Sir Allen Lane
(1902-1970), Founder of Penguin BooksSitter in 30 portraits
Born in Bristol, Lane joined Bodley Head publishing in 1919 and took the surname of its founder, his uncle. He became chairman in 1930 and was instrumental in the publishing of Joyce's Ulysses (1936). In 1935 Lane co-founded Penguin Books Ltd to produce good quality fiction paperbacks priced at just sixpence. By March 1936 over one million 'Penguins' were in print and in 1937 launched the non-fiction 'Pelicans'. Children's books were printed in the 1940s as 'Puffins', and the Odyssey was the first of the 'Penguin Classics' in 1945. In 1960 Penguin controversially published Lady Chatterley's Lover, the trial and publicity of which caused record sales and Penguin has continued to thrive.
by John Gay
2 1/4 inch square film negative, published November 1947
NPG x127765
by Yevonde
solarised print on grey card mount, 1961
NPG x34034
by Baron Studios
5 x 4 inch film negative, 11 May 1961
NPG x125607
by Howard Coster
print
NPG x1955
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