Historical Background

Whitcombe & Tombs was a printing, publishing and bookselling company founded in Christchurch, New Zealand, in the 1880s. Over time, it grew into an important Australasian publisher, with educational publishing becoming one of its main areas of work. By the early twentieth century, the company had begun expanding into Australia and developing a strong presence in school publishing.

Publishing and Education

In 1902, Whitcombe & Tombs began exploring the Australian education market. As the company expanded, it started producing and adapting publications for Australian schools and local classroom needs. It later established operations in Melbourne and Sydney and published textbooks, school readers and teaching materials for different states. These publications covered subjects such as reading, history, geography, mathematics and nature study, as well as children’s story books and supplementary readers. Many were adjusted to suit different state syllabuses, year levels and educational requirements, allowing the company to respond to the different ways schooling was organized across Australia.

About Whitcombe & Tombs

Through its long involvement in school publishing, Whitcombe & Tombs became an important part of Australian educational publishing. Its books appeared in classrooms across different states and reached generations of students. Throughout much of the twentieth century, these publications became part of the everyday learning and reading experience of many Australian children, while also reflecting the changing priorities and expectations of Australian education.