Comments on: At The Caslon Letter Foundry

By: Thomas Pacyga

Thomas Pacyga — Sat, 14 May 2022 23:35:43 +0000

So many people had jobs!! And now all that is lost to pictures only.

By: Arantxa

Arantxa — Sun, 26 Apr 2015 17:33:55 +0000

Thank you so much for putting this pictures together, much appreciated!

By: Celeste Regal

Celeste Regal — Sat, 30 Aug 2014 16:13:00 +0000

It is glorious to look back at a past we (certain of us) wish still existed but I would very much like to know, pride of handwork notwithstanding, what sorts of lives the workers lead. Must have been grand for the Caslons but how did they bodies feel as they left each long, long work day? What kind of home did they go to? Those machines with their size and rate they roared on at must have tampered with the ears and the nerves. People were made of stronger stuff because they had to be but what was it really like?

Long before Bernard Middleton’s day there was this. Should we muse so fondly over it. I understand ton-loads of paychecks were to be had, but what were the pros & cons, what was the price to be paid. There is a fantastic story to be had here. Has anyone written it? If not who’s for a prolonged stay at St. Brides Library?

By: Ellen in NEW England

Ellen in NEW England — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 00:58:46 +0000

All that work in the type store looks particularly back-breaking. Fascinating work, for the benefit of all readers. I used an Albion press for a little while in 1977, at Kingsway-Princeton College for Further Education in Sidmouth St, near King’s Cross. We were making linoleum art prints.

By: alastair johnston

alastair johnston — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 18:05:56 +0000

James Mosley’s own blog is found at http://typefoundry.blogspot.com/

By: alastair johnston

alastair johnston — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 18:04:50 +0000

Although unacknowledged, the captions for the photos were written by James Mosley, former Librarian of St Bride’s.

By: Graham Moss

Graham Moss — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 08:18:49 +0000

Lovely photos, all neat and tidy and long way removed from a workaday letterpress printshop. Regarding Jane B comment above – you can’t get lead poisoning from type, unless you get lead in your bloodstream. So long as you don’t eat the type, you’ll be fine. Dirty fingers from handling the stuff is from the ink residue, not from the lead that is in the typemetal.

And a general point – the word font that is used in these captions has suffered some recent changes. The UK spelling was fount, and founts of metal type are the packages, each containing a set quantity (usually about 7lbs in weight) of one design or face, in one size. The computer word font has a quite different meaning, connected to the design itself.

I’m still at it, and yes, everything changes if you are around long enough, and seems to get romanticised eventually. It’s a lovely job if you like it though, and metal type still makes the best impression!

By: Derek Yates

Derek Yates — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 08:00:43 +0000

Having spent 24 years in the industry starting as a compositor it brings back a lot of memories. Great photographs.

By: Nina Archer

Nina Archer — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 10:17:24 +0000

…… such wonderful pictures, thank you for bringing them to light Gentle Author, I have spent a happy time looking at them in detail – so much to see, handsome Sydney Caslon Smith at his substantial desk laden with paperwork – and inkwells (always popular on tv antique shows these days), the ladies’ clothes, the busy clerks and workers throughout the factory – all of it a treat to savour, I wonder what thoughts were going through their heads, and what their home lives were like ….. I think I’ll just go through them again while I drink my tea! ……

By: Rosemary Hoffman

Rosemary Hoffman — Sun, 24 Aug 2014 08:38:58 +0000

lovely articel about a truly lost world !