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A REPUTATION FOR EXCELLENCE
A History of the Glasgow Printing Industry
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Part Four - The Era of
Industrialisation
Printing in Glasgow in the nineteenth century saw the continued
influence of the Glasgow University Press in the appointment of
printers to the coveted position of University Printer. Nevertheless,
there was a new development early in the century of firms starting
and forming a joint printing and publishing enterprise. Foremost
among these were Blackie & Son and William Collins & Co.,
names that became known worldwide and remained almost to the end
of the twentieth century In 1831 the firm of Bell and Bain was founded
and today it is one of the oldest established printers in Glasgow.
The era of industrialisation of printing continued throughout the
century but without electric power. This was not introduced until
1901 in Blackies, with a complete changeover to electric motors
from steam in 1906. The development of printing in the nineteenth
century called heavily on manual strength for press operation, mainly
letterpress, and manual dexterity for the composition of text. Hand
composition continued until the end of the century. By the end of
the century one firm employed nearly 2,000 people. This is in sharp
contrast to the two or three which made up the labour force at the
start of the century. The firm’s founder would be included
in this number.
The Foulis brothers, Robert and Andrew, had been printers to the
University for the latter half of the eighteenth century, Robert’s
work being of particular outstanding and renowned high standard.
In 1795 James Mundell was appointed University Printer for three
years. The appointment was renewed in 1799 but he died before this
second period expired. Mundell is associated with an early instance
of the University Press being engaged on work for London publishers
through the printing in 1799 of Anatomy by John Burns. This was
published inter alios by Longman and Rees, London, and became an
important feature of the work of the Glasgow press. There was an
interval after Mundell’s death before the University appointed
in May 1802 the brothers James and John Scrymegeour to be their
printers. Very little is known of their work, but an edition of
Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations issued in three volumes in 1805
bears .the imprint ‘Glasgow: at the University Press printed
by J. & J. Scrymegeour’. James died in September 1804 and
John in July 1809 before a purchaser was found for the business
which was up for sale.
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Volume 2 published 1994
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