Sunday, 24 December 2023

Two Centuries of UK Bookbinding

 

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TWO CENTURIES OF UK BOOKBINDING

The evidence from newspapers

 by Edmund M. B. King

 Note: All images are © British Library Board; and texts within images are © British Newspapers Archive. The text of this essay is © Edmund M. B. King.


 Bookbinding in the United Kingdom seems so well known, it is assumed to exist. To show this in a more concrete fashion, an exercise was carried out with the aim of finding advertisements/ notices or articles about bookbinders in newspapers.

 The ten-year existence of the British Newspapers Archive, 2011-2021, has resulted in fifty million scanned pages of newspapers, with publication dates from the early 1700s to the 1960s. (Seventy-three million pages as of December 2023.) Moreover, the scanned images have been run through optical character recognition software, so that searches may be carried out. This is a very large body of print history available for searching.

 Newspapers published in all areas of the UK, including Belfast and Dublin, were included in this study. One newspaper from each area/ county, and some published in major cities, were searched. Long runs of a newspaper were preferred, so that results for a long publication period could be looked at. Once a newspaper title was selected (e.g. The Carlisle Journal), a filter search term ‘books bound’ or ‘bookbinding’ was applied, across all dates of publication. For every newspaper, there were hundreds of citations. On occasion, a filter of a date range, e.g. 1700-1749, or 1800-1849, would be applied.

 

Trade advertisements, articles, auction notices, obituaries, and other stories of interest were selected, and a ‘cutting’ of the article was stored as an image. Normally, these were selected from the first page of results displayed. The list of newspapers consulted is at Appendix B. The results of the searches can be found in an Index of Bookbinders at Appendix A. No attempt was made to find all the citations for a bookbinder.

 

The citations grouped themselves into three broad categories:

     1. A trade advertisement for one bookbinder (individual or business)

     2. A trade advertisement, where bookbinding is just one of several trades being undertaken (bookselling, stationery, printing, etc.) - frequently, multiple repeat advertisements were paid for;

     3. Small articles, which feature a story - topics as diverse as accidents, robbery, circulating libraries, emigration, binder’s shops in newspaper offices, auctions of a binder’s tools/ equipment, obituaries, treatment of leather, gift bindings. These articles/ subjects are included in the Index of Bookbinders.

 

Advertisements

Many bookbinders advertised themselves solely as engaged in the Bookbinding trade. Examples are:

a)    CHAMBERLAIN’S Bookbinding! (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette 27 June 1916 page 4);

b)    William GRAY Bookbinder ‘…is selling copies of “Faith and Fancy”’ (Caledonian Mercury 19 August 1745 page 8);

c)    A. HART Bookbinder, 49 Coggeshall Road, Braintree. Estimates Given. (Essex Herald 20 January 1890 page 4);

d)    John LINN Bookbinder, at Locke’s Head upon the Middle of the Tyne-Bridge, Newcastle.  (Newcastle Courant 29 July 1738 page 3 and 5 August 1738 page 4) ‘He purchases Gentlemen’s Libraries or any Parcel of old books’;

e)    MATTHIAS’S Bookbinding, 22, Gloucester Street, Gloucester. (Gloucester Journal 8 January 1887 page 1);

f)    Edwin MORAN Bookbinder, 28 Villiers Street. ‘Books Bound with Elegance and Durability.’ (Sunderland Daily Echo 20 January 1875 page 1);

g)    Francis THOMAS Bookbinder, 15, Boscawen Street, Truro. (Royal Cornwall Gazette 27 December 1817 page 1).

 

More numerous are advertisements where several trades are stated, including that of bookbinding. Booksellers, Printers, Stationers were the most common trades advertised, such as:

h)    Henry Hunter BLAIR Bookseller, Stationer, Printer, and Bookbinder, Books Bound. (Alnwick Mercury 12 January 1884 page 4);

i)     George BOGGAN Steam Printing, Bookbinding, Paper Ruling, and Stationery Works, 9 and 11 York Street, Sunderland. (Sunderland Daily Echo 21 May 1878 page 1);

j)     Frank H. HILLS Printer, Stationer, Bookseller, Bookbinder and Newsagent, Post Office, Sevenoaks (Kent & Sussex Courier 19 October 1877 page 8).

k)    Less common was the offer of Joseph LEE Bookseller and Stationer, in High Street (next door to the White-Lyon), Ipswich, who stated: ‘Libraries gilt and letter’d. at reasonable prices, at Gentlemen’s own Houses.’  (Ipswich Journal 4 & 11 & 18 February 1749 page 4).

l)     ‘Books bound’ was a small part of the operations of C. & W. THOMPSON Booksellers, Stationers, Pattern-Card Manufacturers, Dealers in Genuine Patent Medicines, Printing Neatly & Expeditiously Executed, Books Bound, No. 1 Market Place, & 54 Westbar, Sheffield (Sheffield Independent 20 May 1820 page 1).

m)   Music Selling was one of the trades engaged in by J. H. GREAVES Printer, Bookseller, Stationer, Music Seller, Books Bound, 36, Snig Hill, Sheffield (Sheffield Independent 18 December 1845 page 1).

 

A number of bookbinders repeated their advertisements, such as

n)    C. F. TIMEAUS Printer, Stationer, Bookseller, Bookbinder, Die Sinker & Engraver, 90, High Street Bedford. Bedfordshire Times and Independent 12 November 1887 page 4; 19 November 1887 page 4; 3 December 1887 page 6; 10 December 1887 page 8; 7 January 1888 page 5

o)    A. HART Bookbinder, 49 Coggeshall Road, Braintree. Estimates Given. Essex Herald 20 January 1890 page 4; 4 February 1890 page 4; 24 February 1890 page 4; 17 March 1890 page 1; 5 April 1890 page 1; 3 May 1890 page 1

p)    DEIGHTON & CO. ‘…every description of bookbinding…is done on the premises, at 53 High-Street, Worcester.’ Worcestershire Chronicle 18 January 1875 page 5; 25 January 1879 page 1; 1 February 1879 page 1; 8 February 1879 page 123 March 1879 page 4

 

Newspaper Offices and binding

Perhaps unsurprisingly, bookbinders worked in newspaper offices. One of the earliest found is that of John Bagnall, printer of the Ipswich Journal, who in April 1724 was supplying all kinds of stationery and offering to bind books in Calf or in Sheep (Ipswich Journal 18 April 1724 page 4).

 

Bagnall was still offering ‘Books neatly Bound’ in March 1734 (Ipswich Journal 2 March 1734, page 4 Colophon).

 

Figure 1:  Ipswich Journal, 2 March 1734

 


 

In 1867, John Kenmuir DOUGLAS advertised Bookbinding amongst several other trades, all based at the ‘The “North Wales Chronicle” Steam Printing and Stationery Establishment. Lithographic, Copper-Plate, and Letterpress Printer, Stationer and Bookbinder, High Street, Bangor’ (North Wales Chronicle 2 November 1867 page1).

 

Figure 2: North Wales Chronicle, 1867


 


J. & J. Gibson, of The “Cambrian News” Printing Works in Aberystwyth, in December 1893, ran an extensive set of operations, which included Bookbinding.

 

Figure 3: Cambrian News, 1893




 

 

Circulating Libraries

Bookbinders were conscious of the opportunities to acquire binding work from circulating libraries.  Some went one step further, organising their own. In Saunders’s Newsletter 18 February 1839 (page 3),  G. BELLEW advertised : ‘Bookbinding Establishment, Wholesale & Retail Paper, Stationery and Account Book Warehouse, No. 21 South King Street Dublin … begs respectfully to acquaint his Friends and the Public that he has opened a new Circulating Library, which will be constantly supplied with every new book of merit’.

 

Figure 4: Saunders’s Newsletter, 18 February 1839

 


 

In the 1780s and 1790s, one of the largest and most prestigious libraries in Bath was that of James MARSHALL - ‘Marshall’s Library (late Mr. Pratt), Top of Milsom-Street, Bath … offers the Nobility and Gentry a new and enlarged Catalogue of his Circulating Library…’ (Bath Chronicle 8 October 1787 page 1).

 

Journeymen Advertisements

The bookbinding trade needed new recruits, so advertisements were regularly placed for journeymen. A couple of advertisements appeared in the Leeds Mercury for 1807. One was placed by Edwards & Son, Halifax on the 2nd May 1807. C. Lawton, a Bookseller, in Otley had advertised for one on 24th January 1807. The Alnwick Mercury of 1st February 1855 advertised for a journeyman printer and a journeyman bookbinder, with applications being made to their Office.

 

Sales of bookbinding equipment by auction

Bookbinders left their business, and sometimes they suffered misfortune such as bankruptcy. In 1816, a bookbinder was moving away from Hadleigh and selling his bookbinding tools, amongst other household goods. The advertisement appeared in the Suffolk Chronicle on 19 October (page 1): ‘To be sold at AUCTION. By Fenn and Bryer. Part of the …Stock in Trade of a person in the Bookbinding and Fancy Line…’

 

Figure 5: Suffolk Chronicle, 19 October 1816

 


 

E. [Edward?] Foden had been made bankrupt and Margetts & Son advertised the auction of his goods, including his bookbinding materials: ‘To Printers, Booksellers Stationers, Bookbinders and the Public in General. To be sold at Auction by Margetts & Son …on the Premises of Mr. E. Foden, Jury Street, Warwick, a Bankrupt…’ (Warwick and Warwickshire Advertiser 24 June 1826 page 2). 

 

Figure 6: Warwick and Warwickshire Advertiser, 24 June 1826

 



 

 

The auctioneers M. & J. Alman organised the sale in 18 June 1827 of the stock and bookbinders tools, etc., as a result of Messrs Hillyard and Morgan, Music Sellers and Bookbinders, possibly going out of business (Bristol Mercury 18 June 1827 page 2).

 

Figure 7: Bristol Mercury 18 June 1827

 


 

A.T. and E. Crow (auctioneers) advertised the sale of the effects of William SINCLAIR ‘... who is declining Business…’, authorised the sale of his Bookbinding Plant (Sunderland Daily Echo 27 November 1900 page 2).

 

Figure 8: Sunderland Daily Echo, 27 November 1900

 


 

The stock of an unnamed bookbinder was to be sold by ‘Mr. NEILSON, Auctioneer, Gateshead. Bookbinding Business to be disposed of.’(Newcastle Daily Chronicle 1 August 1864 page 2).

 


 

Figure 9: Newcastle Daily Chronicle, 1 August 1864

 


 

Accidents

Bookbinders’ premises had machinery and flammable materials, so accidents did occur.

a)  A fire happened at the workshop of bookbinder John Berry ‘consuming two of his rooms’ before being brought under control (Carlisle Journal 6 November 1802 page 2).

b)  Bookbinder, John Dunn, caught his right hand in a pinching machine and lost two fingers as a result (Edinburgh Evening News 11 January 1898 page 2).

c)  On the 29 November 1860, a fire caused the ‘Destruction of Norman and Metcalf’s Bookbinding Establishment, Leigh Place, Brooke’s Market, Holborn.’ The cause was likely to have been arson (Morning Chronicle 30 November 1860 page 3).

d) A tragic accident involved a Mr. Stephenson, bookbinder, who was eating beef cakes in the Red Lion, Petty Curry, Cambridge, when a pin lodged in his windpipe. He died of asphyxiation (Norfolk Chronicle 22 September 1781 page 2).

 

Robberies

Book binders had enough equipment deemed valuable, so robberies were attempted.

a)  Under the headline: ‘Daring Robbery in St. John Street’, Frederick Pointon, book-binder, had been set upon, and robbed by Mary Jenkins and an accomplice of 5s 6d, of a corkscrew and bookbinders type. (Cheshire Observer 11 October 1856 page 6).

b)  In Carnarvon, Hugh Jones, a Bookbinder, was indicted for stealing three Welsh Bibles, and other books (North Wales Chronicle 20 March 1875 page 6).

c)  A bookbinder ‘on tramp’, Wm. SUMNERS, ‘…was charged with stealing a topcoat…’ (Stamford Mercury 1 February 1861 page 5).

d) A more serious offence was the accusation that Josiah Westley had forged two bills of exchange with intent to defraud Messrs. Glyn and Co. Bankers… (Westmorland Gazette 25 October 1851 page 8).

 


 

Figure 10: Westmorland Gazette 25 October 1851

 


 

 

Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK)

 

The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge provided much work for bookbinders, owing to the numbers of books sold by them.

a)  The Liverpool District Branch meeting of the Society reported to its annual meeting that it had sold: 963 Bibles, 906 testaments, 2,436 common prayer books, 1,352 bound books, 18,235 half-bound [books] and school books (Manchester Courier 19 January 1828 page 2).

b)  The Salisbury Annual Branch Meeting in early 1872 listed the books sold (in 1871): ‘Bibles, 546; ditto with Prayer, 16; Testaments, 134; Prayer Books, 1,813; Books bound and half-bound, 4,399; Tracts, 5,654; Apocrypha, 13; maps, 36; Church Services, 196, almanacks, 1,298; total, 14,105’ (Hampshire Advertiser 27 January 1872 page 7).

Clearly, dissemination by the SPCK of Bibles, prayer books and other publications was good business for bookbinders, and give us a glimpse of the large amount of work undertaken, year after year.

 

Figure 11: Manchester Courier 19 January 1828

 


 

Figure 12: Hampshire Advertiser 27 January 1872

 


 

 

 

Exhibitions

A series of lectures on bookbinding given at the Society of Arts in 1898, which were accompanied by an exhibition in the Library, of one hundred and thirty bindings, many of which were lent by private collectors (Morning Post 25 January 1898 page 3). The binding of the official catalogues of the Great Exhibition of 1851 elicited a long letter by John Wright, binder, of Soho, in which he complains of the lack of a fair competition to bid for the work to bind the catalogues (Morning Chronicle 5 January 1853 page 3).

 

Strikes / Loss of Trade

COMBINATION. A long article in 1826 drew attention to the recent difficulties encountered by several trades, resulting in strikes by workmen in Dublin, including bookbinders (Glasgow Herald 25 August 1826 page 1).

 Figure 13: Glasgow Herald 25 August 1826

 


 

 

Under a somewhat misleading heading ‘The Bookbinders’ Strike’, James Mahoney accused of intimidating Robert Steer (Bookbinder?), who refused to come out on strike with other men at the Armoury, Southwark (Reynolds’s Newspaper 20 March 1892 page 1).  

 

Bookbinders employed by Waterlow and Sons, and Shaw and Co., ‘…struck work on account of the refusal of the firms to grant an eight hours day…’, asking for other bookbinders in England to ‘block’ these two firms.  (Morning Post 17 November 1891 page 3).

 


 

Figure 14: Morning Post 17 November 1891

 

 


 

Miscellaneous articles

 

Sam. Campbell Bookbinder, attested to the efficacy of Spilsbury’s Antiscorbic Drops: ‘Sir, I had been grievously afflicted with a Scurvy in my Legs for several years, to such a degree as to render me some considerable time incapable to work at my Business of Book-binding…by Use of only a few bottles [of the remedy], through the blessing of God, am now perfectly whole.’  (Norfolk Chronicle 18 January 1783 page 4).

 

In 1858, we find Wm. Kilpatrick, stating that he was acting as an Agent for Virtue & Co. (Newcastle Daily Chronicle 4 August 1858 page 1).

 

Figure 15: Newcastle Daily Chronicle 4 August 1858

 


 

Bookbinding even received mentioned in a House of Commons debate, when Lord Russell, in a Resolution and Speech to the House of Commons, 25 April, 1822, alluded to the advancement of knowledge though the work of publishers, and one which: ‘… annually sold 5,000,000 of copies, employed sixty-two clerks; expended 5,000l. for advertisements; and gave employment to 250  bookbinders.’ (Glasgow Herald 29 April 1822 page 2).

 

The virtues of using caoutchouc as a means of binding leaves, were stated as early as 1837. In the article: ‘Improvement in Book-Binding’, Mr. Hancock, its inventor, claimed that the attachment of the leaves of a book using caoutchouc would dispense ‘…entirely with the process of sewing and of sawing.’ (Freeman’s Journal 6 September 1837 page 4).  

 

Figure 16: Freeman’s Journal 6 September 1837

 


 

 

Bookbinders were listed in the ‘marriage’ and ‘died’ notices in newspapers. Occasionally, small notices were printed, as was the obituary for Archibald Steele, ‘Death of an Old Edinburgh Book-binder’, who had worked for Oliver and Boyd in Edinburgh for fifty-three years. (Edinburgh Evening News 28 September 1901 page 4).

 


 

Figure 17: Edinburgh Evening News 28 September 1901

 


 

There was quite a lot of detail printed for the life of Edward John GRIFFIN: ‘Death in London of Mr. E. J. Griffin, …until a few years ago well-known in Warwick as a Bookbinder.’ (Warwick and Warwickshire Advertiser 11 March 1939 page 5).

 Figure 18:  Warwick and Warwickshire Advertiser 11 March 1939

 


 

These advertisements, notices and articles reinforce the reality of bookbinding being embedded in local life. With all this evidence, we are taken back into the circumstances of the day, in which all manner of trades operated, together with glimpses of how they lived and where they worked.

 

Appendix A:  Index of Bookbinders/ Notices/Articles

 

1)      John AISLEY Bookseller, Durham. ‘Books neatly Bound.’ Newcastle Courant 15 January 1743 page 3; 22 January 1743 page 4

2)      Robert AKENHEAD Bookseller, Newcastle. ‘Books Bound after the neatest and best Manner.’ Newcastle Courant 9 October 1742 page 3

3)      APPEAL OF THE JOURNEYMEN BOOKBINDERS [Praise for the S.P.C.K. paying more to its binders for the Pearl Bible, than other binders who bound for the British and Foreign Bible Society.] Exeter and Plymouth Gazette 15 September 1849 page 8

4)      An APPRENTICE is wanted to the Bookbinding Business. Saunders’s Newsletter 22 July 1777 page 3

5)      ARDEN PRESS LTD. [Move of companies to Letchworth Garden City.] ‘Messrs W. H. Smith and Son, of Strand, London who are removing their bookbinding business to the estate, Messrs. Dent and Co., Publisher, of Covent Garden, who are also transferring their bookbinding department here, and the Arden Press Ltd., Publishers and Bookbinders.’ Herts Advertiser 15 December 1906 page 8

6)      W. ATKINSON Machine Printing Establishment, Market Place, Penrith. ‘Printing, Engraving and Bookbinding.’ Penrith Observer 6 August 1861 page 8

7)      ATKINSON and POLLITT Kendal. ‘Bookbinding in cloth, Roan, Calf or Morocco… at reasonable prices.’ Westmorland Gazette 13 April 1889 page 7

8)      To be sold at AUCTION. By Fenn and Bryer. ‘Part of the …Stock in Trade of a person in the Bookbinding and Fancy Line…’ Suffolk Chronicle 19 October 1816 page 1

9)      John BAGNALL Printer, St. Nicholas Street. Ipswich Journal 18 April 1724 page 4 colophon ‘Books bound in Calf, Sheep, etc.’; 2 March 1734 page 4 Colophon: ‘And books neatly bound’

10)    George Thomas BAGGULEY Newcastle-under-Lyme ‘Bookbinder to three Queens’. Aberdeen Press and Journal 8 August 1950 page 3.

11)    William BANCKS Bookseller and Stationer, Mill Gate, Wigan. Manchester Mercury 12 June 1764 page 4

12)    Henry BAZLEY ‘Charge of Abduction against a Bookbinder. … Henry Bazley, a bookbinder of S. Bishop’s-court, Clerkenwell …charged…with having taken Elizabeth Morey, a girl under the age of eighteen, out of the possession of her mother.’ Reynolds’s Newspaper 24 September 1891 page 6

13)    G. BELLEW Bookbinding Establishment, Wholesale & Retail Paper, Stationery and Account Book Warehouse, No. 21 South King Street Dublin ‘… begs respectfully to acquaint his Friends and the Public that he has opened a new Circulating Library, which will be constantly supplied with every new book of merit’. Saunders’s Newsletter 18 February 1839 page 3

14)    John BERRY ‘…a fire broke out in the Workshop of Mr. John Berry, Bookbinder in Temple Lane, Liverpool…’ Carlisle Journal 6 November 1802 page 2

15)    J. BIGWOOD Bookbinder and Paperhanger &c. 4 Poplar Place, Thomas Street, Trowbridge. ‘…has re-commenced in Business… Books bound to Pattern.’ Wiltshire Times 1 August 1863 page 1

16)    Henry Hunter BLAIR Bookseller, Stationer, Printer, and Bookbinder, Books Bound. Alnwick Mercury 12 January 1884 page 4

17)    George BOGGAN Steam Printing, Bookbinding, Paper Ruling, and Stationery Works, 9 and 11 York Street, Sunderland. Sunderland Daily Echo 21 May 1878 page 1

18)    A NOBLE BOOKBINDER. Prince Aginski ‘has established in this City (Paris) a bookbinder’s work-shop’ Bradford Observer 16 November 1835 page 6

19)    BOOKBINDERS ‘Meeting of Bookbinders [of the City of Dublin].’ Freeman’s Journal 19 November 1830 page 4

20)    BOOKBINDING ‘Books Bound in Plain and Elegant Bindings, on reasonable Terms, at the Gazette Office, Market-Place, Lancaster.’ Lancaster Gazette 21 February 1857 page 7

21)    BOOKBINDING CLASSES ‘…first Report to the Council of the Consultative Committee on the Teaching of Bookbinding in London Technical Schools.’ Morning Post 22 June 1908 page 3

22)    BOOKBINDING EXHIBITION at the Society of Arts. Morning Post 25 January 1898 page 3

23)    BOOKBINDING FOR WOMEN. Penrith Observer 11 March 1902 page 6

24)    BOOKBINDING ‘Improvement in Book-Binding.’ Mr. Hancock’s invention of Caoutchouc. Freeman’s Journal 6 September 1837 page 4

25)    F. J. BROOKE ‘(late Fuller and Co.) Bookseller, Stationer, Printer, Bookbinder, and Fancy goods Factor, Broad Street, Worcester.’ Worcester Journal 23 June 1900 page 1

26)    Thomas BURROUGH Bookseller and Stationer, Devizes. ‘Books neatly Bound, Lett’rd and Gilt.’ Salisbury and Winchester Journal 20 January 1752 page 4

27)    CAMBRIAN NEWS OFFICE Bookbinding, ‘Periodicals of every description bound cheaply’. Cambrian News 12 June 1891 page 8

28)    Sam. CAMPBELL Bookbinder. Attested to the efficacy of Spilsbury’s Antiscorbic Drops. Norfolk Chronicle 18 January 1783 page 4

29)    CARNAN and SMART, Reading. Reading Mercury 24 November 1783 page 3; 29 December 1783 page 3

30)    CHAMBERLAIN’S Bookbinding! 29 High Street, Exeter. Exeter and Plymouth Gazette 27 June 1916 page 4

31)    J. CHEESEWRIGHT Book and Print Seller, Stationer, Printer and Bookbinder, No. 3, High Street, next the Castle Bank [Bristol].’ Advertises his ‘extensive library’ and ‘a spacious and comfortable reading room’. Bristol Mercury 10 January 1835 page 1

32)    W. V. COLE & SONS, 87 & 88 South Street, Exeter. Western Times 11 October 1940 page 2; 22 November 1940 page 2.

33)    COMBINATION [Strikes by Workmen in Dublin, including Bookbinders] Glasgow Herald 25 August 1826 page 1

34)    David CONDIE ‘Bookbinding and Stationery, Black Friars, Broad Street, Worcester.’ Worcester Journal 9 August 1849 page 2

35)    A. K. COWELL Printing, Bookselling, Bookbinding, Butter-market, Ipswich. ‘Mr. R. N. Rose, finding it necessary to dispose of his Business, A. K. Cowell has been induced to take it…’ Suffolk Chronicle, 25 July 1818 page 2

36)    DARING ROBBERY IN ST. JOHN STREET [CHESTER]. Frederick Pointon, book-binder, robbed by Mary Jenkins of 5s 6d, a corkscrew and bookbinders type. Cheshire Observer 11 October 1856 page 6

37)    DEIGHTON & CO. ‘…every description of bookbinding…is done on the premises, at 53 High-Street, Worcester.’ Worcestershire Chronicle 18 January 1875 page 5; 25 January 1879 page 1; 1 February 1879 page 1; 8 February 1879 page 123 March 1879 page 4

38)    H. DEIGHTON Bookseller. ‘Books Bound.’ 19, Pavement, York. York Herald 8 December 1827 page 2

39)    DENT AND CO. [Move of companies to Letchworth Garden City.] ‘Messrs W. H. Smith and Son, of Strand, London who are removing their bookbinding business to the estate, Messrs. Dent and Co., Publisher, of Covent Garden, who are also transferring their bookbinding department here, and the Arden Press Ltd., Publishers and Bookbinders.’ Herts Advertiser 15 December 1906 page 8

40)    John Kenmuir DOUGLAS ‘The “North Wales Chronicle” Steam Printing and Stationery Establishment. Lithographic, Copper-Plate, and Letterpress Printer, Stationer and Bookbinder, High Street, Bangor.’ North Wales Chronicle 2 November 1867 page 1

41)    JAMES DUFFY & CO. 'Prayer Books printed and Bound in our own Factory.' 38 Westmoreland Street, Dublin. Freeman’s Journal 11 December 1907 page 6

42)    T. DUNN Bookseller, Binder, and Stationer, the Corner of College Court in the Westgate Street. Oxford Journal 4 December 1779 page 3.

43)    R. EAGLE & CO. Wholesale Stationers, General Printers and Bookbinders, Engravers and Pattern Case Makers, 15, Church Bank Bradford. Bradford Observer 12 October 1876 page 1

44)    James FLEMING Bookseller, Books Bound, Tyne-bridge Newcastle. Newcastle Courant 5 August 1738 page 4; 14 January 1749 page 3; 14 & 21 October 1749 page 3

45)    [Edward] FODEN ‘To Printers, Booksellers Stationers, Bookbinders and The
Public in General. To be sold at Auction by Margetts & Son …on the Premises of Mr. E. Foden, Jury Street, Warwick, a Bankrupt…’ Warwick and Warwickshire Advertiser 24 June 1826 page 2

46)    W. FRANKLIN Neville Street (opposite the Central Station) [Newcastle] Books Bound. Newcastle Daily Chronicle 24 June 1865 page 1; 21 August 1865; 30 August 1865

47)    FREE EMIGRATION TO QUEENSLAND [for] BOOKBINDERS. Kendal Mercury 30 September 1876 page 7 

48)    GENEROUS GIFT TO ST. MARY’S CHURCH [Bury St. Edmunds] '... of Prayer Books and Hymn Books which are bound in whole calf, black with gilt lettering and edgings.' Bury and Norwich Post 10 April 1900 page 5

49)    GILBERT & M’DONALD Rose Street, North Lane, ‘Accident in Edinburgh Bookbinders’. Edinburgh Evening News 7 December 1904 page 4

50)    J. & J. GIBSON The “Cambrian News” Printing, Lithographing, Bookbinding, and Die Stamping Works, Mill Street, Aberystwyth. Cambrian News 29 December 1893 page 9

51)    JOSEPH GLEAVE & SONS New Printing Office and Stationery Warehouse, opposite the Royal Hotel, top of Market-street. Manchester Courier 31 March 1827 page 2

52)    William GRAY Bookbinder ‘…is selling copies of “Faith and Fancy”’ Caledonian Mercury 19 August 1745 page 8

53)    J. H. GREAVES Printer, Bookseller, Stationer, Music Seller, Books Bound, 36, Snig Hill, Sheffield. Sheffield Independent 18 December 1845 page 1

54)    Edward John GRIFFIN ‘Death in London of Mr. E. J. Griffin, …until a few years ago well-known in Warwick as a Bookbinder.’ Warwick and Warwickshire Advertiser 11 March 1939 page 5

55)    J. & W. GRIFFIN ‘Bookbinding to any pattern at the lowest possible prices. “Observer” Office, The Bridge, Walsall. Walsall Observer and South Staffordshire Chronicle 19 August 1882 page 2; 11 November 1882 page 2; 10 May 1884 page 2; 3 January 1885 page 3

56)    George HARRISON Stationery Warehouse & Account Book Manufactory, 51 High Street Belfast.  Belfast Newsletter 1 June 1830 page 2;

57)    John HARRISON Bookseller ‘A catalogue of Curious Books…’ Newcastle Courant 15 January 1743 page 3

58)    A. HART Bookbinder, 49 Coggeshall-road, Braintree. Estimates Given. Essex Herald 20 January 1890 page 4; 4 February 1890 page 4; 24 February 1890 page 4; 17 March 1890 page 1; 5 April 1890 page 1; 3 May 1890 page 1

59)    W. C. HAYES Printer & Stationer, Chipping Norton. Books Bound. Oxford Journal 20 February 1909 page 1

60)    W. F. HEALEY & CO. General Printers, Manufacturing Stationers and Bookbinders, Bridge-street Row, Chester. Wrexham Advertiser 10 November 1860 page 1

61)    William HENLEY Bookseller, Stationer, Printer, Bookbinder. Gloucester Journal 8 January 1887 page 1

62)    Frank H. HILLS Printer, Stationer, Bookseller, Bookbinder and Newsagent, Post Office, Sevenoaks.  Kent & Sussex Courier 19 October 1877 page 8

63)    HILLYARD and MORGAN ‘To be sold by Auction by Messrs. M. & J. Alman, on the Premises, by order of the Assignees of Messrs. Hillyard and Morgan, Music Sellers and Bookbinders, No. 9, St. John Street [Bristol]’. Bristol Mercury 18 June 1827 page 2

64)    HODGE’S Bookbinding and Stationery, 56, High Street, Exeter. Books Bound. Western Times 15 December 1855 page 4; 29 December 1855 page 4; 20 January 1856 page 4; 23 February 1856 page 4

65)    HUMAN SKIN FOR BOOKBINDING. Exeter and Plymouth Gazette 9 September 1902 page 3

66)    Hugh JONES Bookbinder. ‘Charge against Carnarvon Tradesman…Hugh Jones, Bookbinder, was indicted for stealing three Welsh Bibles…’ North Wales Chronicle 20 March 1875 page 6

67)    JOURNEYMAN, Advertisement for; placed by Edwards & Son, Halifax. Leeds Mercury 2 May 1807 page 3

68)    JOURNEYMAN, Advertisement for; placed by C. Lawton, Bookseller, Otley. Leeds Mercury 24 January 1807 page 3

69)    JOURNEYMAN BINDER, Advertisement for, ‘Application to be made at the Mercury Office No. 22 Bondgate Street Within, Alnwick.’ Alnwick Mercury 1 February 1855 page 15

70)    JOURNEYMEN BOOKBINDERS ‘Third Appeal of the Journeymen Bookbinders of London. To their Brethren of all Trades in all parts of the United Kingdom.’ The Odd Fellow 29 June 1839 page 4

71)    JUBY Bookbinder, St. Margaret’s Green, Ipswich. Ipswich Journal 17 March 1900 page 4

72)    John KENDALL Jun. and Thomas KENDALL Bookbinders, Booksellers, and Stationers, near the Red Lion Inn, in Colchester. Ipswich Journal 6 May 1749 page 4

73)    Benjamin KEITHLEY, Bookbinder, in Coghill’s-court, Daine-street, ‘Lodgings to be let for the Summer Season, County Wicklow. For further Particulars, inquire of …’. Saunders’s Newsletter 7 July 1777 page 3

74)    Wm. KILPATRICK Agent for Virtue & Co. Newcastle Daily Chronicle 4 August 1858 page 1.

75)    William KNIGHT and KING Printers, Booksellers, Stationers, and Bookbinders, Higham ‘… having dissolved their partnership…’ Essex Herald 26 August 1845 page 1

76)    Benjamin LANSDOWN’S General Printing & Bookbinding Establishment, Silver Street, Trowbridge. ‘Bookbinding in all its Branches…’ Wiltshire Times 8 August 1863 page 8

77)    LEATHER BOUND BOOKS [Treatment of] Birmingham Daily Gazette 3 April 1908 page 2.

78)    Joseph LEE Bookseller and Stationer, in High Street (next door to the White-Lyon), Ipswich. ‘Libraries gilt and letter’d. at reasonable prices, at Gentlemen’s own Houses.’  Ipswich Journal 4 & 11 & 18 February 1749 page 4

79)    William LEICESTER Bookseller, Stationer, Bookbinder ‘has opened a Shop adjoining Eastgate, Chester’. Chester Chronicle 17 July 1789 page 3

80)    John LINN Bookbinder, at Locke’s Head upon the Middle of the Tyne-Bridge, Newcastle.  Newcastle Courant 29 July 1738 page 3 and 5 August 1738 page 4 ‘He purchases Gentlemen’s Libraries or any Parcel of old books’

81)    T. W. MADDOX Bookseller, Stationer, Printer, and Bookbinder, South-Gate, Launceston. Royal Cornwall Gazette 29 September 1843 page 3

82)    J. [James] MARSHALL ‘Marshall’s Library (late Mr.[Samuel Jackson] Pratt), Top of Milsom-Street, Bath … offers the Nobility and Gentry a new and enlarged Catalogue of his Circulating Library…’ Bath Chronicle 8 October 1787 page 1

83)    S. G. MASON (Chester) LTD. Printing and Bookbinding, 10 St. John Street, Chester. Cheshire Observer 3 January 1969 page 16

84)    MASSEY & CO. Printers and Bookbinders. ‘For First Class Bookbinding.’ Castle St. Trowbridge. Wiltshire Times 9 October 1948 page 5

85)    MATTHIAS’S Bookbinding, 22, Gloucester Street, Gloucester. Gloucester Journal 8 January 1887 page 1

86)    George MATTON Stationer, Bookbinder, Machine Ruler, and Book & Pager, 6 and 7 Greenwood-street, Corporation-street. Manchester Courier 22 July 1854 page 2

87)    Edwin MORAN Bookbinder, 28 Villiers Street. ‘Books Bound with Elegance and Durability.’ Sunderland Daily Echo 20 January 1875 page 1

88)    James Fitzgerald MURPHY ‘A middle-aged journeyman bookbinder’, received a legacy of £10,000 from an uncle in New South Wales. Worcestershire Chronicle 20 July 1891

89)    Mr. NEILSON, Auctioneer, Gateshead. Bookbinding Business to be disposed of. Newcastle Daily Chronicle 1 August 1864 page 2

90)    NORMAN and METCALF ‘Destruction of Norman and Metcalf’s Bookbinding Establishment, Leigh Place, Brooke’s Market, Holborn.’ [George James Norman and Frederick Eardey Medcalf – Packer.] Morning Chronicle 30 November 1860 page 3

91)    CITY OF NOTTINGHAM Public Libraries - Bookbinding, ‘Tenders are invited for the Re-Binding of Books.’ Nottingham Journal 4 March 1939 page 2

92)    OLIVER & BOYD [Bookbinders] Edinburgh Evening News 28 September 1901 page 4

93)    John PAAS ‘Horrible Murder at Leicester, of Mr. Paas of London.’ Paas murdered by James Cook, Bookbinder. Preston Chronicle 9 June 1832 page 4

94)    PHILLIPS Bookbinding Friar Street, Ipswich. Ipswich Journal 17 March 1900 page 4

95)    J. POOLE Bookseller, Books Bound ‘as neat as in London’, Eastgate Street, Chester. Chester Chronicle 4 September 1775 page 1

96)    PUNCHARD & JERMYN Booksellers, Ipswich. Bury and Norwich Post 11 July 1787 page 3.

97)    Thomas ROBERTS ‘Lithographic Printing, Engraving, Bookbinding, and General Stationery Office. Bookbinding in all its branches.’ Wrexham Advertiser 15 April 1865 page 4

98)    LORD RUSSELL – Resolution and Speech to the House of Commons, 25 April, 1822. Glasgow Herald 29 April 1822 page 2

99)    UNFORESEEN RESULTS ‘Unforeseen Results.’ [Bookbinders were being made  unemployed as a result of revisions to the text of Bibles and Prayer Books by the Ritual Commissioners, which meant that no one wanted to order bound copies of the existing texts, preferring to wait for the new.] Herts Advertiser 26 March 1870 page 3

100)  THE WALTER SCOTT PUBLISHING CO. LTD. Printing, Bookbinding and Stationery. Felling-on-Tyne. ‘The best, cheapest and quickest work executed…’  Carlisle Journal 13 December 1912 page 4

101)  SILVER BOOK OF THE GOSPELS, Finishing of. ‘The Silver book of the Gospels.’ [How the bookbinder finishes the lettering in silver.] The Odd Fellow 26 February 1842 page 4

102)  William SINCLAIR ‘... who is declining Business…’, authorised the sale of his Bookbinding Plant. Sunderland Daily Echo 27 November 1900 page 2

103)  William SMART Bookseller, Stationer, and Binder has opened a genteel Shop, adjoining to the Town Hall in Worcester. Jackson’s Oxford Journal 6 August 1774 page 1; 20 August 1774 page 2; 3September 1774 page 1; 10 September 1774 page 1

104)  J. SMITH Bookbinding. Greenhow Factory, No. 8, Greenhow Yard, Highgate, Kendal. Kendal Mercury 28 January 1871 page 2

105)  Mr. SMITH  Bookbinder at the corner of Blackmore Street, committed suicide. Caledonian Mercury 24 April 1732 page 1

106)  W. H. SMITH AND SON [Move of companies to Letchworth Garden City.] ‘Messrs W. H. Smith and Son, of Strand, London who are removing their bookbinding business to the estate, Messrs. Dent and Co., Publisher, of Covent Garden, who are also transferring their bookbinding department here, and the Arden Press Ltd., Publishers and Bookbinders.’ Herts Advertiser 15 December 1906 page 8

107)  W. H. SMITH & CO. Newsagents Booksellers Bookbinders, 15 High Street, Tunbridge Wells. Kent and Sussex Courier 28 April 1933 page 6

108)  W. H. SMITH & CO. [Stand at Exhibition]. London Evening Standard 3 March 1908 page 10

109)  SMITHS Bookbinding, Suitall, Ipswich. Ipswich Journal 17 March 1900 page 4

110)  SOCIETY FOR THE PROMOTION OF CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE. Liverpool District Branch Meeting. [List of Books Sold] Manchester Courier 19 January 1828 page 2

111)  SOCIETY FOR THE PROMOTION OF CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE. Salisbury Annual Branch Meeting. Hampshire Advertiser 27 January 1872 page 7

112)  Archibald STEELE ‘Death of an old Edinburgh Bookbinder’. Edinburgh Evening News 28 September 1901 page 4

113)  Robert STEER ‘The Bookbinders’ Strike.’ James Mahoney accused of intimidating Robert Steer (Bookbinder?), who refused to come out on strike. Reynolds’s Newspaper 20 March 1892 page 1

114)  Mr STEPHENSON, Bookbinder. [He was eating beef cakes in the Red Lion, Petty Curry, Cambridge, when a pin lodged in his windpipe. He died of asphyxiation.] Norfolk Chronicle 22 September 1781 page 2).

115)  STRIKE OF BOOKBINDERS Morning Post 17 November 1891 page 3

116)  STOCK OF BOOKBINDING MATERIALS ‘…to be disposed of [by] J. Gaythorp, Bookseller. Carlisle Journal 7 February 1851 page 1

117)  Wm. SUMNERS ‘…a bookbinder on tramp, was charged with stealing a topcoat…’ Stamford Mercury 1 February 1861 page 5

118)  Francis THOMAS Bookbinder, 15, Boscawen Street, Truro. Royal Cornwall Gazette 27 December 1817 page 1

119)  C. & W. THOMPSON Booksellers, Stationers, Pattern-Card Manufacturers, Dealers in Genuine Patent Medicines, Printing Neatly & Expeditiously Executed, Books Bound, No. 1 Market Place, & 54 Westbar, Sheffield. Sheffield Independent 20 May 1820 page 1

120)  F. THOMPSON Bookseller, Stationer, Printer, Bookbinder, News Agent, and Dealer in English and Foreign Fancy Goods,  24, High Street, Bedford. Bedfordshire Times and Independent 2 August 1870 page 1; 6 August 1870 page 1; 30 August 1870 page 1

121)  Will. THOMPSON & Thos. BAILY Printers, Stamford. ‘Also Books neatly Bound…’ Stamford Mercury 19 August 1725 page 1; 7 November 1731 page 1

122)  C. F. TIMEAUS Printer, Stationer, Bookseller, Bookbinder, Die Sinker & Engraver, 90, High Street Bedford. Bedfordshire Times and Independent 12 November 1887 page 4; 19 November 1887 page 4; 3 December 1887 page 6; 10 December 1887 page 8; 7 January 1888 page 5

123)  [Mr.] TOMES ‘The new fashionable “Society” style of Bookbinding… is now binding books of the ordinary novel size…’ 43 and 45 Bedford Street, Leamington. Warwick and Warwickshire Advertiser 24 July 1886 page 2

124)  Thomas TROUD General Printing-Office. Superior and Fashionable Bookbinding, Fore-Street, Taunton. Dorset County Chronicle 18 June 1829 page 1

125)  F. W. WARD Bookbinding, 3, Watergate Row, Chester. Cheshire Observer 10 January 1925 page 1

126)  Mr. WATSON, Carver & Bookbinder, of Boston [married] to Miss Sophia Crosby, Milliner, of this place. Stamford Mercury 12 December 1817 page 3

127)  WEST MIDLANDS PRESS LIMITED ‘Capacity always available for Bookbinding.’ The Old Square, Walsall. Walsall Observer and South Staffordshire Chronicle 11 April 1963 page 12

128)  Josiah WESTLEY ‘…of Blackfriars, Bookbinder, was last week committed at Mansion House police-office, upon charges of having forged two bills of exchange…with intent to defraud Messrs. Glyn and Co. Bankers… Westmorland Gazette 25 October 1851 page 8

129)  Mr. WHEELER Bookbinding, 20 & 21 St. Mary-Street, Weymouth. Dorset County Chronicle 8 April 1880 page 20

130)  C. W. WHITEHEAD Christmas Greeting Cards. Printer, Stationer, and Bookbinder, Shop: 125, Fishergate Preston. Preston Chronicle 29 November 1890 page 1

131)  P. WILCOX, Stationer & Bookbinder, 12, Bell-Street, Canal Terrace, Southampton. Hampshire Advertiser 28 June 1828 page 1

132)  Joseph WILKINSON Stationer, Bookbinder, and Genuine Patent Medicine Vendor, Pudding-Lane, Lancaster. Lancaster Gazette 30 November 1811 page 1

133)  Robert WILSON & SON Booksellers, Bookbinders, and Stationers, 1, St. Nicholas Street, Aberdeen. Aberdeen Press and Journal 24 December 1862 page 4

134)  WOMEN BOOKBINDERS ‘…a scale of rates for women has been agreed…’ Nottingham Journal 29 October 1915 page 6

135)  C. WRIGHT Bookseller, Stationer, Bookbinder, Bridlesmith Gate, Nottingham, opened a shop and ‘a small select circulating library will speedily be established.’  Nottingham Journal 19 December 1812 page 3

136)  J. WRIGHT Bookseller, Binder and Stationer, Account Book Manufactory No. 6 King Street, Manchester. Manchester Courier 31 March 1827 page 2

137)  John WRIGHT [Letter to the Editor about] ‘The Binding of the Catalogue of the Great Exhibition.’ Signed: ‘JNO. WRIGHT, 14 & 15 Noel-Street, Soho.’ Morning Chronicle 5 January 1853 page 3

 


 

APPENDIX B:  List of Newspaper Titles consulted

 

Aberdeen Press and Journal

Alnwick Mercury

Bath Chronicle

Bedfordshire Times

Belfast Newsletter

Birmingham Daily Gazette

Bradford Observer

Bristol Mercury

Bury and Norwich Post

Caledonian Mercury

Carlisle Journal

Cambrian News

Cheshire Observer

Chester Chronicle

Dorset County Chronicle

Edinburgh Evening News

Exeter and Plymouth Gazette

Essex Herald

Freeman’s Journal

Glasgow Herald

Gloucester Herald

Gloucester Journal

Hampshire Advertiser

Herts Advertiser

Ipswich Journal

Kendal Mercury

Kent and Sussex Courier

Leeds Mercury

Manchester Courier

Manchester Mercury

Morning Chronicle (London)

 

Morning Post (London)

Lancaster Gazetteer

London Evening Standard

Newcastle Courant

Newcastle Daily chronicle

Norfolk chronicle

North Wales Chronicle

Nottingham Journal

Oddfellow

Oxford Journal

Penrith Observer

Preston Chronicle

Reading Mercury

Reynolds’s Newspaper

Royal Cornwall Gazette

Salisbury and Winchester Journal

Saunders’s Newsletter

Sheffield Independent

Stamford Mercury

Suffolk Chronicle

Sunderland Daily Echo

Walsall Observer

Warwick & Warwickshire Advertiser

Western Times

Westmorland Gazette

Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser

Worcester Journal

Worcestershire Chronicle

Wrexham Advertiser

York Herald

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

 Edmund M. B. King 

 St. Albans

2022


 Note: All images are © British Library Board; and texts within images are © British Newspapers Archive. The text of this essay is © Edmund M. B. King.



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