Work began on the Oxford dictionary in 1857, but it was only in 1884 that it began to be published in unbound fascicles as work
The Oxford English Dictionary has been the last word on words for over a century. The dictionary, which recognises that the English language is continually evolving, constantly collects new words and new meanings. And words are never removed — they form part of the dictionary’s picture of history.
The cited file herein is derived from an ABC Radio National story posted on April 9th 2020. I feel that you may find this story to be an historically fascinating one.