G Street and Co Ltd , bookseller, newsagent and stationer

The date of the foundation of the company is uncertain. Unpublished company histories (Ms 33950) refer to George Street being in business as a bookseller, newsagent and stationer at 5 Serle Street in 1818. However, he does not appear in the London trade and street directories until 1833 when he is listed as G[eorge] H[oratio] Street, stationers, 15 Carey Street. It has been suggested that the foundation date may have come about because of a confusion between George Street and Charles Barker, founder of Charles Barker and Sons.

In 1842 George Horatio Street is listed as a newsagent at 11 Serle Street and from 1854 the name of the firm changes to Street Brothers with the first mention of advertising appearing in 1861, when George Street is also first mentioned at 30 Cornhill.

The firm is listed as Street Brothers of 5 Serle Street from 1868-99. In 1900 the firm became a limited company, G Street and Company Limited with offices at 5 Serle Street (8 Serle Street from 1906) and 30 Cornhill. (There were two unrelated limited companies in existence called Street Brothers Limited). The company has always been known, colloquially, as Streets.

The city office moved in 1924 to 6 Gracechurch Street and in 1944 the whole firm moved to 110 Broad Street. A new west end office was established in 1958 at 11 Berkeley Street.

The company was principally known for commercial and financial advertising and for newspaper subscriptions. Its clientele included banks, issuing houses, insurance companies, industrial and manufacturing concerns, publishers and retailers, although it also had some business with small firms and individuals.

Streets itself was taken over in 1970 by Conduit Holdings Limited and went into receivership in 1992.