c.1960: Harrow Press (1 of 2)

Alan Lynch writes:

Pre-printing
(Above left)  Monotype keyboard. Not an ordinary Monotype but one specially adapted to 4-line mathematical setting. This unique system for Harrow was devised by Monotype Corporation, Arthur Phillips (Atlantic House) and the Clicker of the "ship", Bill Morris. It was a remarkable achievement but like some other initiatives at Harrow, too esoteric to gain proper recognition. The arm belongs to Dennis Rose who remains the fastest keyboard operator I ever came across. To work in front of him was like having a machine gun at your back. He set the four-line maths at the same speed as the rest of us set ordinary text.

(Above right)  Linotype machines. Mostly used for setting the text for telephone directories.

(Above left)  Make-up of Linotype. The lines of type (slugs) from the Linotypes were assembled into pages ready for stero platemaking. The telephone directory is seen to be efficiently made-up using special spring-loaded clamps — rather than the normal method of tying the pages with page cord. Another rare practice (if not unique) at Harrow.

(Above right)  Compositor with an apprentice. The Compositor seen here is Ted Withey who retired about 1960 aged 70. He served his apprenticeship at Harrison and Sons, St Martins Lane, London. One of the jobs in his first year apprenticeship explains a crude expression comps often used for those awful jobs nobody liked doing. He described how the compositors would travel to work with all the of city gents —dressed in City suits, including bowler hat, and carrying silver-handled umbrellas. Despite this, their toilet arrangements consisted of sitting on a long wooden pole over a ditch. Ted said that it was the first-year apprentice's job to shovel out the ditch. At Harrow he was responsible for the London Gazette.

(Photo from AL)

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