Yorkshire Evening Press, 125 Years

Linecasters on lorries
Linecasters are put onto lorries in October 1986 outside the Evening Press’s office in Coney Street, York. The Press’s trio of mechanics are in attendance.

There are six pages of Yorkshire Evening Press photos on Metal Type. Check the “Related Pages” menu to see the rest.

In October 2007 the Yorkshire Evening Press, based in York in the UK, celebrated 125 years of production by delving into their archives and publishing a special souvenir supplement. Read the Full Article . . .

Brown Prior Anderson, Melbourne, Australia

Brown Prior & Co. letterhead and sketch of Printcraft House circa 1930
Brown Prior & Co. letterhead and sketch of Printcraft House circa 1930

Thanks to Don Hauser for allowing me to use this extract from his book “Printers of the Streets and Lanes of Melbourne” which he designed and typeset at his Nondescript Press. Unfortunately for us, but fortunately for Don, the original limited edition print run of 1,000 copies entirely sold out and the book is no longer for sale.

W G Anderson was apprenticed to Brown and Prior. He later worked in New Zealand but returned in the early 1920s to work for them again. Read the Full Article . . .

Government Printing Office, Melbourne, Australia

Linotype delivery
16 Linotypes ordered by the Commonwealth Government arrive from England in 1907 for installation at the Victorian Government Printing Office.

Thanks to Don Hauser for allowing me to use this extract from his book “Printers of the Streets and Lanes of Melbourne” which he designed and typeset at his Nondescript Press. Unfortunately for us, but fortunately for Don, the original limited edition print run of 1,000 copies entirely sold out and the book is no longer for sale.

The Government Printing Office was formed by Superintendent LaTrobe in January, 1851. Prior to this various firms undertook the work of Government as self-proclaimed Government printers. Read the Full Article . . .

Sands & McDougall, Melbourne, Australia

Composing Room, Sands & McDougall, Melbourne, Australia, 1897
Composing Room, Sands & McDougall, Melbourne, Australia, 1897.

Thanks to Don Hauser for allowing me to use this extract from his book “Printers of the Streets and Lanes of Melbourne” which he designed and typeset at his Nondescript Press. Unfortunately for us, but fortunately for Don, the original limited edition print run of 1,000 copies entirely sold out and the book is no longer for sale.

The first “Melbourne Directory” was published by Sands & McDougall in 1856 and continued production until 1974. A 1975 issue had been planned but the cancellation of 600-800 copies by the Victoria Police, left the next largest order for 30 copies. Production of the directory was unsustainable. Read the Full Article . . .

Czech Print Works

Intertype Model B (German manufacture) in full working order
Intertype Model B (German manufacture) in full working order.

Mirek Subrt, from the Czech Republic, sent in these photos of his print plant. Mirek worked many years as a Compositor, mainly on Intertypes, but is currently working as a bus driver. Ivan Kohout took the photographs.

McWhan Printers

Linotype Model 48
Linotype Model 48.

After more than 70 years the family business, McWhan Printers, Scabrborough, UK closed down early in 2007. Specialising in posters and magazines, the business remained fully letterpress to the end. Ken McWhan used Metal Type Classifieds to try and find new homes for the equipment on these pages — many thanks to the people who were able to help him out.