Hodder Headline acquires John Murray (Publishers)

10 May 2002

                                 WH Smith PLC                                  

             Hodder Headline acquires John Murray (Publishers) Ltd             

Hodder Headline, a subsidiary of WH Smith PLC, today announced that it has
acquired John Murray (Publishers) Ltd. John Murray (Publishers) Ltd has net
assets of £8 million.

Tim Hely Hutchinson, Chief Executive of Hodder Headline commented: 'I am
delighted to have reached agreement to acquire John Murray (Publishers) Ltd. We
are fulfilling our ambition to become a leader in British educational
publishing and we are gaining a valuable literary imprint and backlist to
strengthen our quality general publishing.'

                                    -Ends-                                     

Enquiries:

WH Smith PLC

Richard Manhire, Investor Relations 0207 514 9686

Louise Evans, Media Relations 0207 514 9624

Hodder Headline

Karen Geary 0207 873 6141

Brunswick

Timothy Grey 0207 404 5959

Katya Reynier

Notes to Editors:

John Murray (Publishers) Ltd is a leading educational and consumer publishing
house, founded in 1768, and this acquisition significantly increases Hodder
Headline's market share in educational publishing. John Murray's educational
business has approximately 820 titles in print, focusing on secondary school
and further education marketplaces. In consumer publishing its authors have
included Byron, Jane Austen, Charles Darwin and Conan Doyle. More recent
authors include Andrew Wilson, Fiona MacCarthy, Anthony Samson, Tim Mackintosh
Smith and Tahir Shah.