1800
- Sir George Hutchinson established a publishing firm, “Messrs Hutchinson Ltd”.
- W.M. Wilson, partner in a firm of publishers of nautical standard works and periodicals, commenced printing in Tiptree under the name of “The Anchor Press”
- Land was bought in Tiptree (nr Colchester, Essex) for Anchor Press, which was founded in the early 1900s by William M. Wilson, a partner in a London firm of publishers, Imry Norie & Wilson
- Site was shared with William Brendon (Hutchinson-owned) book-binding company
- The Anchor Press was purchased by the late Sir George Hutchinson, from which time it was engaged in book printing, for Hutchinson Printing Trust
- Anchor Press site rebuilt and re-equipped; emerging as the largest book printer in the country. A position it held for the next 25 years
- Tiptree Book Services Limited incorporated as a limited company
- Hutchinson Ltd (parent and publishing company) moved its book distribution from Ireland Yard (London) to Tiptree.
- Name changed from Hutchinson Ltd to Hutchinson Tiptree Ltd
- Commenced distribution for Constable & Robinson, TBS’ first third party client
- First computer installed – ICL 1901
- Hutchinson Tiptree Ltd formally changed its name to Tiptree Book Services Limited (TBS)
- Commenced distribution for Anderson Press, TBS’ second third party client
- Hutchinson Group bought by London Weekend Television
- Gail Rebuck, with five colleagues, founded Century Publishing
- Century Publishing merged with the Hutchinson Group (publishing subsidiary of London Weekend Television) to form ‘Century Hutchinson Ltd’
- Random House UK founded
- Random House acquired Century Hutchinson Ltd
- Tiptree Book Services retained its name
- Gail Rebuck appointed as Chairman/CEO of Random House UK
- TBS won its first Nibbie - “Vista Computer Services Distributor of the Year Award 1991”
- TBS won its next Nibbie - “Vista Computer Services Distributor of the Year 1995” award
- Tiptree Book Services out-grew its site. Land was put up for sale (bought by Tesco)
- Land (30 acres) purchased at Frating Green, Colchester, Essex (TBS’ present site). This was the first greenfield, purpose-designed, publishing distribution facility in the UK
- TBS won its third Nibbie - “Vista Computer Services Distributor of the Year 1996” award
- TBS moved to Frating…changing its name to THE Book Service Limited
- Site officially opened by Stephen Fry
- Bertelsmann acquired The Random House Group. TBS became part of the Bertelsmann Group
- Random House Distribution Division created; although each company retains its separate identity for its clients. This was made up from The Book Service, Grantham Book Services and Transworld
- Mark Williams joined TBS as Managing Director
- Manningtree established as a centralised returns facility for TBS, GBS and Transworld (Wellingborough)
- The Manningtree Returns centre commenced operating the Industry Returns Initiative
- TBS won its fourth Nibbie - “Vista Award for Industry Achievement 2005”
- TBS won “Waterstone’s Distributor of the Year Award 2006”
- TBS celebrated ten years at the Frating Green site. Beth Chatto commemorated the event by planting saplings from her internationally acclaimed gardens
- Anderson Press celebrated 30 years of distribution with TBS
- TBS’ longest serving client, Constable & Robinson, celebrated 40 years of distribution by TBS
- TBS celebrated its Diamond Anniversary – 60 years since its inception