James Thin (bookseller)

James Thin
Portrait of James Thin by Henry W. Kerr
Born	(1824-03-23)23 March 1824 Edinburgh, Scotland
Died	11 April 1915(1915-04-11) (aged 91) Edinburgh, Scotland
Resting place	Grange Cemetery, Edinburgh
Occupation	Bookseller
Known for	Founding a bookshop chain

James Thin (23 March 1824–11 April 1915) was a Scottish bookseller and businessman. In 1848, after a five-year apprenticeship and a further seven years working as a bookshop assistant, he started his own bookselling business. He worked in the business for over 60 years and was succeeded by four generations of his family. By the end of the 20th century, the firm had grown into a national concern, with 35 shops in Scotland and England, but it went into voluntary administration in 2002 with debts of £5 million.

James Thin played an active role in several public and philanthropic bodies. He was an active member of his church, serving as a teacher in religious instruction and as a church officer. He was a noted hymnologist and amassed a collection of some 2,500 hymn books and works of hymnic literature.