{{short description|English publishing firm (est. 1768)}} {{more citations needed|date=January 2013}} {{EngvarB|date=December 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}} {{Infobox publisher | image = 200px|John Murray | parent = Hachette UK (brand under Lagardère Group) | status = active | founded = {{start date and age|df=yes|1768}} | founder = John Murray | successor = | country = Scotland | headquarters = London, England | distribution = | keypeople = | publications = Books | topics = | genre = | imprints = | revenue = | numemployees = | nasdaq = | url = {{URL|johnmurray.co.uk}} }}

'''John Murray''' is a Scottish publisher, known for the authors it has published in its long history including Jane Austen, Arthur Conan Doyle, Lord Byron, Charles Lyell, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Herman Melville, Edward Whymper, Thomas Robert Malthus, David Ricardo, and Charles Darwin. Since 2004, it has been owned by conglomerate Lagardère under the Hachette UK brand.

== History == thumb|right|175px|John Murray (1745–1793), the eponymous founder of the publishing house The business was founded in London, England, in 1768 by John Murray (1737–1793),<ref>{{Cite book |title=The First John Murray and the Late Eighteenth-Century Book Trade |last=Zachs |first=William |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1998 |isbn=0-19-726191-4 |location=Oxford |pages=[https://archive.org/details/firstjohnmurrayl0000zach/page/7 7] |url=https://archive.org/details/firstjohnmurrayl0000zach/page/7}}</ref> an Edinburgh-born Royal Marines officer, who built up a list of authors including Isaac D'Israeli and published the ''English Review''.<ref>{{cite book |publisher=Printed for the author, by Nichols, Son, and Bentley |location=London |title=Literary Anecdotes of the Eighteenth Century |chapter=(Printers and booksellers) |chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/literaryanecdote03nichiala#page/714/mode/1up |volume=3 |first=John Treadwell |last=Nichols |date=1812 |oclc=1138961}}</ref>

John Murray the elder was one of the founding sponsors of the London evening newspaper ''The Star'' in 1788.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Belanger |first=Jacqueline |author2=Peter Garside |author3=Anthony Mandal |author4=Sharon Ragaz |title=British Fiction, 1800–1829: A Database Of Production And Reception, Phase Ii: Advertisements For Novels In 'The Star', 1815–1824 |journal=Cardiff Corvey: Reading the Romantic Text |date=4 January 2003 |url=http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/encap/journals/corvey/articles/database/star.html |access-date=23 September 2011 |issn=1471-5988}}</ref>

thumb|right|175px|John Murray II

He was succeeded by his son John Murray II, who made the publishing house important and influential. He was a friend of many leading writers of the day and launched the ''Quarterly Review'' in 1809. He was the publisher of Jane Austen, Sir Walter Scott, Washington Irving, George Crabbe, Mary Somerville and many others. Murray's home and office at 50 Albemarle Street in Mayfair was the centre of a literary circle, fostered by Murray's tradition of "four o'clock friends", afternoon tea with his writers.

Murray's most notable author was Lord Byron, who became a close friend and correspondent of his. Murray published many of his major works, paying him over £20,000 in rights. On 10 March 1812, Murray published Byron's second book, ''Childe Harold's Pilgrimage'', which sold out in five days, leading to Byron's observation: "I awoke one morning and found myself famous".

On 17 May 1824, Murray participated in one of the most notorious acts in the annals of literature. Byron had given him the manuscript of his personal memoirs to publish later on. Together with five of Byron's friends and executors, he decided to destroy Byron's manuscripts because he thought the scandalous details would damage Byron's reputation. With only Thomas Moore objecting, the two volumes of memoirs were dismembered and burnt in the fireplace at Murray's office.<ref>Eisler, Benita. ''Byron: Child of Passion, Fool of Fame'', page 3.</ref> It remains unknown what they contained.

thumb|right|175px|John Murray III

John Murray III (1808–1892) continued the business and published Charles Eastlake's first English translation of Goethe's ''Theory of Colours'' (1840), David Livingstone's ''Missionary Travels'' (1857), and Charles Darwin's ''Origin of Species'' (1859). Murray III contracted with Herman Melville to publish Melville's first two books, ''Typee'' (1846) and ''Omoo'' (1847) in England; both books were presented as nonfiction travel narratives in Murray's ''Home and Colonial Library'' series, alongside such works as the 1845 second edition of Darwin's ''Journal of Researches'' from his travels on {{HMS|Beagle}}.<ref>Hershel Parker, ''Herman Melville: A Biography; Volume 1, 1819–1851'', (Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996), 392, 482–84, 508–10.</ref> John Murray III also started the ''Murray Handbooks'' in 1836, a series of travel guides from which modern-day guides are directly descended. The rights to these guides were sold around 1900 and subsequently acquired in 1915 by the Blue Guides.

thumb|right|175px|John Murray IV

His successor Sir John Murray IV (1851–1928) was publisher to Queen Victoria. Among other works, he published ''Murray's Magazine'' from 1887 until 1891. From 1904, he published the ''Wisdom of the East'' book series.<ref>[https://seriesofseries.com/wisdom-of-the-east-series/ Wisdom of the East Series], seriesofseries.com. Retrieved 10 June 2018.</ref> Competitor Smith, Elder & Co. was acquired in 1917.

His son Sir John Murray V (1884–1967), grandson John Murray VI (John Arnaud Robin Grey Murray, known as '''Jock Murray'''; 1909–1993)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Leigh Fermor |first1=Patrick |author1-link=Patrick Leigh Fermor |title=Obituary: Jock Murray |url=https://patrickleighfermor.org/2011/05/31/obituary-jock-murray/ |access-date=9 June 2022 |work=The Independent |date=23 July 1993 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Dervla |author1-link=Dervla Murphy |title=Jock Murray – A Scholar and a Gentleman |url=https://www.theoldie.co.uk/blog/jock-murray-a-scholar-and-a-gentleman |access-date=9 June 2022 |work=The Oldie |date=8 April 2019 |language=en-gb |archive-date=14 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230114004715/https://www.theoldie.co.uk/blog/jock-murray-a-scholar-and-a-gentleman |url-status=dead}}</ref> and great-grandson John Murray VII (John Richmond Grey Murray; 1941–) continued the business until it was taken over.

In 2002, John Murray was acquired by Hodder Headline, which was itself acquired in 2004 by the French conglomerate Lagardère Group. Since then, it has been an imprint under Lagardère brand Hachette UK.<ref>{{cite web |title=Corporate History Highlights |url=http://www.hachettelivre.co.uk/AboutUs/Who-We-Are |work=Hachette UK |publisher=Hachette UK |access-date=23 September 2011 |author=Hachette UK |author-link=Hachette (publisher) |year=2008}}</ref>

In 2015, business publisher Nicholas Brealey became an imprint of John Murray.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thebookseller.com/news/hachette-uk-buys-nicholas-brealey|title=Hachette UK buys Nicholas Brealey|work=The Bookseller}}</ref>

== John Murray archive == The John Murray Archive was offered for sale to the nation by John Murray VII for £31 million and the National Library of Scotland acquired it, including the manuscript of Charles Darwin's ''Origin of Species''. In January 2005, the National Library received £17.7m from the Heritage Lottery Fund as part of the £31.2m bid by John Murray on the condition the Library digitise the materials and make them available. The Scottish Government agreed to contribute £8.3m, with the Library setting a £6.5m fundraising target for the remainder.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6586205.stm |title=Stars back literary archive plans |date=24 April 2007 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=24 April 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2006/03/28092520 |title=John Murray Archive unwrapped |publisher=Scottish Executive website |access-date=25 April 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nls.uk/jma/about.html |title=About the John Murray Archive |publisher=National Library of Scotland |access-date=25 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070611055537/http://www.nls.uk/jma/about.html |archive-date=11 June 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nls.uk/jma/mss/search/index.cfm |title=John Murray Archive Catalogue |publisher=National Library of Scotland |access-date=27 April 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070611055643/http://www.nls.uk/jma/mss/search/index.cfm |archive-date=11 June 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1828112006 |title=Pages from history |publisher=The Scotsman |access-date=27 April 2007}}</ref>

== John Murray timeline == {{more citations needed|section|date=January 2013}} * 1768 – John MacMurray, a former lieutenant of the Marines, buys a bookselling business at 32 Fleet Street. He changes his name to Murray and uses his naval contacts to build up a thriving business. * 1806 – The first bestseller, ''A New System of Domestic Cookery'', by Maria Rundell, is published, with a [https://books.google.com/books?id=K2YDAAAAQAAJ&q=maria+rundell second edition] two years later.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.persephonebooks.co.uk/mrs-rundell/ |title=Maria Rundell}} (Persephone Books information page)</ref> * 1809 – The influential periodical ''Quarterly Review'' is published * 1811 – ''Childe Harold's Pilgrimage'' by Lord Byron * 1812 – John Murray moves to 50 Albemarle Street, its home for the next 191 years * 1815 – Jane Austen decides she would like to move to Murray with ''Emma'', published in 1815 * 1816 – Coleridge moves to John Murray for ''Christabel and Other Poems'', which included ''Kubla Khan'' * 1830 – First part of the three-volume ''Principles of Geology'' by Charles Lyell<ref name=Lyell1830>{{cite web |url=https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/charles-lyells-principles-of-geology |title=Charles Lyell's Principles of Geology |publisher=British Library |access-date=19 April 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210419081953/https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/charles-lyells-principles-of-geology |archive-date=19 April 2021 |url-status=live}} ({{OCLC|8990449|show=all}})</ref> * 1836 – The first guide books, ''Murray's Handbooks'', were published by John Murray III * 1849 – A groundbreaking observational study on the Sikh people is published.<ref>{{cite book |last=Cunningham |first=Joseph Davy |title=A History of the Sikhs: From the Origin of the Nation to the Battles of the Sutlej |year=1849 |publisher=John Murray |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofsikhsfr01cunn}}</ref> This comprehensive account arguably foreshadowed the British Empire's first large-scale attempt at using the scientific method to civilise populations; this methodological approach later became known as Eugenics. * 1857 – David Livingstone's ''Missionary Travels'' – one of the many great 19th-century publications of exploration from John Murray * 1859 – ''On the Origin of Species'' by Charles Darwin * 1859 – First self-help book ''Samuel Smiles's Self Help'' * 1863 – Henry Walter Bates's ''The Naturalist on the River Amazons'' * 1865 – ''Narrative of an Expedition to the Zambesi and its Tributaries; and of the Discovery of the Lakes Shirwa and Nyassa. 1858–1864'' by David and Charles Livingstone<ref>''Narrative of an Expedition to the Zambesi and its Tributaries; and of the Discovery of the Lakes Shirwa and Nyassa. 1858–1864'' (PDF)</ref> * 1871 – Edward Whymper, ''Scrambles Amongst the Alps in the Years 1860–69'', the first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 * 1891 – Edward Whymper, ''Travels Amongst the Great Andes of the Equator'', two volumes recording ascents in the Ecuadorian Andes of Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, Cayambe, and other Andean Peaks * 1900 - ''Lavengro: The Scholar-The Gypsy-The Priest'', by George Borrow; a new edition appeared in March 1900, which was reprinted in July 1902 and reprinted in May 1904. * 1912 – ''Behind The Night Light'' by Nancy Price was published in June, which was reprinted in June 1912, September 1912 and January 1913. * 1921 – ''An Etymological Dictionary of Modern English'' by Ernest Weekley<ref>{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/stream/etymologicaldict00weekuoft#page/n7/mode/2up |title=An etymological dictionary of modern English |work=archive.org |year=1921}}</ref> * 1934 – ''Alpine Pilgrimage'' by Julius Kugy (1st edition (English), 1934), Klugy's literary masterpiece on the Julian Alps of Slovenia as translated by H. E. G. Tyndale (Henry Edmund Guise Tyndale) * 1938 – Daniele Varè's biography ''The Laughing Diplomat'' * 1958 – John Betjeman's ''Collected Poems'' is published and has sold over two million copies to date * 1967 – Last issue of the ''Quarterly Review'' is published * 1969 – The first TV tie-in, Kenneth Clark's ''Civilisation'', is published * 1975 – Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's ''Heat and Dust'' wins the Booker Prize<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://thebookerprizes.com/books/heat-and-dust-by |title=Heat and Dust {{!}} The Booker Prizes |website=thebookerprizes.com |access-date=17 January 2020}}</ref> * 1977 – The "greatest travel book of the twentieth century", ''A Time of Gifts'' by Patrick Leigh Fermor, is published * 2002 – John Murray leaves family hands after seven generations * 2002 – ''Peacemakers'' by Margaret MacMillan wins the Samuel Johnson Prize, the Duff Cooper Prize and the Hessell-Tiltman Prize{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} * 2003 – The first new acquisition since the company became part of Hodder Headline (now Hachette), ''A Million Little Pieces'' by James Frey, becomes a perennial and controversial bestseller * 2004 – Rebirth of the John Murray fiction list with Neil Jordan's ''Shade'' * 2005 – ''Beasts of No Nation'' by Uzodinma Iweala wins John Llewellyn Rhys Prize{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} * 2007 – ''Mister Pip'' by Lloyd Jones becomes a global bestseller, wins the Commonwealth Writers' Prize<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2007/jul/07/featuresreviews.guardianreview21 |title=Review: Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones |last=Laing |first=Olivia |date=7 July 2007 |work=The Guardian |access-date=17 January 2020 |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> and is shortlisted for the Booker Prize<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://thebookerprizes.com/books/mister-pip-by-lloyd-jones |title=Mister Pip {{!}} The Booker Prizes |website=thebookerprizes.com |access-date=17 January 2020}}</ref> * 2008 – Amitav Ghosh launches his epic Ibis trilogy with ''Sea of Poppies'', shortlisted for the Booker Prize<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://thebookerprizes.com/books/sea-poppies-by-amitav-ghosh |title=Sea of Poppies {{!}} The Booker Prizes |website=thebookerprizes.com |access-date=17 January 2020}}</ref> * 2008 – ''Down River'' by John Hart wins Edgar Award for Best Novel<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://theedgars.com/awards/category-list-best-novel/ |title=Category List – Best Novel {{!}} Edgars Database |language=en-US |access-date=17 January 2020}}</ref> * 2008 – ''The Secret Life of Words'' by Henry Hitchings wins the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize * 2009 – ''The Last Child'' by John Hart wins CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger/ITV Thriller of the Year Award, and the Edgar Award for Best Novel{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} * 2009 – ''Martyr'' by Rory Clements, special mention in CWA Ellis Peters Historical Fiction Award{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} * 2010 – ''Revenger'' by Rory Clements wins CWA Ellis Peters Historical Fiction Award * 2010 – ''Wait For Me!'' by Deborah Devonshire is shortlisted for the British Book Awards Biography of the Year{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} * 2011 – ''Mistaken'' by Neil Jordan wins Irish Book of the Year Award{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} * 2012 – ''Icelight'' by Aly Monroe wins CWA Ellis Peters Historical Fiction Award<ref>{{Cite web |title=Icelight — The Crime Writers' Association |url=https://thecwa.co.uk/icelight/ |website=thecwa.co.uk |access-date=4 October 2015}}</ref> * 2012 – ''Patrick Leigh Fermor: An Adventure'' by Artemis Cooper is shortlisted for the Costa Biography Award, the Waterstone's Book of the Year Award and the National Book Awards Biography of the Year{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} * 2016 – ''The Glorious Heresies'' by Lisa McInerney wins the Women's Prize for Fiction * 2020 – ''The Stonemason: A History of Building Britain'' by Andrew Ziminski * 2022 – The crime fiction and thriller imprint Baskerville is launched<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/john-murrays-new-crime-imprint-baskerville-launches-herron-and-boyle-1300305 |title=John Murray's new crime imprint Baskerville launches with Herron and Boyle |work=The Bookseller |last=Wood |first=Heloise |date=18 January 2022 |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref> * 2024 – John Murray publishes its first classics list of 10 titles, including works by Jane Austen and David Attenborough

==Book series== * Albemarle Library<ref>[https://seriesofseries.com/albemarle-library/ Albemarle Library], seriesofseries.com. Retrieved 4 July 2025.</ref> * Albemarle Library For Schools * The Changing Shape of Things<ref>[https://search.worldcat.org/search?q=se%3AChanging%20shape%20of%20things se:Changing shape of things], worldcat.org. Retrieved 5 July 2025.</ref> * Home and Colonial Library<ref>[https://www.publishinghistory.com/home-and-colonial-library-john-murray.html Home and Colonial Library (John Murray) - Book Series List], publishinghistory.com. Retrieved 5 July 2025.</ref> * Journeys and Adventures<ref>[https://seriesofseries.com/journeys-and-adventures/ Journeys and Adventures], seriesofseries.com. Retrieved 4 July 2025.</ref> * The Life and Works of Charlotte Bronte and Her Sisters<ref>["Life and Works of Charlotte Bronte and Her Sisters" + Murray "Life and Works of Charlotte Bronte and Her Sisters" + Murray], worldcat.org. Retrieved 5 July 2025.</ref> - titles in this series also published by * Murray's Family Library<ref>[https://www.publishinghistory.com/murrays-family-library.html Murray's Family Library (John Murray) - Book Series List], publishinghistory.com. Retrieved 4 July 2025.</ref> * Murray's Fiction Library<ref>[https://seriesofseries.com/murrays-fiction-library/ Murray’s Fiction Library], seriesofseries.com. Retrieved 5 July 2025.</ref> * Murray's Handbooks for Travellers<ref>[https://www.publishinghistory.com/murrays-handbooks-for-travellers.html Murray's Handbooks for Travellers (John Murray) - Book Series List], publishinghistory.com. Retrieved 4 July 2025.</ref> * Murray's Library<ref>[https://seriesofseries.com/murrays-library/ Murray's Library], seriesofseries.com. Retrieved 5 July 2025.</ref> * Murray's Reading for the Rail (John Murray)<ref>[https://www.publishinghistory.com/murrays-reading-for-the-rail-john-murray.html Murray's Reading for the Rail - Book Series List for the Rail], publishinghistory.com. Retrieved 4 July 2025.</ref> * Murray's Shilling Library<ref>[https://seriesofseries.com/murrays-shilling-library/ Murray's Shilling Library], seriesofseries.com. Retrieved 5 July 2025.</ref> * Murray's 2/- net Novels * Progressive Science Series<ref>[https://www.publishinghistory.com/progressive-science-series-john-murray.html Progressive Science Series (John Murray) - Book Series List], publishinghistory.com. Retrieved 5 July 2025.</ref> * Science for All - General Science Series<ref>[search.worldcat.org/title/842979275 "Science for All" Series (General Science Series). (General editor: G.H.J. Adlam.)], worldcat.org. Retrieved 5 July 2025.</ref> * University Extension Manuals<ref>[https://search.worldcat.org/search?q=se%3AUniversity%20extension%20manuals se:University extension manuals], worldcat.org. Retrieved 5 July 2025.</ref> * The Wisdom of the East<ref>[https://www.publishinghistory.com/wisdom-of-the-east-john-murray.html Wisdom of the East (John Murray) - Book Series List], publishinghistory.com. Retrieved 5 July 2025.</ref><ref>[https://seriesofseries.com/wisdom-of-the-east-series/ Wisdom of the East Series], seriesofseries.com. Retrieved 5 July 2025.</ref>

== Film adaptations of John Murray titles == * ''Up in the Air'' (2009) – based on the novel by Walter Kirn, starring George Clooney and Anna Kendrick * ''Sarah's Key'' (2010) – based on the novel by Tatiana de Rosnay, starring Kristin Scott Thomas * ''Mr. Pip'' (2012) – based on the novel by Lloyd Jones, starring Hugh Laurie * ''Beasts of No Nation'' (2015) - based on the novel by Uzodinma Iweala, starring Idris Elba * ''A Million Little Pieces'' (2018) - based on the novel by James Frey, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson

== References == {{Reflist}}

== Further reading == * {{cite book |last=Carpenter |first=Humphrey |author-link=Humphrey Carpenter |title=The Seven Lives of John Murray: The Story of a Publishing Dynasty |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zAeKAAAACAAJ |year=2008 |publisher=John Murray |location=London |isbn=978-0-7195-6533-5}} * {{cite book |last=Cutmore |first=Jonathan |title=Contributors to the Quarterly Review: A History 1809–1825 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V4sbAQAAIAAJ |year=2008 |publisher=Pickering and Chatto |location=London |isbn=978-1-85196-952-4}} * Keighren, I. M.; Withers, C. W. J.; Bell, B. (2015). ''Travels into print: exploration, writing, and publishing with John Murray, 1773-1859''. University of Chicago Press. * {{cite book |editor-last=McClay |editor-first=David |title=Dear Mr Murray: Letters to a Gentleman Publisher |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CtsvswEACAAJ |year=2018 |publisher=Hodder & Stoughton |location=London |isbn=978-1-4736-6269-8}} * {{cite book |last=Smiles |first=Samuel |title=A Publisher and His Friends: Memoir and Correspondence of the Late John Murray |url=https://archive.org/details/apublisherandhi01smilgoog |year=1891 |publisher=John Murray |location=London |isbn=1-4068-0582-3}} * {{cite book |last=Zachs |first=William |title=The First John Murray: and the late eighteenth-century London book trade |url=https://archive.org/details/firstjohnmurrayl0000zach |url-access=registration |series=British Academy postdoctoral fellowship monographs |year=1998 |publisher=British Academy/Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=0-19-726191-4}}

== External links == {{Commons category|John Murray Publishers}} * [http://www.johnmurray.co.uk/ Official website] * {{YouTube|user=JohnMurrayBooks|title=John Murray}} * [http://digital.nls.uk/jma/ National Library of Scotland – John Murray archive] (accessed 20 October 2016) * {{Gutenberg author|id=399|name=John Murray III (1808–1892)}} * {{Internet Archive author|sname=John Murray}} * [http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Search/Home?type%5B%5D=author&lookfor%5B%5D=%22John%20Murray%20%28Firm%29%22&page=1&ft=ft Works by John Murray] at HathiTrust * [https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/ Darwin Project], a project to publish all of the correspondence of Charles Darwin, including his correspondence with Murray.

{{Louis Hachette Group}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:John Murray (Publisher)}} Category:1768 establishments in England Category:Archives in Scotland Category:Book publishing companies of the United Kingdom Category:British companies established in 1768 Category:Companies based in the City of Westminster Category:Publishing companies established in the 1760s