2006 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Distributing Network of Provincial Publishing in 18^<th> and 19^<th> centuries in England
| Project/Area Number |
16520193
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
ヨーロッパ語系文学
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| Research Institution | Aichi Unviersity |
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Principal Investigator |
SHIMIZU Kazuyoshi Aichi University, Faculty of Letters, Professor, 文学部, 教授 (70312105)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2004 – 2006
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| Keywords | provincial book trade / newspaper publishing / agent / newsboy / bookseller / distributing network / Newcastle upon Tyne / ballad and chapbook |
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| Research Abstract |
This study is concerned with the distribution network of publishing in 18^<th>and 19^<th> centuries in provincial England. When studying the distribution system of the book trade I think we must consider, among others, the newspaper publishing of the age, because newspaper publishers published not only newspapers, but also played a crucial part in distributing them. In order to do so, they employed several agents in their district, and then the agents in their turn employed newsmen or newsboys, and it was them who actually delivered a newspaper to each reader. This was the distribution system of the provincial newspaper and it is quite interesting that London book publishers made good use of this system to distribute their books to the provincial readers.
It is also interesting that the newspaper agents were then often the booksellers in their own right. Booksellers were of course the sellers of books, and it was only natural that booksellers became agents. As you know in those days the booksellers were also the publishers, and yet in provincial towns they did not publish so many books, but in many cases published almanacs, ballads and chapbooks. These little printings were sold by chapmen who went round the countryside with many other merchandise. Booksellers also printed various ephemeral printings such as bill, poster, official writing paper and others.
In publishing almanacs, ballads and chapbooks, Newcastle upon Tyne was far more eminent than any other place of England, but in this essay it is regrettable that I could not fully touch with this important city partly because of the lack of necessary materials. But in future I think I must investigate this city with reference to the book trade and other related activities.
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