EDMUND ROUTLEDGE (1843-1899)

Edmund Routledge, second son of George Routledge, the well-known English publisher, was born in London January 30, 1843. He was privately educated and in January, 1859, entered his father's publishing house, although he was but seventeen years of age. In July, 1865, he became a partner in the firm and controlled its production. In the same year he was married to Martha Stephenson. On the first of March, 1866, the house of George Routledge & Sons took over the publication of Beadle's American Library, which had, until that time, been published by the London branch of Beadle & Co., and in July of the same year Routledge's "Handbook of Croquet" appeared. He founded and was editor of The Broadway, one of the first of the sixpenny monthly magazines. He was also editor from the start of Every Boy's Magazine, founded in January, 1862, when he was nineteen years of age. It ran for twenty-eight years until it was finally merged with another boys' magazine in 1889. Routledge made many business trips to America" and was acquainted with most of the Eastern literary men of the times. He was interested in the stage and in later life ran for Parliament three times, but lost. He became a Justice of the Peace for the County of London and was an Alderman of the London County Council for some years. He compiled several handbooks. His "Table-Book and Desk-Companion" is said to have sold 1,500,-000 copies. He also compiled "The Modern Speaker," "Dramatic Readings," and "Every Boy's Book of Sports and Amusements." He died of a heart attack August 25, 1899, at Queen Ann's Mansion, London, leaving five sons and three daughters.

REFERENCES: F. A. Mumby, The House of Routledge, 1834-1934, London, 1924, 98, 136-38; Publishers' Circular and Booksellers' Record, London, LXXI, September 2, 1899, 227; Bookseller, London, January 9, 1889; Illustrated London News, CXV, September 2, 1899, 311, with portrait.

Handbook of Games. Croquet, 1866.