Penguin First Editions :: Early First Edition Penguin Books

This was an ambitious project attempting to bring the words of political leaders spoken in Parliament to the people. H1 From Chamberlain to Churchill appeared in August 1940. The final volume, H6, was issued in September 1942.

Penguin experimented with trying to bring current politics to the people. The 'official' Parliamentary record Hansard only sold a few hundred copies. Allen Lane wanted to bring these important war-time debates into popular readership. Unfortunately, this special series of books did not stimulate the public and not many were sold. They are thus rather scarce these days.
The cover design is similar to that of Penguin Specials and in the more familiar colours of the Pelican series - of blue and white.

Information and cover photographs of the PENGUIN HANSARD Series:

Number: H1	Series No.: H1 Title: 1: FROM CHAMBERLAIN TO CHURCHILL Period: Autumn 1939 to Spring 1940 sub-title: The Penguin Hansard - being a digest of the House of Commons Official Report of Parliamentary Debates Date Published: 5 August 1940 Pages: 304pp. Printer: Wyman and Sons Ltd This volume includes: The House of Commons Goes to War, Mr Churchill takes over. The first image is of the original Hansard 1. Following concern that the wording on the cover of "by arrangement with His Majesty's Stationery Office" might give the impression that it was published under Government auspices, publication was halted and the cover changed. Stickers were then placed on covers of unsold copies and a new batch was printed with the replacement cover design (second image). This design was followed in numbers H2, H3 and H4 with a slightly amended text. Below is a reprint of the "Penguin Hansard" question, from the Hansard of 6 August 1940 (vol 364, cc37-8): The Financial Secretary to the Treasury was asked by whose direction the issue of the publication of the "Penguin Hansard" has been suspended? Permission was given some time ago to Penguin Books, Limited, by the Controller, His Majesty's Stationery Office, who holds the copyright of "Hansard," to include verbatim extracts from "Hansard" in a prospective publication dealing with the Parliamentary history of the war. When a copy of the book was received at the end of last week, it was observed from the wording used [on the cover] that it might give the impression that it was published under Government auspices. This was not the case, since the Stationery Office had taken no part in, or responsibility for, selecting the extracts or editing the book, nor had any Government Department prompted or approved its publication. Further, it seemed possible that the Select Committee on Publications and Debates Reports might wish to consider whether the book, in the form in which it was to appear, complied with the recommendations in their last report as to the production of an abridged edition of "Hansard." I therefore gave instructions on Saturday morning that the distribution of the book must be suspended for the time being, in order that the above points might be considered at once. I am obliged to the publishers for the action which they have taken, at considerable inconvenience, to comply with this request, and I hope that it will be possible to convey to them a definite decision within a very few days. The House will, therefore, understand that the reasons for this action were technical in character. It is, of course, the desire of the Government, as I am sure it is of all hon. Members, that there should be no limit to the publicity given to our Debates, the open Debates of a free Parliament. First image and some addtional information courtesy of Adrian King § B
Number: H2	Series No.: H2 Title: 2: THE NATIONAL EFFORT Period: Autumn 1939 to Summer 1940 sub-title: The Penguin Hansard - taken verbatim from the House of Commons Official Report of Parliamentary Debates Date Published: 6 December 1940 Pages: 192pp. Printer: Richard Clay and Co Ltd This volume includes: Government Action and Hesitation § B
Number: H3	Series No.: H3 Title: 3: BRITAIN GATHERS STRENGTH Period: Spring 1940 to Autumn 1940 sub-title: The Penguin Hansard - taken verbatim from the House of Commons Official Report of Parliamentary Debates Date Published: 11 March 1941 [printed date: February 1941] Pages: 288pp. Printer: Wyman and Sons Ltd This volume includes: The Churchill Government, The Miracle of Dunkirk, The Darkest Hour, and Blitzkrieg § B
Number: H4	Series No.: H4 Title: 4: THE SECOND WINTER sub-title: The Penguin Hansard - taken verbatim from the House of Commons Official Report of Parliamentary Debates Date Published: 26 January 1942 Pages: 288pp. Printer: R. and R. Clark Ltd This volume includes: Democratic Criticism, Information and Propaganda, and Production and Supply § B
Number: H5	Series No.: H5 Title: 5: THE DEEPENING STRUGGLE: Workshop and Battlefield (Spring 1941) sub-title: The Penguin Hansard - taken verbatim from the House of Commons Official Report of Parliamentary Debates Date Published: 23 April 1942 [printed date: March 1942] Pages: 320pp. Printer: Wyman and Sons Ltd This volume includes: Part 1: Review of the War, and Part 2 The Home Situation § B
Number: H6	Series No.: H6 Title: 6: THE WAR MOVES EAST (Summer and Autumn 1941) sub-title: The Penguin Hansard - taken verbatim from the House of Commons Official Report of Parliamentary Debates Date Published: 21 September 1942 Pages: 288pp. Printer: Wyman and Sons Ltd This volume includes: Part 1: Review of the War, and Part 2 The Home Situation § B

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