Uriah Maggs
Encyclopedia
Uriah Maggs founder in 1853 of Maggs Bros Ltd
, the longest-established antiquarian booksellers in the world.
He was born in Midsomer Norton
in Somerset
. In about 1850, he and his father left to start a new life in London. After several failed business ventures he took up bookselling, founding Maggs Bros Ltd
. He traded first from his own home, but later opened his first bookshop in 1855 at 44 Westbourne Terrace North, Paddington. He also ran a circulating library and hired out newspapers. From Westbourne Terrace North the business was moved after several years to Church Street, Paddington Green, a site now occupied by the Children's Hospital.
At the end of 1894 Uriah Maggs retired, leaving the business in the hands of his two elder sons, Benjamin and Henry. He died in 1913.
The shop moved premises to 50 Berkeley Square in London in 1938, where it is still based and run by the Maggs family.
Maggs Bros Ltd
Maggs Bros Ltd is one of the longest-established antiquarian booksellers in the world, established in 1853 by Uriah Maggs, born c.1828 in Midsomer Norton, Somerset. All four of Uriah’s sons eventually joined the business, taking over on his retirement in 1894....
, the longest-established antiquarian booksellers in the world.
He was born in Midsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton is a town near the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England, south-west of Bath, north-east of Wells, north-west of Frome, and south-east of Bristol. It has a population of 10,458. Along with Radstock and Westfield it used to be part of the conurbation and large civil parish of Norton...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. In about 1850, he and his father left to start a new life in London. After several failed business ventures he took up bookselling, founding Maggs Bros Ltd
Maggs Bros Ltd
Maggs Bros Ltd is one of the longest-established antiquarian booksellers in the world, established in 1853 by Uriah Maggs, born c.1828 in Midsomer Norton, Somerset. All four of Uriah’s sons eventually joined the business, taking over on his retirement in 1894....
. He traded first from his own home, but later opened his first bookshop in 1855 at 44 Westbourne Terrace North, Paddington. He also ran a circulating library and hired out newspapers. From Westbourne Terrace North the business was moved after several years to Church Street, Paddington Green, a site now occupied by the Children's Hospital.
At the end of 1894 Uriah Maggs retired, leaving the business in the hands of his two elder sons, Benjamin and Henry. He died in 1913.
The shop moved premises to 50 Berkeley Square in London in 1938, where it is still based and run by the Maggs family.