Milestones in our history:

1837: Founded as The Booksellers Provident Institution by a group of senior figures active in the Victorian book trade, led by John Dickinson (the paper manufacturer of Basildon Bond fame) who donated the land for the retirement housing at The Retreat (originally The Booksellers' Retreat) near Kings Langley, and headed up the fundraising necessary for its completion. The terrace of seven houses for 'decaying Booksellers and their spouses' opened in 1846 and this Victorian Almshouse forms the basis of our homes today.

1846: The Booksellers Retreat at Kings Langley, Herts, opened to qualifying residents (on land donated by John Dickinson)

1962: The Booksellers Provident Retreat, The Booksellers Provident Institution and the National Book Trade Provident Society merge

1965: The first phase of eight studio bungalows built at The Retreat

1969: A further eight bungalows added

1975: A seven-year ‘Bookrest’ Appeal launched to raise £500,000 (the appeal ran for 18 years…)

1978: Another phase of development at The Retreat, with eight more bungalows constructed

1992: As a Registered Friendly Society, we were obliged to deregister from The Charity Commission

1994: David Hicks appointed to the new role of Chief Executive, to take the charity forward

1998: Grants expenditure rises to £54,000 (from £14,000 in 1987); eight bungalows upgraded

2002: The Foyle Centre opens, supported by a donation from The Foyle Foundation, with four new flats, and a further four bungalow upgrades completed

2003: Our eight London Marathon runners raise over £16,000

2004: Four and a half tons of books donated from London Book Fair raise over £25,000

2008: The final ‘Walkies’ event around London takes place

2009: New name – The Book Trade Charity (BTBS) prior to reregistering with The Charity Commission, and four bungalows are rebuilt as townhouses

2010: A Registered Charity again, £100,000 Grants budget and a total of 36 dwellings at The Retreat

2011: New staff, and £60,000 raised from donated books

2015: Merger with Matthew Hodder Charitable Trust, bringing £1m of new money

2016: Merger with Bookbinders Charitable Society which brought BTBS an additional 22 flats (Bookbinders Cottages) in Barnet, London N20. Plans to develop an office space, community area and seventeen new flats and studios, providing affordable accommodation for young people entering the book trade. 

2018: Partnership with PenguinRandomHouse to provide accommodation for participants in their work experience rolling programme of two-weekly residencies

2019: work commenced at Barnet, demolishing eight flats, to construct 17 new, purpose-built bedsits and flats to offer affordable housing for young people 

2020: Covid-19 Hardship Fund for Booksellers raises £380,000 for grants 

2021: The Bookbinders Cottages development is officially launched