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Eason & Son: a History
For nearly two centuries, Eason's and their predecessor companies have been the main supplier in Ireland, north and south, of those key sources of social and political information, books, newspapers and magazines.
Founded as Johnston & Company in 1819, taken over by W. H. Smith in 1850, the first Eason was appointed by W. H. Smith as his Manager in Dublin in 1856. Dublin had been the first W. H. Smith branch outside London, and Eason in turn opened their branch in Belfast in 1868. Charles Eason and his son acquired the business from Smith in historic circumstances in 1886 in the heady clays of Parnell and the Land League. In a distinctive way, the company responded to the nineteenth-century ^evolution in literacy and transport, when the strength of the firm lay in the railway bookstalls, but both then and in the present century, all their merchandise, the printed word in all its forms, books, stationery and writing requisites for the home and school, postcards, Catholic prayerbooks and even advertising space, depended on a newly literate public.
Professor Cullen's magisterial research and study of the social and economic environment of this unique Irish institution covers the whole period from the beginning of the nineteenth century until recent times, and the effect of political, economic and social change on the fortunes of the firm. Among special themes he explores the development of the railway network on the expansion of the market, the relations between employer and the employees (among shorn the young Sean O'Casey made a brief appearance) and the impact of censorship by Church and State, both before and after Irish independence.
Founded as Johnston & Company in 1819, taken over by W. H. Smith in 1850, the first Eason was appointed by W. H. Smith as his Manager in Dublin in 1856. Dublin had been the first W. H. Smith branch outside London, and Eason in turn opened their branch in Belfast in 1868. Charles Eason and his son acquired the business from Smith in historic circumstances in 1886 in the heady clays of Parnell and the Land League. In a distinctive way, the company responded to the nineteenth-century ^evolution in literacy and transport, when the strength of the firm lay in the railway bookstalls, but both then and in the present century, all their merchandise, the printed word in all its forms, books, stationery and writing requisites for the home and school, postcards, Catholic prayerbooks and even advertising space, depended on a newly literate public.
Professor Cullen's magisterial research and study of the social and economic environment of this unique Irish institution covers the whole period from the beginning of the nineteenth century until recent times, and the effect of political, economic and social change on the fortunes of the firm. Among special themes he explores the development of the railway network on the expansion of the market, the relations between employer and the employees (among shorn the young Sean O'Casey made a brief appearance) and the impact of censorship by Church and State, both before and after Irish independence.
426 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1989
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November 22, 2019
Okay, so to be perfectly honest, this was somewhat dry in tone but I cannot hold that against it. This is a huge book and Cullen covers all you would ever need to know about the history of Eason. HIs tone is one of patience and he does explain all as he goes along although I think I still got lost in some of the financial and numbers information. My fault, not Cullens. It's an absorbing read all the same and I read it in a couple of sittings.
Displaying 1 of 1 review