reduce the price of books throughout his store. He also saved remaindered books from destruction and resold them at bargain prices, firmly believing that books were the key to knowledge, reason and happiness and that everyone, no matter their economic background, social class or gender, had the right to access books at cheap prices.

Lackington wrote two autobiographies: "Memoirs of the Forty-Five First Years of the Life of James Lackington" (1794) and "The Confessions of James Lackington". He considered himself to have been blessed with two happy marriages, the first to Nancy, who died of fever, then Dorcas.

Lackington's main bookstore in Finsbury Square was called "The Temple of the Muses" and was said to have been large enough "that a mail-coach and four were driven round the counters at its opening" (Mumby and Norrie, 1974) in 1793.

His love of books is exemplified in the tale that, on arriving in London with his wife, he spent their last Half-crown on a book of poems. He explained "if I had bought a dinner we should have had it tomorrow and the pleasure would be over; but should we live fifty years we shall have these poems to feast on."

References

* Lackington, James. "Memoirs of the Forty-Five First Years of James Lackington", 1794. New York: Garland Publishing Inc., 1974.
* Mee, A. "The King's England:Devon" (Hodder and Stoughton 1965), pp. 71-2.
* Mumby, Frank Arthur and Norrie, Ian. "Publishing and Bookselling". London: Jonathan Cape, 1974.


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