Tom Kremer, founder of Notting Hill Editions and the Essay Prize, died peacefully in his sleep on June 24th, 2017 at the age of 87. He was a man of unique and inspiring experience. The various chapters of his life contributed to an overall fascination with the ways of the world and man’s journey through life on earth. Tom turned his attention toward books, politics and his family with unbounding energy and enthusiasm.
Open Europe
In 2006 Tom channelled his energy towards politics becoming a member of the Advisory Board of Open Europe, an organisation which is committed to the reform of the European Union. Having predicted the problems that a single currency would bring to Europe long before the Union was conceived, Tom has always been opposed to the invasive regulations of a super-state. He upholds the values promoted by Open Europe, which aims to establish a new model for European cooperation based on free trade, increased democracy and flexibility for the member states.
Seven Towns was founded by Tom Kremer in 1963 as a result of his passion for innovation. The company has specialised in inventing and licensing new products to the Toy and Game industry Worldwide for more than 40 years. During this time Seven Towns has introduced more than 350 original games and toys including Junior Monopoly, Boglins and the Weebles. At the heart of the company’s philosophy is to achieve success through creative excellence, a philosophy which has guided Tom throughout his life.
Enter Tom’s website to discover the fascinating writings and life of a man like no other. >>
With the insight of a true inventor, Tom identified the potential popularity of the Rubik’s Cube in the late 1970s at the International Toy Fair in Nuremburg and used his reputation within the toy industry to bring Rubik’s to the international market in the 1980s. Having introduced the iconic toy to the world over 30 years ago, it is testament to Tom’s single-mindedness and dedication that the Rubik’s Cube is the best-selling toy of all time with 400+ million pieces sold to date.
Tom launched Notting Hill Editions (NHE), a unique publishing house devoted to the revival of the essay as a literary form. The books are objects of great beauty and they make the reader think in a way which is almost unprecedented in modern literature.