History

History


The Bookshop opened in 1948, when Basil and Frances Krish bought John Richardson’s secondhand bookshop and renamed it The Sevenoaks Bookshop. As soon as they could they replaced the old books with brand new stock, and that has been our focus ever since.

Basil Krish sold the business to Winifred Scott in 1985 after 37 years. Valerie Glencross and Sarah Webb-Wilson took over in 2000, and then after another fifteen years Fleur Sinclair became the current owner in 2015.

Our open book and oak leaves device was designed for the Krishes by their friend Robert Ashwin Maynard. He had been a pupil of Walter Sickert and later the first controller of the celebrated Gregynog Press in Wales. We now also use a simplified version of the logo when we need a condensed image.


Three Generations of Shop Owners

Fleur Sinclair, Sarah Webb- Wilson, Valerie Glencross, Winifred Scott

Photos from the Archives

We would like to thank Ed Thompson for locating these for us. They are reproduced here with the permission of the Sevenoaks Chronicle.

1977 – Dick Francis signing his latest book
1978 – Monica Dickens signing her autobiography, with Marie Bennett and Joan Randall
1980 – Cliff Richard promoting his autobiography
1980 – Cliff Richard with Bookshop staff including Jo Wadham, Marie Bennett and Vanessa Aldred
1980 – Delia Smith signing her Cookery Course, with Basil Krish, Joan Randall and Marie Bennett