HARLEQUIN, MILLS & BOON ARCHIVE

MB

1910-2008 (bulk 1924-1975)

The publishing firm of Mills & Boon was founded by Gerald Mills and Charles Boon in 1908. In 1971 the firm was purchased by Harlequin Enterprises Limited of Toronto. The official name of the firm is now Harlequin Mills & Boon, but the imprint Mills & Boon is still used

The Mills & Boon archive contains the editorial correspondence of both John Boon and Alan Boon, script registers, publicity material and some administrative records. It covers the period 1910-2008, with the bulk of the records covering 1924-1975. The Alan Boon files (1939–1982) form a substantial portion of the collection and comprise correspondence with authors, literary agents, publishers, and professional organisations. The John Boon files (1954–1972) relate mainly to the company’s educational and non-fiction publishing, including science, craft, and technical works. Other series document the company’s internal administration (MB/ADM), commissioning records (MB/C), and publicity and advertising activities (MB/PUB). Additional deposits include photographs, ephemera, and materials returned by researcher Dr Joseph McAleer (MB/JM), which were used in the preparation of his book Passion’s Fortune: The Story of Mills & Boon (Oxford University Press, 1999). Special Collections also holds a large proportion of the company’s published output in the MILLS & BOON COLLECTION, housed in the closed access library collections (available on request), comprising copies of books from the firm’s first title in 1909 through to the twenty-first century.

92 boxes

fonds

The archive was originally held by Mills & Boon Ltd at its London headquarters and remained there following the company’s merger with Harlequin Enterprises in 1971. The collection was transferred to the University in 2011. An archive consultant sorted and listed the material in preparation for Mills & Boon’s centenary in 2008 and prior to its acquisition by the University. Within the hierarchical catalogue there are some missing reference numbers; these correspond to items that were retained by the firm.

MB/AB - Alan Boon Files (1939-1982): Correspondence and related papers of editor Alan Boon, arranged into sub-series for authors, publishers, agents, serials publishers, designers, readers, rights, associations, information files, and later correspondence. Files within each sub-series are arranged alphabetically by correspondent or subject and chronologically within folders. MB/JB - John Boon Files (1954-1972): Correspondence and related papers of John Boon, mainly concerning educational, scientific, and practical publications. Arranged by subject area (Education, Science, Craft, Inventors), with sub-series for authors, publishers, and illustrators; files are organised alphabetically by name and chronologically. MB/ADM - Administration (1909-1975): Organisational records including takeovers, surveys, public relations, and scrapbooks. Arranged by functional activity. MB/C - Commissioning (1934-1972): Consisting of script registers. MB/PUB - Publicity (1924-1975): Consisting of a series of adverts and catalogues. MB/JM - Mills & Boon documents returned by Dr Joseph McAleer (c.1910s-1970s): Material retained or returned by the researcher, including financial papers, advertisements, dust jackets, photographs, correspondence. MB/ADD - Additional Material (1910-2008): Later deposits including photographs, ephemera, and author information.