Elly kneels on a carpeted floor beside stacks of Galley Beggar books slotted into envelopes and waiting for the Royal Mail. Sam sits cross-legged on her right, tickling the tummy of Sirius, Galley Beggar’s in-house labradoodle.
A round mirror on the wall behind them; a tall window with light coming through; a post bag propped beside the fireplace on which you can read “ROYAL” and “GREAT.”
Galley Beggar Press is Sam Jordison and Elly Millar, operating from a house in Norwich. A substantial proportion of the books they publish get shortlisted for prizes, and some of them win.
What that means, in practice, is the two of them stuffing envelopes on their living-room floor for hours at a time. The evening before my visit they had done exactly that, while watching House Of The Dragon.
When I arrived, the stuffed envelopes were on the carpet, ready to go into the sack for delivery to subscribers who pay a small monthly fee for early limited editions – editions that often become collector’s items.
Sam wrote afterwards:
John-Paul was a welcome presence when he came to Galley Beggar Press. It was very enjoyable to talk to him and see him at work – and he was expert at letting us get on, and avoiding disturbance.
Three pictures came out of the visit: this one; Sam alone in the garden shed where he works; and Elly alone in the first-floor office above this room.
That is how a lot of the books you love come to be in the world.
***
Sirius died suddenly one morning in February 2026. Sam wrote a memorial which includes this line: “He made the sorting of that post more enjoyable. Just by being there.”
-
Part of Contain Multitudes at Burgh House, 18-23 August 2026.