Publishers
W. & R. Chambers was founded by two brothers; the sons of James Chambers, a commission agent in the weaving trade, and afterwards a draper.
From his memoir, William recalls:
I was born in this little old burgh 1800-04-06; and Robert, coming next in order in the family, was born 1802-07-10.[C1.1-5] My earliest recollections bring before me a neat small mansion, fronting to the Eddleston Water; a tastefully furnished sitting-room, containing a concealed bed, one or two other little rooms, and a kitchen; a ground-floor full of looms, and a garret {attic room} full of webs and weft. {strings and yarn for weaving}[C1.1-9]
During the course of the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815), a group of 111 prisoners of war were sent to Peebles. Whilst the arrival of the prisoners provided an earning opportunity for the entreprising brothers (they sold rabbits to the prisoners for 8d each), it later caused difficulties for their father who had opened a drapers shop offering credit to the prisoners. When peace finally came and the men were repatriated, they left owing him a considerable sum of money. Coupled with the advent of steam looms in the manufacture of cotton, the business didn’t survive and the family left Peebles, moving to Edinburgh.
In 1818, aged just sixteen, Robert opened a bookstall on Leith Walk, specialising in second-hand books. His stock consisted of the family book collection together with his own schoolbooks. Shortly afterwards, William also opened a bookshop nearby. They later acquired a small printing press and turned their hand to publishing.
William had a circulating library at Giles’ Buildings in Leith Walk by 1819 which he moved to 23 Broughton Street in 1823.
By 1821, Robert had his own shop and circulating library at Ronaldson’s Buildings at 32 Leith Walk. He later opened a circulating library at 48 Hanover Street in 1827.
In 1831, William and Robert set up the publishing firm of W. & R. Chambers with the aim of providing affordable reading material that was entertaining as well as educational. Their weekly publication, Chambers’s Edinburgh Journal, was launched in 1832 and ran until 1956.
References:
[C1.1] CHAMBERS, William, Memoir of William and Robert Chambers,(W. & R, Chambers Ltd, Edinburgh & London, 1893)