Founded in 1819 as Wm. Collins & Sons, the Collins Debden brand has enjoyed a long heritage since its humble beginnings in Glasgow, Scotland when William Collins, a Presbyterian schoolmaster, set up his first printing press in the ancient Candleriggs of Glasgow. The first Collins diaries for the mass market were published in 1881 with five titles in the range. At that time, Collins also crafted diaries for the Queen of England as well as other nobles.
Operating from 144 Cathedral Street in Glasgow, Wm. Collins & Sons went on to become one of the world’s leading publishers. The product offering was expanded to include Bibles, dictionaries, educational publications, fiction and nonfiction books as well as a wide range of office products. Then in 1989, Collins & Sons merged with Harper and Row of the US to form HarperCollins publishing.
Today, the Collins and Debden brands enjoy worldwide distribution, cementing their future strength as a global brand – maintaining the status as leading diary and stationery supplier in UK and Australia. With almost 200 years of experience in the industry, Collins Debden continues to develop products that can improve the daily lives of consumers by ensuring they receive the very best features long before they are available elsewhere.