Something to Crow About

Warrens Printers

In January 1855, Royston printer John Warren published the first edition of ‘The Royston Crow’. It started as monthly publication containing articles of interest, local news and adverts. In September 1876 it moved to weekly editions.

John Warren grew up in his father’s printing business. As a young man he moved to London to work as a reader for several publishers. After his father’s death in 1847, Warren returned to Royston and took over the printing business.

In addition to The Crow, Warrens printed books, leaflets, business records and they produced their own almanacs.

John Warren, founder of The Royston Crow Robert Warren

On John Warren’s death in 1884, the business was taken on by his sons Robert and Charles. They expanded the business to include a newsagents, stationers,  library, and the sale of sports ware and musical equipment. Adverts for many of these can be found in The Crow. The Crow remained in the Warren family until 1930, when it was sold to Joseph Cooke.

The ‘Paper’ has cost me much money, labour & anxiety - God grant that my family may be the better for it, & go on ever improving & ever prospering!

John Warren, autobiography, December 1884

Royston Crow print works team, 1889

Movable type 

Moveable type is a printing system which uses individual blocks for each character.  

1041 CE  - The first clay moveable type is developed in China

1230 CE– Cast metal movable type is first produced in Korea

1297 CE  - Wooden moveable type is introduced in China.

1400 CE – The movable type printing press is invented by German goldsmith Johannes Gutenberg.

The printing press revolutionised the printing process. Presses could now produce up to 3600 pages a day, compared to 40 by hand printing.  The Printing Revolution led to the mass production of books, pamphlets and newspapers and made literature available to the wider public, rather than only the wealthy.

Setting the type

The type blocks were stored in wooden trays, with different sections for each, letter, number or symbol. Blocks of a lower height called spacers were used to make the blank space between sentences and at the end of rows of text.

The text was built up using a composing stick, a tool with a tray to hold the type blocks. The completed text, known as a forme was placed in a frame. Wooden or metal blocks were used to fill in any extra space. A type of lock called a quoin was used to add tension to the frame. The completed forme could then be safely moved to the printing press.

Columbia Printing Press

The Royston Crow was printed on a Columbian Printing Press from 1855 until the 1960s. The press was housed on the first floor of the Warren’s printers on King Street. A hole was made in the ceiling to accommodate the eagle counter weight. The printing process was slow and hard work with two men needed to work the press. A further 15 men worked in the composing room.

The press was designed in America in 1813. The decoration on the press represents the spread of knowledge. The eagle represents America, while the olive branch it is holding in its claw represents peace. The fruits and vegetables in a cornucopia represent prosperity and the dolphin symbolizes wisdom. On the side columns, the twisted snakes around a staff are a symbol of Hermes, the Ancient Greek messenger god. The press was capable of producing 250 pages an hour.

The Royston Crow's press can now be seen in Royston Museum and is use reguarly by Royston Printmakers as well as for Museum events and printing demonstration days.