Charles Lettes

The History of Letts - 1796 to the present day The name Letts has been synonymous with diaries since the beginning of the nineteenth century. In 1796, the founder, John, established a stationery business in the arcades of Londons Royal Exchange. The merchants and traders who frequently purchased stationery items from this shop needed a means of recording the movements of stock and controlling their finances. John Letts responded to the needs of his merchant customers in 1812 by creating the worlds first Commercial Diary. The diary soon established itself as an essential feature of commercial life. The rapid refinement of the product, with the introduction of detailed information sections, meant that by the 1820s the first modern style diary ranges were published. Today, the company manufactures over 22 million diaries and is firmly established as the market leader supplying more than 40 per cent of all branded diaries in the UK and exporting to over 75 countries arou...