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Founded in 1962 by John Rotheroe, Shire Publications has earned a unique reputation in British publishing. Bringing together experts and enthusiasts, Shire has continually sought to fill the gaps in published material, providing affordable non-fiction paperbacks that reflect the interests and passions of ordinary people everywhere. In its short history the company has published over 1000 titles, covering a broad and eclectic range of subjects rarely, if ever, published elsewhere.

Shire’s first publication, Discovering East Suffolk was a 24 page guide to the county through a series of five motoring routes and a gazetteer of the main towns and villages. It was given away to visitors via coach operators, local churches and tourist information points. Advertisements for businesses in the gazetteer section were intended to cover the costs of production but the revenue generated was insufficient so, to save money, the sheets of the book were folded, gathered and stapled by hand. The book was a great success and when it was realized that many of the copies given away were being resold it was decided to sell the second edition, and this set the template for the future of Shire, albeit without the adverts!