Sampson Low

Portrait of Sampson Low

Sampson Low (1797–1886) was a bookseller and publisher in London in the 19th century.

Early years

Born in London in November 1797, he was the son of Sampson Low, printer and publisher, of Berwick Street, Soho.^[1] He served a short apprenticeship with Lionel Booth, the proprietor of a circulating library, and spent a few years in the house of Longman & Co..

Low began his own business in 1819^[2] at 42 Lamb's Conduit Street, as a bookseller and stationer, with a circulating library attached. His reading-room was the resort of many literary men, lawyers, and politicians.

Sampson Low, Son and Company

In 1848 Low and his eldest son Sampson Jr. opened a publishing office at the corner of Red Lion Court, Fleet Street. In 1852 they moved to 47 (and later to 14) Ludgate Hill, where, with the aid of David Bogue, an American department was opened. In 1856 Mr. Edward Marston became a partner,^[3] and Bogue retired. The firm removed in 1867 to 188 Fleet Street, in 1887 to St. Dunstan's House, Fetter Lane, and subsequently to Paternoster Row. The firm issued works by authors such as William Black, William Henry Boulton, Julius Mendes Price, Nikolay Przhevalsky, Henry Morton Stanley, and Jules Verne. The business continued to 1964.^[4]

Names of the firm

• Sampson Low, Son & Co.: Established in 1848 by Sampson Low and Sampson Low Jr. (1822-1871).^[5] Office located in Fleet Street, then in Ludgate Hill.^[6]
• Sampson Low, Son & Marston: Established in 1856 by Sampson Low, Sampson Low Jr., and Edward Marston.^[4]
• Sampson Low, Marston & Company: Established 1872 by Sampson Low, William Low, Edward Marston, and Samuel Warren Searle (d.1907).^[3][4]
• Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington: Established circa 1881? by Sampson Low, Edward Marston, Samuel Warren Searle, and William John Rivington (d. 1914).^[4] Office in Fleet Street, then St. Dunstan's House in Fetter Lane.^[6]

Publishers' Circular and English Catalogue

Until 1837 Bent's Literary Advertiser was the only trade journal connected with book-selling; at this period the publishers became dissatisfied with the manner in which it was conducted, and established a periodical of their own called The Publishers' Circular, and entrusted the management to Low. The first number appeared on October 2, 1837.^[7] The manager gradually introduced many changes and improvements, and in 1867 the Circular became Low's sole property. The periodical, which was published fortnightly, supplied a list of new books, and from these lists an annual catalogue was made up, the first appearing in 1839. Upon these annual catalogues Low based his British Catalogue, the first volume of which, containing titles under authors' names of all books issued between 1837 and 1852, was published in 1853. It was continued as the English Catalogue, of which vol. i. (1835–63) appeared in 1864; vol. ii. (1863–72) in 1873; vol. iii. (1872–1880) in 1882. Subject indexes were issued in 1858, covering from 1837 to 1857; and in 1876 (covering from 1856 to 1876).

Other professional activities

Low was also manager of a society for the protection of retail booksellers against undersellers until the dissolution of the society in 1852.

With his son he was instrumental in establishing in 1843 the Royal Society for the Protection of Life from Fire, and gave it careful attendance till 1867, when it was taken over by the Metropolitan Board of Works. From its foundation in 1837 he took the deepest interest in the Booksellers' Provident Institution, serving on the committee and acting as a vice-president. About 1844 he made the acquaintance of Fletcher Harper of New York, and became his literary agent and correspondent, and one of the chief American booksellers in London.

He retired from business in 1875, and died at 41 Mecklenburgh Square on 16 April 1886, being buried in Highgate Cemetery on April 22. His wife, Mary, died May 26, 1881, in her eighty-fourth year.

Works

He was the author, compiler, and editor of the following works:

• Low's Comparative Register of the House of Commons 1827 to 1841, 1841.
• Low's Comparative and Historical Register of the House of Commons 1841 to 1847, 1847.
• Index to Current Literature, comprising a Reference to every Book in the English Language as published, and to original Literary Articles, 1859–60 (eight numbers only).
• Low's Literary Almanack and Illustrated Souvenir for 1873, 1873.

Family

Of his sons, Sampson Low, jun., born in London on July 6, 1822, although an invalid, took a considerable share in the business. He compiled a work entitled The Charities of London, comprehending the Benevolent, Educational, and Religious Institutions, their Origin and Design, Progress, and Present Position, 1850, of which corrected editions appeared in 1854, 1862, 1863, and 1870. He died at 41 Mecklenburgh Square March 5, 1871.^[8] Low's second son, William Henry Low, after the death of his brother, took an active share in the publishing business; he died September 25, 1881.

References

Attribution

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Low, Sampson". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.  Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links

• List of titles, 1881 published by Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington