Muirhead, James, Findlay & Russell (Blue guides)

James Muirhead (1853–1934) and Findlay Muirhead (1860–1935) were Scottish writers and editors who played a pivotal role in shaping early 20th-century travel publishing. Formerly English-language editors of Karl Baedeker’s celebrated guidebooks, their collaboration with Baedeker was disrupted by the First World War. In response, the Muirheads acquired the rights to John Murray’s Handbooks for Travellers in 1915 and launched the Blue Guides in 1918, positioning them as the rightful heirs to the great 19th-century tradition of informed, authoritative travel literature. The Blue Guides were known for their rich content, enhanced by detailed city plans, topographical maps, and regional touring guides. Under Findlay’s son, Litellus Russell Muirhead (c.1896 - 1976), known as Russell, the series thrived through the mid-20th century and was co-published in French as the Guides Bleus in partnership with Hachette.