CHARLES

See also:

• CHARLES RIVINGTON (1688-1742)

RIVINGTON (1688-1742)  , British publisher, was born at Chesterfield, Derbyshire, in 1688 . Coming to London as apprentice to a bookseller, he took over in 1711 the publishing business of Richard Chiswell (1639-1711), and, at the sign of the Bible and the Crown in Paternoster Row, he carried on a business almost entirely connected with theological and educational literature . He also published one of Whitefield's earliest works, and brought out an edition of the Imitation of Christ . In 1736 Rivington founded the company of book-sellers who called themselves the " New Conger," in rivalry with the older association, the " Conger," dating from about 1700 . In 1741 he published the first volume of Richardson's Pamela . Charles Rivington died on the 22nd of February 1742, and was succeeded by his two sons, John (172o-1792) and James (1724-1802) . James emigrated to America, and pursued his trade in New York (see NEWSPAPERS, U.S.A.); John carried on the business on the lines marked out by his father, and was the great Church of England publisher of the day . In 176o he was appointed publisher to the Society for Promotin8 Christian Knowledge, and the firm retained the agency for over seventy years . Having admitted his sons Francis (1745-1822) and Charles (1754-1831) into partnership he undertook for the " New Conger " Association the issue of a standard edition of the works of Shakespeare, Milton, Locke and other British classics; also Cruden's Concordance . John Rivington died on the 16th of January 1792 . In 1810 John (1779-1841), the eldest son of Francis, was admitted a partner . In 1827 George (18o1-x858) and Francis (18o5-1885),'sons of Charles Rivington, joined the firm .

Rivington contracted further ties with the High Church party by the publication (1833, &c.) of Tracts for the Times . John Rivington died on the 21st of

November 184', his son, John Rivington (1812-1886) having been admitted a partner in 1836 . George Riving-ton died in 1858; and in 1859 Francis Rivington retired, leaving the conduct of affairs in the hands of John Rivington and his own sons, Francis Hansard (b . 1834) and Septimus (b . 1846) . In 1890 the business was sold to Messrs Longmans (q.v.) . A business of the same character was, however, carried on from 1889 to 1893 by Mr Septimus Rivington and Mr John Guthrie Percival, as Percival & Co . This was changed in 1893 to Rivington, Percival & Co.; and in 1897 the firm revived its earlier title of Rivington & Co., maintaining its reputation for educational works and its connexion with the Moderate and High Church party . See The House of Rivington, by Septimus Rivington (1894); also the Publishers' Circular (15th January 1885, 2nd June 189o) .