ABSTRACT
William Tinsley and Edward Tinsley could look back less than twenty years to the time when they had been living in the gamekeeper’s cottage in South Mimms as farm lads with no more than dreams of seeking their fortunes in London. The cash that Tinsleys were said to have had at their disposal can have been accumulated only in one way. It could have been acquired only by their own efforts in the few years they had been in the publishing business, for neither William nor Edward had any capital nor other regular source of income. Edward’s move was probably as well timed as he could have managed. The Chapman regime had just had its first major revolution when the founder of the business, Edward Chapman, decided to retire after running it for thirty-five years. Edward’s death was certainly a disaster for the business of Tinsley Brothers, if only a temporary one.
