Exeter City of Literature Celebrates 90 Years of Penguin

Exeter City of Literature, Penguin, and GWR have joined forces to celebrate the birthday of the powerhouse publisher’s local origins, and Exeter’s global status as a UNESCO City of Literature.

90 Years of Penguin

In 1934, Sir Allen Lane was inspired to found Penguin Books after he couldn’t find a good book to read at Exeter St Davids station, following a visit to see Agatha Christie in South Devon.

Penguin was born out of a principle that high quality, engaging, and reasonably priced books should be available to everyone, anywhere. In 2023, Exeter City of Literature returned to this ethos with the introduction of the Penguin Books Vending Machine at Exeter St Davids.

A Truly Unique Vending Machine

The vending machine with a difference was installed at the station thanks to a partnership between Penguin Books, Exeter UNESCO City of Literature, Great Western Railway, and Graddons Vending. The machine sits in the entrance to Exeter St Davids, allowing passengers to purchase a wide range of Penguin Books through a convenient - and entirely automated - process.

The Penguin Books Vending Machine celebrates 90 years of Penguin

For the 90th anniversary celebrations, Exeter City of Literature compiled a list of beloved favourites new and old, including; George Orwell’s 1984, Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, and John Green’s The Fault In Our Stars. These sat alongside celebrated writers from Devon including; No.1 Sunday Times bestseller Sarah Pearse, Wainwright prize shortlisted nature writer Elizabeth-Jane Burnett, and cookbook author turned mystery writer Orlando Murrin.

Clare and Michael Morpurgo - daughter of Sir Allen Lane and celebrated children’s author respectively - were also involved in the curation process, populating the machine with some of their favourite Penguin novels including Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White, as well as Michael’s own work published under Penguin The Puffin Keeper.

A Novel Celebration

On Wednesday 30th July–Penguin’s official birthday–local authors, bookish influencers, press, Arts Council England, and members of Exeter’s creative industries coalesced at the Penguin Books Vending Machine for a morning celebration of Penguin’s 90th. Exeter UNESCO City of Literature’s Executive Director Anna Orchard commenced the celebration by highlighting the lasting legacy of Sir Allen Lane in Exeter, and heralded the future of stories and storytelling in the region. Clare and Michael Morpurgo then took the time to honour Clare’s father Sir Allen Lane, important figures of Devon’s literary community, and the importance of access to books for children.

The gathering ended with the cutting of a special Penguin Books Vending Machine shaped cake - complete with book covers that were featured in the real life machine - created by a local bakery, The Cakery.

A Joint Birthday Present

A selection of books from Penguin’s 90 year archive were hidden at the station as gifts for passengers travelling to-and-from Exeter Central, as well as to London Paddington - a fitting journey for a Penguin book as this was the very train Sir Allen Lane was waiting for all those years ago when inspiration struck to create the now iconic publishing house.

Railway 200

Penguin aren’t alone in the celebrations, as 2025 sees 200 years since the birth of the modern railway. Great Western Railway (GWR) has been marking Railway 200 throughout the year and across their network with various activities. Joining together with Penguin and Exeter City of Literature to commemorate Penguin 90 is their most recent celebration of how the railway has – and continues – to contribute to the communities of the South West and South Wales.

Anna Cohn Orchard, Executive Director of Exeter City of Literature, says: “Lane’s legacy reminds us that literature has always been more than words on a page - it’s a way to connect across class, time, and geography. So today, we honor the past. But we also celebrate what comes next - communities telling their stories, bringing new ideas to life, and making literature part of everyday experience. Happy birthday, Penguin. And thank you for reminding us, generation after generation, that books are for the many, not the few.”

Rebecca Sinclair, Chief Brand Officer at Penguin Books: “In 1934 at Exeter station, Allen Lane had the simple but radical idea that quality literature should be cheap and accessible for all. The following year, Penguin books was founded, changing the way the nation reads forever. Today, Lane’s mission remains central to everything we do, and we’re delighted to celebrate his legacy, which has given us books that will long continue to educate, inspire, and challenge us.”

GWR’s Station Manager covering Exeter, Adam Hopkins, says: “We are proud of our long affiliation with Penguin Books, and we are thrilled to be able to celebrate their 90th birthday along with 200 years of the railway. Books and trains go hand in hand; they both take you on adventures, bring you new experiences, and create timeless memories. We’ve loved partnering with Exeter City of Literature and Penguin to bring our customers a special surprise for their journeys and mark this very special moment in time.“