Newspaper Archives - Metal Type

Allied Newspapers 1930s/1940s Pamphlet

1953 Recruitment Ads

Thanks to Graeme Howe for sending in these recruitment ads, from the end of 1953.

I would imagine in those days the first one to apply would get the job, and earn enough money to live on. How times have changed!

Printing the Northland Age, 1962

Many thanks to Graeme How, from New Zealand for sending in this illustrated article.

Machinery In The Modern Printing Plant of the ‘Northland Age’ – Read the Full Article . . .

Rochester, NY Newspapers

Many thanks to Bill Westland for sending in these great photographs. They were taken at the Rochester Times-Union and Rochester Democrat and Chronicle newspapers before computerisation.

A well-dressed Linotype operator Read the Full Article . . .

Wairoa Star Centenary September 2021

Wairoa Star first edition — The first edition of the Wairoa Star, September 1921

A regular contributor to Metal Type, Graeme How, got in touch to tell me about his local newspaper, The Wairoa Star, celebrating its centenary.

We have five pages of articles about the Wairoa Star sent in by Graeme, check the “Related Pages” menu to see the others. Read the Full Article . . .

Banging Out – Fleet Street Remembered

Police dye-spraying equipment used at Wapping — Police with portable dye-spraying equipment during the Wapping Dispute

A superb documentary with interviews from ex Fleet Street workers, produced by digital:works.

The interviewees give a real insight into what it was like to work in the UK national newspaper industry in those days. Read the Full Article . . .

Farewell etaoin shrdlu

The date is Sunday, July 2, 1978, the last time that the New York Times was printed using hot metal.

David Loeb Weiss, then a proofreader and Carl Schlesinger a Linotype operator filmed and narrated this film to record the occasion. Read the Full Article . . .

Brighton Argus (UK) 1990 – video

Don’t miss Brighton Argus 1973

We start with a look at the county of Sussex, which the newspaper serves. Read the Full Article . . .

Brighton Argus (UK) 1973 – video

Don’t miss Brighton Argus 1990

The film starts with a look at Brighton sea front and other towns in the Brighton Argus circulation area, accompanied by the obligatory cheesy music recorded on a very stretchy tape. Read the Full Article . . .

The “Wapping Cough”

This story is taken from Fleet Street journalist Roy Greenslade’s book “Press Gang: How Newspapers Make Profits From Propaganda.”

It tells the story of Rupert Murdoch’s move to Wapping through the eyes of a journalist who made the move. Read the Full Article . . .

Editor’s Highlights . . .

Printle: A Word Puzzle for Printers Try our word puzzle – there’s a new one every week.
German “new line” linecasters The story of the most advanced linecasters ever made, with illustrations of all models.
British Print Trade Union Cards – A unique collection of typographically exquisite membership cards from Dave Bowles.
Glossary of Printing Trade Terms – George Clark’s list sheds light on a whole new language!
The Whittaker Collection – Photographs of this definitive collection of linecasters stored at the UK’s Manchester Science Museum.
Banging Out – Fleet Street Remembered -Video documentary about the UK national newspaper industry.
Farewell etaoin shrdlu – A look at the production of the last hot metal New York Times.