[Written: August 2006]
How I Got Involved in Letterpress
Printing: My father was the real printer and he taught me all he knew. I just dabbled, but from the age of about seven
until sixteen it was a large part of my life. At weekend and in school holidays, I used to do all of the little jobs round my
father's print works. I used to set type, pull proofs on a proofing press that was dated in the late 1700's, mind the Heidelberg
and Thompson and feed paper into Wharfedale. About the only thing I didn't do was work the guillotine, which was a Grieg, made
in Glasgow. My major job each spring was to do the handbills for the Dunlop tennis tournaments that used to be held in those
days all over the UK; Frinton, Southport, Torquay, Hoylake, to name but four of many. Sadly, I can't find one anywhere!
Presses
& Equipment: Original Heidelberg, Wharfdale, Thompson
Work History: Since about 1963, I've done very little with
printing. I've written software for forty years and I put the success I've had down to all those precise years of setting letterpress.
Software is the same! One mistake and it's crap. Now I write web sites and help companies make the most of the Internet and
all those tricks of getting pages onto the paper come back and are used again. So again, letterpress is to the rescue.
Education: Minchenden
Grammar School in London, UK and Liverpool University
Other Interests/Hobbies: Writing. I've just written a book called
Making the Most of the Internet, which contains several references to my real education in that print works in Wood Green.
Group
Memberships, if any:
Birth
Date or Birth Year: 16th August 1947
