Tyrrell trained at Broads Paterson & Co. in London and later worked with Arthur Young & Co. in New York (now both merged to become
Ernst & Young). He joined the
Booker Group (formerly Booker-McConnell) and became the first Chairman of the Author's Division, acquiring rights to
Ian Fleming and
Agatha Christie’s works, among others. On 6 May 1968,
Tom Maschler, of
Jonathan Cape and
Publishers’ Association, wrote to Tyrrell to suggest instituting “a major literary award” and requested finance from Booker-McConnell. A decision to proceed with the establishment of a prize was communicated to Maschler by Tyrrell in person at the offices of Jonathan Cape on 8 May 1968. On 15 May 1968, Tyrrell wrote to Maschler to express that he was confident that the terms of the award could be “agreed with speed and sweet reason”. In 1969,
P. H. Newby became the first winner of the
Booker Prize (then known as the Booker-McConnell Prize). == References ==