The Printing Trade in Birmingham

"The process of making/casting lead type was pretty well invented in Brum by John Baskerville 1705-1775." (Sheldonboy 18/03/11)

This seems as good a reason as any for starting a topic for discussion with regard to the printing trade as carried on in Birmingham for the last 300 years.
The Firms, the premises, the presses, the people, the innovations and the products are all subjects that may provide interest.
So what do you have?

The Printing Trade in Birmingham as in other places, is a very small community. The processes are so diverse. Letterpress printing has very nearly disappeared. Replaced by Lithographic Printing. this in turn is at present being slowly replaced by Digital Printing.
There are other processes to take into consideration.
There are three main parts to Printing: Pre Press.... Design, Artwork, Platemaking Etc. Cutting Paper/board
............................................Press Operation.... Printing
.....................................................Finishing.... Trimming, Folding, Creasing, Round Cornering Drilling, Bookbinding, Glueing, Collating, Stitching, Laminating, Wrapping, Packing, Dispatching, Delivery.etc etc

There are the other kinds of printing too.....Thermography, Screen Printing, Tin Printing, Foil Blocking. Embossing. Etc.
The Printing Trade is a most diverse and interesting trade to be involved in.
I personally have the proud honour to have worked in the Birmingham Printing and Paper Trade for 35 years. SB

I was wondering about the "Waterloo Printers" on Green Lane in Small Heath the other day. I often pass it and never see anything to suggest they are still in business yet they have been there for as far back as I can remember.

I can remember their sign from the late fifties.

I used to do a lot of work at Carltonia Printers in Oxhill Road, Handsworth and also at Renault Printing in College Road, Kingstanding.
I always liked working in these places because the machinery was very interesting and they were clean places with an intriguing smell.

Posted by Voltman

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I was wondering about the "Waterloo Printers" on Green Lane in Small Heath the other day. I often pass it and never see anything to suggest they are still in business yet they have been there for as far back as I can remember.

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I have passed this place recently, I don't think it exists now as it was. Even now it still has the old signs up.

As it happens I passed it the day after that post and there was a delivery wagon outside and the gates were open. I didn't see anything going in or coming out so learnt nothing.

Maybe you were passing too fast. Or maybe looking ahead as you were driving.

Certainly wasn't too fast, there was a big wagon blocking most of my view.
I drive like I fly, looking everywhere all the time.

I served a six year apprenticeship at John F. Poole in Great Hampton Row. It was only a small firm with just nine people on three floors but the work just poured out. Mr. Poole knew nothing about printing so if a job wasn't wanted he was spun a tale. It worked every time.

Posted by handlebar

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I served a six year apprenticeship at John F. Poole in Great Hampton Row. It was only a small firm with just nine people on three floors but the work just poured out. Mr. Poole knew nothing about printing so if a job wasn't wanted he was spun a tale. It worked every time.

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There is still an element of that going on mate. Were you a printer or a finisher.?

Sorry about the delay in reply. Every time I try to access the forum it tells me I've got to register and I can't get past it. You might have me as a new member every day!! Back to your question. I was a hand compositor. I'd always wanted to be a B.B.C. announcer and when I auditioned they asked me to interview a girl on knitting. I ask you!! Anyway, as my English was so good and my spelling brilliant, I ended up in a small but very happy printing firm. But innovation was on the march even then. Litho was coming in along with other advances and it was only a matter of time before the jobbing printer disappeared. I took the hint and went on to other things. I earned the princely sum of £2.1p an hour. But in 1955 you couldbuy a lot of things for £2.00.
Handlebar

So you worked in the Comps (I know your Type ) sorry. There are still jobbing Printers around, we still do some of that sort of work. but nowhere near as many printing firms exist these days. Not surprising when we can turn out around 20000 letterheads per hour. Some presses are much faster. Folding, numbering, creasing and perforating machines removed the need for many Table hands. We only have one lady working with us these days years ago we would probably had about six. I never joined the trade until 1989 that was after 13 years in the paper trade working for Wiggins Teape Keays Covers in Garretts Green.