Odhams Press

{{Short description|Former British publishing company}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2015}} {{Use British English|date=February 2015}} {{Infobox publisher | name = Odhams Press Ltd | successor = | image = Odhams Press Hall Watford.jpg | caption = Odhams Press Hall, [[Watford]], built 1954 | founded = 1870s (as William Odhams)<br />1920 (as Odhams Press) | status = defunct (1969) | founders = William Odhams | headquarters = 64 [[Long Acre]], London | country = United Kingdom | keypeople = John Lynch Odhams, William James Baird Odhams, [[Julius Elias, 1st Viscount Southwood]], [[Edwin Embleton]], Alf Wallace, Pippa King Melling<ref name=Murray>Murray, Chris. "Mergers and Marvels (1962–1980)," ''The British Superhero'' (Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2017), p. 173.</ref> | parent = [[Fleetway Publications]] (1961–1963)<br >[[IPC Magazines]] (1963–1969) | publications = magazines, books, comics | topics = history, lifestyle, fashion, animals | genre = humour, adventure, superhero | imprints = Odhams Books Ltd<br />Longacre Press<br />[[Power Comics]] (1966–1968) | url = }} '''Odhams Press Ltd''' was a British publishing company, operating from 1920 to 1968. Originally a magazine publisher, Odhams later expanded into book publishing and then children's comics. The company was acquired by [[Fleetway Publications]] in 1961 and then [[IPC Magazines]] in 1963. In its final incarnation, Odhams was known for its [[Power Comics]] line of titles, notable for publishing reprints of American [[Marvel Comics]] superheroes.

==History== ===William Odhams; Odhams Bros. === In 1834 William Odhams left [[Sherborne]], [[Dorset]], for London,{{efn|According to Susan M. Penn's history of Long Street at [[Sherborne]], [[Dorset]],{{citation needed|date=July 2021}} as verified by Harrop's historical house survey and by local census information, the house known since 1968 as Mistletoe Cottage was occupied in 1834 by John Odhams. His eldest son, William, grew up to be a compositor: possibly serving his apprenticeship with Langdon and Harker at the ''[[Sherborne Mercury]]'' printing office in Long Street, according to his great-granddaughter,{{citation needed|date=July 2021}} although there is no other evidence to support this. At the rear of Mistletoe Cottage, however, is a substantial brick-built shed. The flat flooring of this shed is very solid, complete with thick oak planking, well able to support and withstand heavy items of machinery such as a printing press. Earthworks next to the shed in or around 2002 revealed evidence of many-colored printing inks still visible in the soil.{{citation needed|date=February 2021}} }} where he initially worked for ''[[The Morning Post]]''. In 1847, he went into partnership with William Biggar in Beaufort Buildings, [[Precinct of the Savoy|Savoy]], London; and in the 1870s he started the business known as '''William Odhams'''. Originally a [[jobbing press|jobbing printer]] and [[newspaper]] publisher, William Odhams sold the business to his two sons, John Lynch Odhams and William James Baird Odhams, in 1892. The business, then a small printing firm in Hart Street employing about 20 people, became known as '''Odhams Bros.'''

=== Magazine and book publishing === '''Odhams Limited''' was created in 1898. [[Julius Elias, 1st Viscount Southwood|Julius Elias]], who left school at the age of 13 before going to work as an office boy at Odhams Bros, worked his way up to become managing director and eventually chairman of the firm, which after a merger with ''[[John Bull (magazine)|John Bull]]'' in 1920 took the name '''Odhams Press Ltd'''. That same year, the company also founded ''[[Ideal Home]]'' and acquired the equestrian magazine ''[[Horse & Hound]]''.

On 28 January 1918 the Long Acre print works was hit by a bomb during a German air raid. There were 38 killed and 90 injured; it was the most damaging single bomb strike in the German bombing campaign.<ref>Cross, Roy ''A Bomber Aircraft Pocketbook'' London 1964 pp22-3</ref>

Odhams acquired a 51% share in the [[Trades Union Congress]] paper the ''[[Daily Herald (United Kingdom)|Daily Herald]]'' in 1930 (by that point, Odhams was already publishing ''[[The Sunday People]]''). A promotion campaign ensued, and in 1933, the ''Herald'' became the world's best-selling daily newspaper, with certified net sales of 2 million. This accomplishment set off a war with more conservative London papers, such as the ''[[Daily Express]]''.

By 1937 Odhams had founded the first colour weekly, ''[[Woman (UK magazine)|Woman]]'', for which it set up and operated a dedicated high-speed print works. Odhams also expanded into book publishing, for example publishing [[Winston Churchill]]'s ''Painting as a Pastime'' (1965), [[Rupert Gunnis]]'s ''[[Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660–1851]]'' (1953), and an edition of the complete works of [[William Shakespeare]].

In the 1950s, Odhams was one of London's three leading magazine publishers – along with [[George Newnes Ltd|Newnes]]/[[C. Arthur Pearson Ltd|Pearson]] and the [[Hulton Press]].

Throughout the 1960s, '''Odhams Books Ltd''' (likewise founded by Odhams Press) operated the Companion Book Club (CBC). This published a large series of hardcover novels.

=== Children's comics and acquisition by Fleetway/IPC === Odhams published ''[[Mickey Mouse Weekly]]'' from the 1930s (acquiring it from [[Willbank Publications]]), which featured American reprints as well as original British [[Disney comics]] material, including a number of non-Disney-related strips. Odhams lost the rights to Disney characters in 1957, and almost immediately launched the weekly comic ''Zip'', which inherited the non-Disney strips from ''Mickey Mouse Weekly''.

In 1959, Odhams purchased [[George Newnes Ltd]]<ref>''[[The Times]]'' (19 June 1959).</ref><ref name=gracesguide>[https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/George_Newnes_Co "George Newnes Co,"] ''Grace's Guide to British Industrial History''. Retrieved 1 Apr. 2021.</ref><ref>[http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/o/odhams.htm "Odhams Press,"] International Catalogue of Super-Heroes. Retrieved 3 Mar. 2021.</ref> as well as its imprint [[C. Arthur Pearson Ltd]]. Notable comics titles originally published by Pearson and continued by Odhams included the [[romance comics]] ''Mirabelle'' and ''Marty'', and the ''Picture Stories'' and ''Picture Library'' series.

In 1959–1960, Odhams acquired [[Hulton Press]], renaming it [[Longacre Press (UK)|Longacre Press]],{{efn|Odhams' headquarters were at 64 [[Long Acre]], London, inspiring the new name.}}<ref name="Tatarskypintroduction">{{Citation | last = Tatarsky | first = Daniel | title = Eagle Annual: The Best of the 1960s Comic | publisher = Orion | location = London | year = 2009 | isbn = 978-0-7528-8895-8|pages=introduction}}.</ref> thus taking over publication of the children's comics ''[[Eagle (British comics)|Eagle]]'',<ref name="Tribute">{{Citation | title = A Tribute to Frank Hampson 1918–1985 | url = http://www.tameside.gov.uk/blueplaque/frankhampson | publisher = tameside.gov.uk | date = 12 September 2007 | access-date = 24 June 2010}}</ref> ''[[Girl (UK comics)|Girl]]'', ''[[Swift (comic)|Swift]]'',<ref name=ODNB>{{cite ODNB|last=Seymour-Ure|first=Colin | author-link = Colin Seymour-Ure |title=Hulton, Sir Edward George Warris (1906–1988), ''magazine publisher and writer''|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/printable/40161|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/40161|access-date=24 August 2013|year=2004}}</ref> and ''[[Robin (magazine)|Robin]]''.

In 1960 [[Cecil Harmsworth King]], chairman of the ''[[Daily Mirror]]'' newspaper, made an approach to Odhams on behalf of [[Fleetway Publications]] (formerly the [[Amalgamated Press]]). Odhams' board found this too attractive to refuse and, in 1961, Odhams was taken over by Fleetway.<ref name="Birch">Birch, Paul. [http://blogs.birminghammail.net/speechballoon/2008/12/speaking-frankly.html "Speaking Frankly,"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720075859/http://blogs.birminghammail.net/speechballoon/2008/12/speaking-frankly.html |date=20 July 2011 }} ''Birmingham Mail'' (14 December 2008).</ref> In 1963 its holdings were amalgamated with those of Fleetway and others to form the [[International Publishing Corporation]] (known as IPC). Between 1964 and 1968 Odhams operated as a subsidiary of IPC.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

Odhams' "juveniles" (i.e., children's comics) competed for readers with [[DC Thomson]], publisher of such popular titles as ''[[The Beano]]'', ''[[The Dandy]]'', and ''[[Commando (comics)|Commando]]''. Alf Wallace, who had found success at Fleetway with his line of ''[[War Picture Library]]'' comics, was brought over to oversee Odhams' comics line. He was, however, unable to reverse the declining popularity of ''Eagle'' and ''Swift'', or succeed with ''[[Boys' World]]'', launched in 1963.<ref name=BCW>Coates, Alan and David. "Smash!" ''British Comic World'' #3 (A. & D. Coates, June 1984).</ref> In fact, by early 1964, ''Swift'' and ''Boys' World'' had both been absorbed by ''Eagle'', which, along with ''Girl'', was then taken over by IPC.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

In desperation, Wallace recruited veteran cartoonist [[Leo Baxendale]], who had worked for DC Thomson for many years, to create a new, energetic comics weekly.<ref name=BCW /> Baxendale's ''Wham!'' debuted on 20 June 1964, breaking the mould of traditional British humour strips with its use of bizarre humour, outrageous puns, and surreal plots. With the success of ''[[Wham! (comics)|Wham!]]'', the next title in the new line, ''[[Smash! (comics)|Smash!]]'', debuted on 5 February 1966. With Odhams acquiring the [[Marvel Comics]] license in early 1966, [[The Hulk]] became the first Marvel superhero to show up in an Odhams title when he debuted in ''Smash!'' #16 (21 May 1966). The popularity of that strip led to ''Wham!'' adding [[Fantastic Four]] reprints beginning 6 August 1966. In late 1966, with two Odhams' titles featuring superheroes (and the third, ''[[Pow! (comics)|Pow!]]'', on the way), the [[Power Comics]] line was created. The line, which also came to include ''[[Fantastic (comics)|Fantastic]]'' and ''[[Terrific (comics)|Terrific]]'', was notable for its use of [[superhero]] material reprinted from Marvel, serving as an introduction of this new breed of American superheroes to UK readers.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

===Close of business=== In 1968 Odhams encountered financial problems, partly due to unfavourable economic conditions in Britain.<ref>Collins, Robert M. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/2170396 "The Economic Crisis of 1968 and the Waning of the 'American Century,'"] ''The American Historical Review'' Vol. 101, No. 2 (Apr., 1996), pp. 396-422.</ref><ref>Martin, Patrick. [http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/dec2005/mccar-d30.shtml "Eugene McCarthy, dead at 89, played pivotal role in 1968 political crisis,"] World Socialist Web Site (30 December 2005).</ref> As a result of this, and of IPC's desire to rationalise its titles and eliminate duplication, the comics published by the Odhams Press imprint were closed or transferred to [[IPC Magazines|IPC Magazines Ltd]], another IPC subsidiary. This contained the losses on the Power Comics range within Odhams, which was a limited company with separate liability, but, in consequence, Odhams became financially unviable. On 1 January 1969 it effectively ceased to exist as a publishing business, when publication of its last surviving comics title, ''[[Smash! (comics)|Smash!]]'', was taken over by IPC.{{efn|Alf Wallace, now out of a job with Odhams, quickly joined the [[comics packager]] [[Martspress]], started by a former colleague at Fleetway, [[Leonard Matthews]].<ref name="obit">George Beal, [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-leonard-matthews-1286894.html Obituary: Leonard Matthews], ''[[The Independent]]'', 5 December 1997</ref> Martspress took on the production of the 1969 relaunch of [[City Magazines]]' ''[[TV21 (magazine)|TV21]]'';<ref name=StringerTV21Joe90>Stringer, Lew. [http://lewstringer.blogspot.com/2007/11/flashback-1969-tv21-joe-90-no1.html "Flashback 1969: TV21 & Joe 90 No. 1,"] ''Blimey! The Blog of British Comics!'' (25 November 2007).</ref> that title, which also ended up being acquired by [[IPC Magazines|IPC]], ended up using Marvel Comics reprint material in 1970–1971.}} (In 1971, ''Smash!'' merged with the IPC title ''[[Valiant (comics)|Valiant]]''.)

==Watford Press Hall== [[File:Municipio Stoccolma.jpg|thumb|Odhams Press Hall in Watford was modelled on the design of [[Stockholm City Hall]] ([[Ragnar Östberg]], 1923)]] Odhams printworks was built in 1937 in [[Watford]], designed by [[Owen Williams (engineer)|Sir Owen Williams]]. The new Odhams Press Hall was built 1954-57 as an extension to the existing printworks building, designed by Yates, Cook and Derbyshire. The large brick and concrete building was modelled on the design of [[Stockholm City Hall]] in Sweden, and its high [[clock tower]] is a prominent landmark in [[North Watford]]. The building is now [[listed building|locally listed building]] by [[Watford Borough Council]] because of the innovative [[clock tower]], which houses a water tank for use in printing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.watford.gov.uk/ccm/cms-service/download/asset/?asset_id=22164004 |title=Locally Listed Buildings in Watford |publisher=Watford Borough Council |date=2010-12-13 |access-date=2013-05-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929184758/http://www.watford.gov.uk/ccm/cms-service/download/asset/?asset_id=22164004 |archive-date=29 September 2013 }}</ref><ref name="rabbitts">{{cite book |last1=Rabbitts |first1=Paul |last2=Jeffree |first2=Peter |title=Watford in 50 Buildings |date=15 September 2019 |publisher=Amberley Publishing Limited |isbn=978-1-4456-9013-1 |pages=130-135 |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Watford_in_50_Buildings/ic6vDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=owen%20williams%20odhams%20press&pg=PT130&printsec=frontcover |language=en |chapter=45. Former Odhams Press Hall}}</ref><ref name="reach-history">{{cite web |title=Our History |url=https://reachprintingservices.co.uk/our-history/ |website=reachprintingservices.co.uk |publisher=Reach Printing Services |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251210000303/https://reachprintingservices.co.uk/our-history/ |archive-date=10 December 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The Odhams printworks in Watford continued printing operations under IPC (later Trinity Mirror). In February 2026, the site's owners [[Reach plc]] announced that the Watford site would close, with print operations being outsouced to the Newsprinters facility in [[Broxbourne]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bennett |first1=Robyn |title=News giant announces closure of iconic Watford print site |url=https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/25842712.watfords-reach-print-site-close-69-jobs-axed/ |website=Watford Observer |access-date=10 February 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260210181419/https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/25842712.watfords-reach-print-site-close-69-jobs-axed/ |archive-date=10 February 2026 |language=en |date=10 February 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Publications== === Newspapers === * ''[[Daily Herald (United Kingdom)|Daily Herald]]'' (1930–1964) * ''[[The Sunday People]]'' (circa 1920–circa 1963) * ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]'' (1964–1969)

=== Magazines === * ''[[Geographical (magazine)|Geographical]]'' (1965–1968) * ''[[Horse & Hound]]'' (from 1920) * ''[[Ideal Home]]'' (founded 1920) * ''[[John Bull (magazine)|John Bull]]'' (1920–1964) * ''[[Kinematograph Weekly]]'' * ''[[Leader Magazine]]'' * ''[[News Review]]'' ({{circa}} 1940–1950) — merged into ''Illustrated'' magazine * ''[[NME]]'' (1962–1968) * ''[[The Passing Show (magazine)|The Passing Show]]'' (1915-1939) * ''[[Picturegoer]]'' (from 1921) * ''[[Rugby World]]'' (from 1960) * ''The Motion Picture Studio'' (founded 1921)<ref name="MPS">{{cite magazine |title= Printed and Published by ODHAMS PRESS Ltd. Long Acre, W.C.2—May 13, 1922 |date= 13 May 1922 |magazine= The Motion Picture Studio |location= London, UK |publisher= Odhams Press |volume= 1 |issue= 49 |page= 20 |access-date= 30 June 2023 |url= https://archive.org/details/motionpicturestu01unse/page/20/mode/2up?view=theater |via= [[Internet Archive]] }}</ref> * ''[[Woman (UK magazine)|Woman]]'' (from 1937)

===Book series=== {{columns-list|colwidth=25em| * Beacon Books<ref>[https://www.publishinghistory.com/beacon-books-odhams-press.html Beacon Books (Odhams Press) - Book Series List], publishinghistory.com. Retrieved 23 January 2020.</ref> * Britain Illustrated * Colourama Series (also known as: Colourama: A Pictorial Treasury of Knowledge)<ref>[https://search.worldcat.org/search?q=colourama+odhams Colourama + Odhams], worldcat.org. Retrieved 29 January 2024.</ref> * Companion Book Club editions * Exploring Series * Famous Criminal Trials * Hippo Books<ref>[https://www.publishinghistory.com/hippo-books-odhams-hamlyn.html Hippo Books / New Hippo Books (Odhams; then Hamlyn) - Book Series List], publishinghistory.com. Retrieved 23 January 2020.</ref><ref>[http://www.collectingbooksandmagazines.com/dumpy.html DUMPY and other pocket-sized books], collectingbooksandmagazines.com. Retrieved 23 January 2020.</ref> * Man's Book Series * Modern Living Series * New Educational Library * Odhams Owner-Driver Handbooks * The People's Home Library * Popular Library * University Series * The War in Pictures }}

=== Comics titles === {|class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Title !! Odhams' pub. dates !! Fate !! Notes |- | ''[[Mickey Mouse Weekly]]'' || 1936–1957 || Cancelled || Odhams lost rights to Disney characters in 1957 |- | ''Zip''<ref>{{gcdb series|id= 80364 |title=Swift}}</ref> || 1958–1959 || Merged into ''Swift'' || Contained many strip originally from ''Mickey Mouse Weekly'' |- | ''[[Eagle (British comics)|Eagle]]'' || 1960–1963 || Taken over and continued by IPC || Originally launched by Hulton Press in 1950; merged into ''Lion'' in 1969 |- | ''[[Girl (UK comics)|Girl]]'' || 1960–1964 || Merged into IPC's ''[[Princess (comics)|Princess]]'' || Originally launched in 1951 by Hulton Press |- | ''[[Robin (magazine)|Robin]]''<ref>{{gcdb series|id= 7804 |title=Robin}}</ref> || 1960–1963 || Taken over and continued by IPC || Originally launched by Amalgamated Press in 1953; merged into IPC's ''[[Playhour]]'' in 1969 |- | ''[[Swift (comic)|Swift]]'' || 1960–1963 || Merged into ''Eagle'' || Originally launched by Hulton Press in 1954 as a junior companion to ''Eagle'' |- | ''[[Boys' World]]'' || 1963–1964 || Merged into ''Eagle'' || Published under the Longacre Press imprint |- |''[[Wham! (comics)|Wham!]]'' || 1964–1968 || Merged into ''[[Pow! (comics)|Pow!]]'' || |- | ''[[Smash! (comics)|Smash!]]'' || 1966–1969 || Taken over by IPC || Absorbed ''Pow! and Wham!'' and then ''Fantastic and Terrific'' in 1968; merged into ''[[Valiant (comics)|Valiant]]'' in 1971 |- | ''[[Pow! (comics)|Pow!]]'' || 1967–1968 || Merged into ''[[Smash! (comics)|Smash!]]'' || |- | ''[[Fantastic (comics)|Fantastic]]'' || 1967–1968 || Merged into ''[[Smash! (comics)|Smash!]]'' || |- | ''[[Terrific (comics)|Terrific]]'' || 1967–1968 || Merged into ''[[Fantastic (comics)|Fantastic]]'' || |}

== See also == * [[Morgan v Odhams Press Ltd]]

==References== === Notes === {{Notelist}}

=== Citations === {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.ipcmedia.com The IPC Media website] * Howard Cox and Simon Mowatt, [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927003311/http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/cibs/pdf/27-02.pdf "Technology and Industrial Change: The Shift from Production to Knowledge-Based Business in the Magazine Print Publishing Industry"], paper presented to the 2001 Association of Business Historians Conference, 2001 (Research Papers in International Business no. 27).

[[Category:Odhams Press| ]] [[Category:1870s establishments in England]] [[Category:1920 establishments in England]] [[Category:1969 disestablishments in England]] [[Category:1961 mergers and acquisitions]] [[Category:Publishing companies established in the 1870s]] [[Category:British companies disestablished in 1969]] [[Category:Fleetway and IPC Comics]] [[Category:Publishing companies established in 1920]] [[Category:Publishing companies disestablished in 1969]] [[Category:Book publishing companies based in London]] [[Category:Disney comics publishers]]