Peter Usborne, the creator of the Usborne children’s book publishing company, has passed away at the age of 85.
The corporation reported that he died “suddenly but quietly” surrounded by his family on Friday morning.
Usborne launched his publishing firm in 1973 and got a CBE from King Charles at Windsor Castle last month for services to literature.
In 1961, he was also a co-founder of the satirical current affairs journal Private Eye.
Christopher Booker, the late first editor of Private Eye, once stated,
“Without him, Private Eye would never have begun.”
In a statement, Usborne Books reported with “great regret” his passing.
It read:
“Peter was a genius in every sense of the word; his brilliance was equaled only by his desire to make books available to all children.
“This tenacity was fueled by his desire to “do things better” than any other children’s book publisher, combined with a childish energy and curiosity that made him the center of attention wherever he entered.
Everyone who had the good fortune to know him will miss him dearly because he was a great publisher, an inspiring leader, and a very kind and kind man.
Honest and principled to the core
His daughter, Usborne’s managing director Nicola, stated:
“My beloved father passed away this morning, and we will mourn him more than words can express.
“He was a brilliant, ever-curious, ever-enthusiastic man who was also very kind, quite kind, honorable, and fundamentally principled. He was the best father I could have ever imagined.
We are comforted by the fact that his life was so rich up until the end, even though he constantly joked about wanting to live forever.
Peter Usborne was awarded the CBE in February, twelve years after receiving the MBE for his services to the publishing sector.
In 2015, he earned the lifetime achievement award from the London Book Fair.
Usborne’s descendants include his wife Wendy, his children Nicola and Martin, and five grandkids.
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