It’s been 26 years since a little novel called ‘Harry Potter & The Philosopher’s Stone’ hit bookshelves in Britain that would transform children’s literature forever.
Back in the day, the release of one of the seven books in the spellbinding series was a cultural event, spawning midnight releases and frantic scrambles by fans to be the first to know about The Boy Wizard’s yearly adventures at Hogwarts.
Here are a collection of photos from The Star archives from those had-to-be-there midnight launches, where exuberant book lovers dressed in their mum’s black dressing gown and fake glasses were out to prove they were the number one fan in town.
Here are a collection of photos from The Star archives from those had-to-be-there midnight launches, where exuberant book lovers dressed in their mum’s black dressing gown and fake glasses were out to prove they were the number one fan in town.
![Hayden and Connor Taylor-Grimston who were first in line at WHSmith in Meadowhall to get their copy of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.Date July 16, 2005](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjU5Njk5NzdkLWUyNzUtNDFiMy05NTBhLTJjYWJkMTM3MDhkNDpiNTJjNmE0My1hZTFkLTQ4OWYtOTBhYy00ZjU2ZGM1OGVhMjI=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
5. First in line at WHSmith at Meadowhall, 2005
Hayden and Connor Taylor-Grimston who were first in line at WHSmith in Meadowhall to get their copy of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.Date July 16, 2005 Photo: Dean Atkins
![A Potter fan stocks up on copies of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at WHSmith in Meadowhall. 16 July, 2005](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjZlODQxMmI4LTQ0OGEtNDRiOS1iMzEyLTQyNWNiZDFhOTZiMTo4ZDg2ZTU4NC1lN2EyLTQ4OWQtYjg1NC02NzM5ZjI2NTZlOGE=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
6. Stocking up
A Potter fan stocks up on copies of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at WHSmith in Meadowhall. 16 July, 2005 Photo: Dean Atkins
![Some of the first customers at WHSmith in Meadowhall to get their copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on July 16, 2005.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjZlZGUxZjU5LTg0ZmYtNDU3Ni1iM2JiLTA5MTc3M2UzYTRkZDo3NjI4NjZiNi0yNWRlLTRjYmUtYTI3Ny03MmU1MGI4ZTE5YjU=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
7. Get in first
Some of the first customers at WHSmith in Meadowhall to get their copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on July 16, 2005. Photo: Dean Atkins
![Harry Potter book review competition winners at Waterstones, Orchard Square. L to R are Madeline Shann, 12, Elizabeth Law, 12, and Lura Pennington, 12. Dated July 8, 2000.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmMyNWMxZTJjLTJjN2MtNDkzNC05NDJjLTMzZTIzNzFjZjdiZDpjMDNlNGUxMC0wOTU0LTQwNDQtYjkyNC1kNGExZTNiZDkyZmE=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
8. Competition winners
Harry Potter book review competition winners at Waterstones, Orchard Square. L to R are Madeline Shann, 12, Elizabeth Law, 12, and Lura Pennington, 12. Dated July 8, 2000. Photo: Stuart Hastings (Staff)