Macmillan celebrates 175 years of publishing

​​​​​​​“If a large tree grows from this small seed we shall be grateful...” – Daniel Macmillan, London, 1843

When brothers Daniel and Alexander Macmillan founded their publishing company in 1843, they created a place that would recognise and value great contemporary writing. They soon made their mark on the literary world, publishing a range of works by extraordinary authors: Lewis Carroll, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Thomas Hardy and Rudyard Kipling to name but a few.

Both brothers had fiercely curious minds, and from the very start they brought together great thinkers from a wide range of fields to discuss new ideas – character traits which Macmillan companies continue to embody today. ‘Open to all and sundry’, Alexander Macmillan’s gatherings in the company’s offices during the 19th century  saw the great minds of the age – including writers, scientists, artists, poets and philosophers – come together to share knowledge. These fruitful discussions led to many new friendships and innovations, including the foundation of Nature in 1869.

175 years later, we are building on the Macmillan brothers’ commitment to learning and innovation and celebrating the progress that has been made in academic research globally thanks to their vision. Their love of learning, reading and discovery is as relevant today as it was in the 19th century and we are proud to continue their work as we offer authors and readers the very best in academic content whilst supporting the community with innovative new formats and tools.