Records of Macgibbon & Kee Ltd, publishers, London, England
- Reference:GB 248 UGD 243-14
- Dates of Creation:1949-1981
- Name of Creator:
- Language of Material:English
- Physical Description:0.4 metres (2 volumes)
Scope and Content
Minutes 1949-1981.
Administrative / Biographical History
MacGibbon & Kee Ltd was incorporated as a limited liability company in 1949 with its registered office at 2 Guilford Place, London, England, and a share capital of å£6,000. The first directors of the company were James MacGibbon, Robert Kee, Janetta Kee and Margaret MacGibbon. The company aimed to publish up to 3 titles a year with packing, invoicing, distribution, representation and trade promotion out-sourced to other companies. However, by 1952, the company was producing 12 titles a year but, due to low financial turnover it was decided to publish several quick-selling titles in order to increase profits but, by 1953, the company was running at a loss. Titles included fiction and non-fiction, cookery books, photograph and travel books, history and science texts and medical books.
By 1960, the company shared a number of directors with other London publishing companies, such as Arco Publications Ltd , and Rupert Hart-Davis Ltd . In 1961 , the company acquired the publishing firm of Howard Samuel and had close links with other London publishers such as Arco Publications Ltd who they acquired in 1962 , and Staples Press Ltd .
MacGibbon & Kee Ltd were acquired by the Granada Group Ltd , media group, London, in 1968 , and became a subsidiary of Granada's subsidiary publishing firm, Granada Publishing Ltd . In 1972 Granada restructured its publishing interests with the business of MacGibbon & Kee Ltd and Rupert Hart-Davis Ltd being transferred to Hart-Davis, MacGibbon Ltd . MacGibbon & Kee Ltd continued to trade as a separate company, being renamed Granada Publishing Services Ltd in 1978 . The company appears to have been dissolved in c1983 when Granada sold its publishing interests to the Scottish publishers William Collins, Sons & Co Ltd , Glasgow.
Arrangement
The material is arranged into series as shown in the scope and content. Within series items are generally arranged chronologically.
Access Information
Open
Acquisition Information
Deposit : William Collins, Sons & Co Ltd via BACS : 1987
Other Finding Aids
Digital file level list available in searchroom
This collection forms part of the William Collins, Sons & Co Ltd finding aid (UGD 243) consisting of the records of that company and its related/subsidiary companies
Manual file level list available at the National Registers of Archives in Edinburgh (NRA(S)3040) and London (NRA31886)
Alternative Form Available
No known copies
Physical Characteristics and/or Technical Requirements
None which affect the use of this material
Conditions Governing Use
Applications for permission to quote should be sent to the Archivist.
Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use and condition of documents
Appraisal Information
This material has been appraised in line with standard GB 0248 procedures
Custodial History
Held by William Collins, Sons & Co Ltd, Glasgow
Accruals
None expected
Related Material
GB 0248 UGD 243/1 Records of William Collins, Sons & Co Ltd
GB 0248 UGD 243/8 Records of Mayflower Books Ltd
GB 0248 UGD 243/13 Records of Rupert Hart-Davis Ltd
GB 0248 UGD 243/14 Records of MacGibbon & Kee Ltd
GB 0248 UGD 243/18 Records of Arco Publications Ltd
GB 0248 UGD 243/22 Records of Staples Press Ltd
Location of Originals
This material is original
Bibliography
No known publications using this material
Additional Information
Description compiled in line with the following international standards: International Council on Archives,ISAD(G) Second Edition, September 1999 and National Council on Archives,Rules for the construction of personal, place and corporate names
Scotland is the location of all place names in the administrative/biographical history element, unless otherwise stated.
Fonds level description compiled by David Powell, Hub Project Archivist, April 2003.
Subjects
Corporate Names
Geographical Names