James Fullarton Muirhead (1853-1934) was a Scottish editor and writer of travel guides, associated with the

Baedeker Verlag Karl Baedeker, founded by Karl Baedeker on July 1, 1827, is a German publisher and pioneer in the business of worldwide travel guides. The guides, often referred to simply as " Baedekers" (a term sometimes used to refer to similar works fro ...

publishing house for many years, prior to starting his own publishing house. Bessie Louise Pierce
''As Others See Chicago: Impressions of Visitors 1673-1933''

University of Chicago Press The University of Chicago Press is the largest and one of the oldest university presses in the United States. It is operated by the University of Chicago and publishes a wide variety of academic titles, including ''The Chicago Manual of Style'', ...

, 1933, p. 351. Retrieved 2016-09-30.

History

James Fullarton Muirhead was born in

Glasgow, Scotland Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

, in 1853. He was educated at the Craigmount School in Edinburgh and at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

, where he obtained a doctorate. Following graduation in 1876, he spent three years at

Chambers's Encyclopaedia ''Chambers's Encyclopaedia'' was founded in 1859Chambers, W. & R"Concluding Notice"in ''Chambers's Encyclopaedia''. London: W. & R. Chambers, 1868, Vol. 10, pp. v–viii. by William and Robert Chambers of Edinburgh and became one of the most ...

. Muirhead thereafter commenced a thirty-five year association (1879-1914) with the Baedeker publishing house, where he was the editor of the English and American editions of Baedeker'
''Handbook for Travellers''
as well as writing separate guides based on Muirhead's own travels. Muirhead's guides based on his personal travels included guides to the United States, England and Canada.Gerald FitzpatrickMostly untamed and only partly civilized
''

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...

'', 15 December 2007. Retrieved 2016-10-07. It was emphasized in the guides based on his own travels, such as the guides to the United States and Canada, that Muirhead had "personally visited the greater part of the districts described". For example, Muirhead spent three years travelling the United States, from 1890 to 1893, to obtain the information for his travel guide of that country. He also used his American travels to write ''A Land of Contrasts'', published in 1898,

Ford Madox Ford Ford Madox Ford (né Joseph Leopold Ford Hermann Madox Hueffer ( ); 17 December 1873 – 26 June 1939) was an English novelist, poet, critic and editor whose journals ''The English Review'' and ''The Transatlantic Review'' were instrumental in ...

, '' The Good Soldier: A Tale of Passion'' (1915)
p. 337
in addition to his work on the related Baedeker guidebook. Muirhead also translated poetry and wrote for the

Encyclopædia Britannica The (Latin for "British Encyclopædia") is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It is published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.; the company has existed since the 18th century, although it has changed ownership various time ...

. Muirhead's association with Baedeker, a company long established and based in Germany, ended with the outbreak of the First World War. He thereafter assisted his brother Findlay in the development of the

Blue Guides The Blue Guides are a series of detailed and authoritative travel guidebooks focused on art, architecture, and (where relevant) archaeology along with the history and context necessary to understand them. A modicum of practical travel informa ...

. Both brothers had been longtime associates of Baedeker. In 1915, they acquired the rights to ''

Murray's Handbooks for Travellers ''Murray's Handbooks for Travellers'' were travel guide books published in London by John Murray beginning in 1836. The series covered tourist destinations in Europe and parts of Asia and northern Africa. According to scholar James Buzard, the ...

'', which formed the basis for the development of the Blue Guides.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Muirhead, James Fullarton 1853 births 1934 deaths English book editors Writers from Glasgow People educated at Craigmount School