Knowledge encyclopædia

First issue of Knowledge, 9 January 1961

Knowledge was a British weekly educational magazine for children which was assembled in blue binders into an encyclopedia. It was launched by Purnell and Sons on 9 January 1961, as "Knowledge: the new colour magazine which grows into an encyclopædia" (subsequently "the colour magazine which grows into an encyclopædia") at a price of two shillings per issue (the pre-decimal equivalent of 10p; a later re-issued run was priced as 2/6 or 12½p). Sixteen volumes of twelve issues each were initially planned, but two additional volumes brought the total to eighteen. There was also a four-volume alphabetical topic guide in slightly smaller yellow binders, also assembled from parts inserted into the main magazine.

The majority of the covers of the first 192 issues (volumes 1-16) were the work of illustrator Alessandro Fedini, but the covers of the additional issues 193-216 (volumes 17 and 18) depicted twentieth century events and news headlines.

Knowledge was a British version of the Italian magazine Conoscere published by Fratelli Fabri Editori of Milan. The concept of a British edition had first been pitched to Fleetway Publications Ltd who turned it down fearing it would damage sales of their own The Children's Encyclopædia and The Children's Newspaper. Following the success of Knowledge, Fleetway brought out Look and Learn in 1962.^[1]

Knowledge sold 400,000 copies and was edited by John Paget Chancellor (1927-1914), son of Sir Christopher Chancellor, father of actress Anna Chancellor and brother of journalist Alexander Chancellor.^[2] The advisory editorial board of Knowledge was Professor Christopher N. L. Brooke M.A., Lady Violet Bonham Carter D.B.E, Mr. Norman Fisher M.A., Mr. Walter Hamilton M.A., Mr. John Sparrow M.A., Professor L. Dudley Stamp C.B.E. D.Sc., and Professor Sir George Thomson F.R.S. D.Sc. In later editions John Chancellor became Editor-in-Chief with William Armstrong B.A. as Editor and Christopher Falkus B.A. (son of Hugh Falkus) as Assistant Editor.^[3]

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