Haddon Whitaker narrowly missed out on a rowing Blue at Cambridge - where he read economics - and he joined the form of J Whitaker and Sons in 1932 when , like many other companies, it was in dire financial difficulty. Through hard work he turned the business round.

By 1938, Wisden's sales had fallen so far that professional help was needed and the publishing was passed to J Whitaker and Sons and substantial changes were made, including the removal of the Victorian divide into two parts, a new cover, counties in alphabetical order and more illustrations. Sales increased immediately.

Whitaker remained as publishers until 1944 when it switched to Sporting Handbooks - a joint Whitaker/Wisden company - and remained as such until 1978.
Martin Williamson

Whitaker, Edgar Haddon, OBE, who died at his home at Roehampton on January 5, 1982, was editor of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack from 1940 to 1943. He was Chairman of J. Whitaker and Sons, publishers of Whitaker's Almanack and from 1938 to 1978 of Wisden.
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack