ðə fˈɜːm wʌz fˈaʊndᵻd æz ɐ bˈʊksɛlɚɹ ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪn baɪ dʒˈɑːn blˈæki wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi tˈuː wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti fˈoːɹ æz ɐ pˈɑːɹtnɚʃˌɪp wɪð tˈuː ˈʌðɚz ænd wʌz nˈoʊn æz blˈæki, fˈʊlɑːɹtən ænd kˈʌmpəni.
The firm was founded as a bookseller in 1809 by John Blackie (1782–1874) as a partnership with two others and was known as 'Blackie, Fullarton and Company'.