Andrew Millar

Background

Andrew Millar was born in 1705, near Glasgow.

Education

In 1720, at the age of 15, Millar was apprenticed to the London-based Edinburgh bookseller James McEwan.

Career

In January 1728, young Andrew took over the shop, continuing the name, Buchanan’s Head, and starting with the stock that McEwan had had in the shop. His own judgment in literary matters was small, but he collected an excellent staff of literary advisers, and held copyrights to such luminous works as David Hume’s History of England, Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones, and Dr. Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary.

In 1755, Millar published the first edition of the Mitchell Map. He also published the history of Robertson.

Millar was the plaintiff in the 1769 case Millar v Taylor which held that authors and publishers are entitled to a perpetual common law copyright. That decision was ultimately overturned in the landmark 1774 case Donaldson v Beckett, whose unsuccessful plaintiff was Millar's apprentice, Thomas Becket (or Beckett).

Andrew Millar died on June 8, 1768, at his villa at Kew Green, London.

Achievements

• Andrew Millar was a famous bookseller, who owned copyrights on 116 books and one map, and the list of books he sold but did not own copyrights to was extensive indeed.

Connections

On May 4, 1830, Andrew Millar married Jane Johnston, the daughter of a Westminster printseller. The couple had three children, but all died as infants.

Father:

Robert Millar

Mother:

Elizabeth Kelso

Sister:

Elizabeth Millar

Sister:

Anna Millar

Wife:

Jane Johnston

Brother:

John Millar

Brother:

Henry Millar