No longer in print

The first printing press came to the city in about 1496, set up by the Dutchman Frederick Freez - only 22 years after William Caxton established England's first press at Westminster.

In his History Of The City Of York, Charles Brunton Knight says this "is an interesting testimony to the importance of York at this time, for with the exception of the University of Oxford and the monastery of St Albans it was the only place outside of London where the art was carried on in England previous to the beginning of the sixteenth century".

Hugo Goes (fabulous names, these early printers) established his press at York in 1509. His first production was a Liturgy of York Minster.

The new technology wasn't universally welcomed. "This new art speedily put an end to the old calling of scrivener or text-writer, anciently established in this city, and which had its own gild," noted Brunton.

A century and more later, King Charles I fell out with Parliament and moved his court to York in 1642, establishing his printing presses in St William's College to rattle out royal propaganda.

So when the Yorkshire Printing Works was established in 1910 it joined an honourable tradition. It has long since closed, but later this month former staff will hold a reunion and reminisce about the works.

The company was set up in a Hull Road factory previously used to make steam-driven motor cars and cycles - the nearby Cycle Street records this association. Today it houses the Kwik Save supermarket.

The works briefly printed the Yorkshire Gazette. It boasted rotary "perfecting" presses which could print both sides of the newspaper during one passage through the machine.

This same technique made for economic book production, and in the late 1920s the Yorkshire Printing Works was bought by William Stevens Ltd, based in The Strand, London.

Its chairman wanted the company's publications to be printed at York, and from then on the factory was mainly concerned with producing paperback books. In later years one million paperbacks a month were being despatched to London publishers for circulation around the world.

"During the First World War, half the factory was requisitioned and occupied by the Army," revealed Mike Race in a history of the works.

"It was during this period that a long and close association began between the Yorkshire Printing Works and the headquarters of Northern Command, because from that time until the closure of the factory in October 1968, Northern Command Orders were printed there, as well as a great deal of the Army's other printing requirements."

Another local job was the printing of The York Weekly Mail, which first appeared in 1924. By all accounts it only lasted a couple of years.

Thomas Elvidge bought the printing works in 1930, and remained as chairman and managing director for five years. Then Thomas James took over both roles, and remained in them until his death in 1952.

The next 12 years saw Charles Coatesworth in charge. He was a gentleman, says one of those organising the works reunion, Tom Sweeney. "It was a family firm. The chairman would come round and say, 'how are things?'" said Tom, who lives at Strensall. "It's all gone now."

He joined 18 months after leaving St George's School and was employed there from 1958 to its closure a decade later. His mum, dad, uncle and aunt had also worked at the Hull Road plant.

When Tom was taken on one chap was celebrating his golden jubilee with the firm - he'd started in 1908.

They printed a wide variety of publications: holiday brochures; a children's book called Sunny Stories; True Love And True Life romances. Tom worked on the night shift to produce the Racing and Football Outlook.

"My foreman, Arthur Heels, had won the Military Medal," he said.

The firm's day trips were popular and "quite a few people met their wives or husbands" at the firm.

Part of the works used to house trams. "You had to pull the print across the old tramlines which were still there, and the cobbles."

The atmosphere deteriorated when the company was taken over by Oxley Press in 1964.

"As these people took over we thought there was something suspicious, because the managing director would come up in the car of the era, an E-type jag. But all of a sudden the work dropped off.

"We were playing football in the warehouse and couldn't understand how they could afford to pay us."

The long-term plan became clear when they announced the printing works would close in 1968 and be moved en bloc to Long Eaton in Derbyshire. Seventy jobs were lost.

As the official history notes, in the eight years ending in 1968, four York printing firms closed their doors, the other three being TAJ Waddington, Cooper and Swan, and Delittle Fenwick.

The first annual reunion of the works is to be held on Thursday, October 28, at Bootham and Monk Conservative Club, Clarence Street, York, starting at 7.30pm. All former employees are welcome; inquiries to Colin Carr on (01904) 763194.

Meanwhile, Tom Sweeney has another two, unconnected historical queries. His grandfather worked at the Deuces Glass Factory, on Percys Lane, where Herbert Todd's stands today.

"Nobody seems to have any records or photographs of the place," Tom said. "It must have been going well into the 1900s.

"It perhaps got demolished when the slums in Navigation Road were demolished."

He also has a picture of a football team, with a trophy and a ball marked FOB 1921-1923. Could this be Fulford or Fishergate Old Boys?

Any information on either subject would be gratefully received. Contact Chris Titley on (01904) 653051 ext 337, or via chris.titley@ycp.co.uk

Updated: 09:02 Monday, October 11, 2004