The Printing Industry in Leeds

Leeds Hippo · Post by **Leeds Hippo** » Thu 16 Dec, 2010 2:40 pm

Keep hearing about impressive buildings in Leeds that were once part of the printing industry in LeedsQuoteThe first known printer in Leeds was John Hirst who in 1718 began printing the 'Leeds Mercury' newspaper. In 1810 there were still only eight printing houses in Leeds but in the next decade the numbers mushroomed. By 1911 printing was the fourth largest employer in Leeds, employing 8000 people.Printing was, and remains one of Leeds' most important industries, both because of the number of small and large printing houses and the local engineering companies which produced printing machinery and equipment. Advances by Leeds printing engineers gave the city's industry an early advantage in colour printing.Leeds printing engineers like Crabtree's exported printing presses all over the world, and the small town of Otley to the north west of Leeds became famous for printing press manufacturers and the 'Wharfedale Press'.Notable Leeds printers included Alfred Cooke's, which was established in 1866 and by 1895 had built the world's largest printworks and enjoyed Royal Patronage (the building still stands on Hunslet Road). Another famous Leeds printing company was John Waddington Ltd, which started life printing posters for the theatre around 1900 and then diversified into games and packaging, most notably Monopoly, in 1935. By 1993 Waddingtons employed 2700 people in Leeds and exported their products all over the world.Ref:http://www.leeds.gov.uk/armleymills/Arm ... .aspxPiece in the YEP last night about the Alf Cooke's packaging and printing works in Hunslet Road, Leedshttp://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Lan ... 661187.jpI walk past Petty's on the Whitehall Road every day and they seem to be working round the clockAny other long term printers in Leeds?

Leeds Hippo · Post by **Leeds Hippo** » Thu 16 Dec, 2010 2:45 pm

Forgot - the YEP!

Johnny39 · Post by **Johnny39** » Thu 16 Dec, 2010 3:12 pm

Chorley & Pickersgill E. J. ArnoldsBeck & InchboldsPetty'setc. etc.

Johnny39 · Post by **Johnny39** » Thu 16 Dec, 2010 3:13 pm

Sorry - you had mentioned Petty's.

Post by **chameleon** » Thu 16 Dec, 2010 4:03 pm

Leeds Hippo wrote: Forgot - the YEP! Not dificult.

gbdlufc · Post by **gbdlufc** » Thu 16 Dec, 2010 6:09 pm

My dad worked at Alf Cookes, Bonar Cookes, Bemrose and Carton and whatever else it was called for many years I have a book and a lovely print of the building somewhere ?Beautiful building inside and out.

yorkiesknob · Post by **yorkiesknob** » Thu 16 Dec, 2010 9:10 pm

MY old man worked at Cookes and Thomas Wades on Kirkstall Hill

jan8 · Post by **jan8** » Fri 17 Dec, 2010 1:37 am

I met my husband at Alf Cookes. I worked in the transfer print department and he worked in retouching !

leedslily · Post by **leedslily** » Fri 17 Dec, 2010 1:59 pm

E. J. Arnold closed around 1990 - latterly it was a Maxwell company, and was sold off when his empire went pearshaped. The publishing division of the company (where I'd been working for about a year) was bought by Thomas Nelson and Sons, the school supplies division by a similar company in Nottingham, if I remember rightly, and I can't remember what happened to the stationery printing division. I really enjoyed working there, and it was sad when the company closed - had quite a knock-on effect on other local business too, I think.

gbdlufc · Post by **gbdlufc** » Fri 17 Dec, 2010 4:24 pm

Just looking through my library and found the book. It's actually about the Bemrose family and not Alf Cookes.When I opened the book a YEP cutting fell out that obviously my dad left in there and it mentions the stained glass window which faces the junction of Hunslet Rd and Leathley Rd which is built into the newer part of the building which was built on the site of St. Jude's church.When I get a minute I will write out the YEP article. Meanwhile i will 'try' to post some pics?