A memorial plaque commemorating Penguin Books founder Sir Allen Lane is being unveiled today at Exeter St David’s railway station.
The orange plaque, commissioned by Sir Allen Lane’s daughter Clare Morpurgo and designed by Penguin Random House, recognises Sir Allen’s contribution to British publishing and commemorates the location where he conceived the iconic sixpenny paperback.
For the first time, the sixpenny paperback made quality literature accessible to a wide audience, sparking the paperback revolution and the beginning of Penguin Books.
The unveiling of the plaque is being marked by a special ceremony at the station to celebrate Sir Allen’s life and his extensive contribution to literature in the UK. Members of Sir Allen’s family including daughters Clare Morpurgo and Christine Teale, Managing Director of Penguin Press, Stefan McGrath, representatives from Great Western Railway, and local charities and community groups are attending.
On the day of the unveiling a team of Penguin Random House publishers will give away a specially curated selection of paperback books to celebrate Sir Allen Lane’s legacy.