ABSTRACT

This chapter explores the history, growth and development of the British colonial book trade from the eighteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. It analyzes the complex distribution network which existed between metropolitan publishers, metropolitan publishing agents, colonial booksellers, colonial subscription libraries, wholesalers and shipping companies. This chapter assesses the impact technological advances had upon the British publishing industry and the colonial book trade. It also measures the extent to which the Net Book Agreement acted as a stabilizing force upon the British publishing industry. This chapter concludes with an assessment of how primary and secondary education in the British colonies under study gave rise to the indigenous elite.