Boydell & Brewer Ltd celebrated its fortieth anniversary in October 2009. From very modest beginnings in 1969, the company has established itself as a leading independent academic publisher in a wide range of fields, working closely with members of the academic community. Of the six major imprints within the group, three (D.S. Brewer, Tamesis, Camden House) were founded by academics themselves, one was started in conjunction with a university (University of Rochester Press) and the last two were created by publishers with strong academic interests (Boydell Press, James Currey).
Over the years, we have published some very large projects which university presses have been reluctant to handle, such as the Parliament Rolls of Medieval England, and have specialised in monographs and major series in medieval history and literature.
Anniversaries are a moment to look forwards as well as back. The list continues to develop; African studies and music are the two most recent major additions to our range of subjects, and over the years we have succeeding in responding to the changing requirements of the marketplace and the academic community. We began when letterpress was the standard printing method, from hot metal type, and now use the latest computer technology and digital printing while maintaining our standards. We have built expertise in the editorial excellence which is vital to the company.The company is privately owned, and in keeping with our tradition of innovation, it is gradually being transferred to the ownership of the employees through a trust programme.
