Does the name Oxford University Press ring a bell? It should. It’s a story of scholarly ambition, a printing revolution, and a dash of controversy. Oxford University Press or OUP is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It stands as the largest university press globally. Its roots go way back. The first book emerged from an Oxford press in 1478. The Press secured its legal right to print in 1586.
Let’s step back in time. Imagine Oxford in the late 15th century. Printing was a newfangled invention. Oxford embraced it early. By the 16th century, the university was deeply involved in printing. It became a major force in producing Bibles, prayer books, and scholarly works.
Fast forward to the 17th century. Archbishop William Laud played a pivotal role. He fortified the university’s printing rights. He secured royal grants from Charles I. These grants empowered Oxford to compete with established printers. The Great Charter of 1636 granted Oxford the right to print all manner of books. Laud also obtained the privilege of printing the King James Bible. This privilege proved lucrative for over 250 years.
After the English Civil War, John Fell took charge. He installed printing presses in 1668. It became the university’s first central print shop. In 1674, OUP launched the Oxford Almanack. This broadsheet calendar was produced annually from 1674 to 2019.
The 18th century saw a lull in expansion. William Blackstone intervened. He pushed for reforms. These reforms defined the Delegates’ powers. They also improved the print shop’s efficiency. By 1760, the university adopted Blackstone’s reforms.
In 1825, the Delegates purchased land on Walton Street. Buildings were erected. The press moved there in 1830. This site remains OUP’s main office today. It is located at the corner of Walton Street and Great Clarendon Street.
The 19th century brought significant change. Thomas Combe joined the press in 1830. He became the university’s Printer. He missed the potential of India paper. Yet, he profited from his shares and a paper mill acquisition. The flawed first edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was printed here in 1865.
Bartholomew Price became Secretary in 1868. He modernized the press. New lines of work began. In 1875, the Sacred Books of the East series was approved.
Price also moved OUP towards publishing in its own right. By 1880, Henry Frowde was named Publisher to the university. Frowde expanded OUP’s business. He helped establish OUP’s first overseas office in New York City in 1896.
By 1884, the university fully owned the press. OUP possessed its own paper mill, print shop, bindery, and warehouse. Its output grew to include school books and scholarly texts. James Clerk Maxwell’s work was one of them. In 1879, OUP took on the Oxford English Dictionary project.
The Dictionary project was a massive undertaking. It began appearing in print in 1884. The first edition wasn’t completed until 1928. It cost around £375,000.
In the early 20th century, OUP expanded overseas. By 1928, its imprint spanned London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and more. Not all were full branches. India had imposing establishments in Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta.
In 1923, OUP created a Music Department. It bought an Anglo-French Music Company. By 1939, the Music Department showed its first profit.
The Great Depression impacted profits. India became a bright spot. In 1927–1934, Geoffrey Cumberlege reorganized OUP New York. He returned it to profitability.
After World War II, OUP consolidated. In the 1960s, OUP Southern Africa began publishing local authors.
Today, OUP remains a global force. Its North American branch is a distribution center. OUP USA has published Pulitzer Prize-winning books. In 2021, Oxuniprint, its printing division, closed.
The Oxford University Press Museum is on Great Clarendon Street. It showcases the OUP buildings. It also shows the printing history of the Oxford Almanack and the Oxford English Dictionary.
Originally known as the Clarendon Press, OUP moved to its current site in 1830. Today, Clarendon Press is an imprint for Oxford publications of academic importance.
Oxford University Press has evolved. It started from humble beginnings. It has grown into a global publishing powerhouse. It has shaped scholarship and education for centuries.