| In Darkest England Publishing Details back to 'In Darkest England and the Way Out'
Two printers were used for the early editions:
William Burgess, The Carlyle Press, London, E.C.
McCorquodale & Co., Limited, Cardington Street, Euston, London, N.W.
The preface is dated October 1890 in all editions, but there are no other printed dates to identify copies of the various editions. Early printings have various misprints, which help to distinguish the different editions, although they cannot be dated precisely.
Some William Burgess copies - probably the First edition:
page 212, line 10: grdinary rates.
page 212, line 12: oive one hundred
We do not have a copy of this edition at the Heritage Centre, but have seen one with the inscription:
William Birkbeck Thorpe / 90 =
All William Burgess copies:
3rd page of Preface, line 3: their wn dwellings
5th page of Preface, line 24: the s rvices
page 239, line 18: houses nfor residets
page 240, line 14: m n and women
page 260, line 17: th wider
page 261, line 3: point o view
page 262, line : once at it should not
All William Burgess copies and some McCorquodale paintings:
page 47, line 1: Chstian religion
Only one of the copies at the Heritage Centre has a dated inscription, signed by William Booth (4 May 1891). Elsewhere there are apparently signed copies dated October and November 1890 (printed by William Burgess) and a signed copy dated December 1890 (printed by McCorquodale).
Information about the early editions can be inferred from references in the following publications:
"In Darkest England and the Way Out". This book will be Published on Monday, the 20th inst.
(THE WAR CRY, 18 October 1890, p16)
Now ready. "In Darkest England, and the Way Out".
(THE WAR CRY, 25 October 1890, p161)
". . . already two editions of 10,000 and 40,000 respectively have been exhausted, and a third edition of 50,000 is being printed - 30,000 of these are already ordered... The third edition will be ready on Thursday, the 27th inst. . . .
(THE WAR CRY, 22 November 1890, p8)
Its rate of sale has been, according to a leading publishing firm, unprecedented. The first edition-of 10,000 - was exhausted on the first day. A second edition of 40,000 has been printed and delivered to purchasers as fast as received from the binders, but our publishing department is still 20,000 copies behind its orders. A third edition of 40,000 is now printing.
(ALL THE WORLD, December 1890, p631)
"The Publishing Department has issued nearly 175,000 copies of "In Darkest England". . . . "
(THE WAR CRY, 7 February 189 1, p71)
Now Ready. Fifth edition, 200,000.
(THE WAR CRY, 14 November 1891, p161)
The above announcement of the fifth edition suggests that it was an edition of 200,000 copies, which would have been more than all the previous editions combined.
Summary of the early editions
lst edition: 10,000 copies (published 20 October 1890; sold out on the first day)
2nd edition: 40,000 copies (sold out by mid-November 18901
3rd edition: 40,000 or 50,000 copies (published 27 November 1890)
4th edition: c75,000 copies (published by February 1891)
5th edition: 200,000 copies (published by November 1891)
The approximate number of copies in the fourth edition is inferred from the total of 'nearly 175,000 copies' which had been issued before 7 February 1891.
Later editions
It is proposed to issue a further edition of 'Darkest England and the Way Out'- that world-famous work by The Army Founder. The new edition - at 3s. 6d. - will be very limited in quantity, and those desirous of securing a copy should place their order with the Secretary for Trade, The Salvation Army, Judd Street, King's Cross, London, W.C.
(ALL THE WORLD, June 1916, p271)
(Was the 1916 edition published? - The 1970 facsimile reprint was described as the 'sixth edition'.)
6th edition: 1970 (published by Charles Knight & Co. Ltd.)
The sixth edition was reprinted from an edition of 1890 with the misprint on page 47.
In Darkest England 6th edition pub. 1970 SBN 85314 060 X (soft cover)SBN 85314 065 O(hard cover)
Researched by Gordon Taylor - Archivist / International Heritage Centre/ 19 April 1996
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