Charles Boon (9 May 1877 – 2 December 1943) was a
publisher
Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...
who, along with
Gerald Rusgrove Mills, founded the publishing company
Mills & Boon
Mills & Boon is a romance imprint of British publisher Harlequin UK Ltd. It was founded in 1908 by Gerald Rusgrove Mills and Charles Boon as a general publisher. The company moved towards escapist fiction for women in the 1930s. In 1971, the ...
in 1908.
Early life
Charles Boon was born on 9 May 1877 in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
as the eldest of the six children of his father Charles Boon, who was a brewer's servant. Since his parents were poor, Charles Boon had a deprived childhood. His father died when Boon was only 12 years old, and Boon had to leave school and take up odd jobs to support his family. During this period, he also worked in a bookshop and a
circulating library, which gave him insights into the sales and distribution of books. In 1893 Boon joined
Methuen & Co., a publishing firm in London, as an office boy and warehouse clerk. Eventually he rose to become the general manager of the firm. While at Methuen & Co., Boon met Gerald Mills, who was also working in the same firm.
Publishing
Gerald Mills and Charles Boon joined hands in 1908 to establish their own publishing house ''
Mills & Boon
Mills & Boon is a romance imprint of British publisher Harlequin UK Ltd. It was founded in 1908 by Gerald Rusgrove Mills and Charles Boon as a general publisher. The company moved towards escapist fiction for women in the 1930s. In 1971, the ...
'' with an initial investment of £1000. The company was planned as a diversified
publisher
Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...
, publishing both
fiction and nonfiction works. It was a profitable business. However, after the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the company's fortunes declined due to intense competition from established bigger publishing houses. Gerald Mills, Boon's partner in business, died in 1928 giving a devastating blow to Mills & Boon. However, in 1930, Boon reshaped his company and made it into what it is known for today, a publishing house publishing only
romantic fiction
A romance novel or romantic novel generally refers to a type of genre fiction novel which places its primary focus on the relationship and Romance (love), romantic love between two people, and usually has an "emotionally satisfying and optimis ...
.
Personal life and death
Boon married Mary Alice Cowpe in 1911. They had four children. Boon died aged 66 on 2 December 1943 from a
cerebral haemorrhage.
References
Further reading
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Boon, Charles
1877 births
1943 deaths
Publishers (people) from London